Roseville Native Mike Muscala Living His NBA Dream
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- He is now a member of the Atlanta Hawks, but the road started in Roseville for Mike Muscala.
He grew into his long frame, put up numbers at Bucknell in college and because of it is now drawing an NBA pay check. He was back home for a youth camp he hosted, a reminder of where he once was.
It's a summer camp, and one person in the gymnasium towers above the rest. Muscala has his name on this one. It reminds him of a time in his life when he dreamed big.
"It's awesome. It brings me back to when I was this age working hard in the summer and getting a chance to learn from others and learn from a professional," Muscala said. "It's great to see their passion. They're working hard and it's fun for my first camp."
He lives that dream because after Roseville High School, he went to Bucknell and kept getting better and better, until NBA teams noticed.
"Great coaching staff there, great teammates and a great program," Muscala said. "It definitely helped me expand my game every offseason. I wasn't even thinking about playing professionally until after my junior year."
And now he plays on that big stage, a member of the Atlana Hawks, one of the best teams in the NBA this past season.
"It's great, it's great to be a part of. It's a culture that values hard work, values being a great teammate and being there for the city and for the fans. I've had a great time playing with them," Muscala said.
He's a local kid living the NBA dream, with some advice to all those just drafted players heading to the league.
"Learning to play within a different system and a different game. Different rules, better athletes, but the players who work hard and are good learners will pick it up quick," Muscala said.