Gary McLain facts for kids

Gary McLain is a former American college basketball player. He played for Villanova University.

Early Basketball Career

Gary McLain was a talented point guard in high school. He played at Methuen High School. Many colleges wanted him to play for their teams. McLain chose to go to Villanova University.

He joined the Villanova Wildcats in 1981. This was a special group of new players. It included Ed Pinckney and Dwayne McClain. They were sometimes called "The Expansion Crew." Gary McLain played basketball from 1981 to 1985. He was a point guard for the team. He later earned a degree in Communication Arts.

Winning the NCAA Championship

McLain was the starting point guard for the 1985 Villanova team. This team won the NCAA title. They played against Georgetown University. Georgetown was a very strong team, favored to win. Villanova won the game 66–64.

This victory is known as one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history. An upset is when a team that is not expected to win beats a much stronger team. This exciting game is even talked about in a book. The book is called The Perfect Game by Frank Fitzpatrick.

After College Basketball

After his college career, Gary McLain was chosen in the 1985 NBA draft. The New Jersey Nets picked him in the seventh round. He was also selected by the Wildwood Aces. This team was part of the United States Basketball League. However, McLain did not play for either of these professional teams.

Later, he worked as a recruiter. He worked for a company called TLA Consultants.