Taelon Martin is making the most of his ‘last chance’
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (BVM) – Taelon Martin’s life on the basketball court has been a challenging series of trials and tribulations. The former high school standout has gone from a one-time Division I level prospect to a Division III freshman finding minutes off the bench.
The unique journey is an ongoing one, creating experiences that have only strengthened his resiliency. For Martin, he isn’t ready to give up on his once big dreams as he battles back to the highest level.
“The journey has been hard but also it’s been a great experience because not a lot of people go through a journey like mine,” Martin said. “I’ve seen a lot of things. I’ve seen doors close [and] doors open growing up. It’s a hard journey. It’s not easy. That’s why they say don’t play a sport if you’re not mentally tough because when things get hard or things aren’t going your way, it gets [difficult].”
In high school, Martin would receive offers from some of the top programs in the country including the likes of UConn, Syracuse, Rutgers and Marquette. Unfortunately for the Springfield, Massachusetts native, his grades would never reach the Division I eligibility level.
Instead, Martin’s college path would instead take him to the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Connecticut, where he would play under Hall of Fame head coach Jim Calhoun. Although his dream of playing at UConn wouldn’t come to fruition, he would get the chance to play under the longtime Huskies’ head coach.
While playing under Calhoun, Martin credits the legendary head coach for humbling him early on. Even though Calhoun knew how skilled the 6-foot-5 guard was at the time, he made it a point to make Martin earn it, initially having him come off the bench for the Blue Jays.
At the time, though, he explained that he wasn’t always ready to receive that message.
“We had a great season but I felt like around that time I wasn’t that in love with basketball because I had dreams of going D-I and I felt like it had overshadowed it at that time,” Martin said of the experience. “When I went Division III, I had no idea [that in] JUCO basketball you could get Division I offers. So when I went Division III, I thought it was over.”
Even with the disappointing circumstances, Division I programs still called the Blue Jays coach to check in on the talented freshman. Martin’s academic issues however would still persist, stopping him from making the jump to the next level.
With academics hanging over his head, Martin decided to take the 2020 year off. Mentally, he admits he wasn’t in the right headspace at the time with his focus away from the sport he loved and the grades he needed to obtain.
Following the year off, Martin’s itch for a return to action would come after he and his younger cousin watched over some of his cousin’s high school games. A genuine conversation sparked a changed mindset that has set him on a much different path.
“He’s always been my biggest fan and he would always ask me, ‘What made you stop playing basketball?’,” Martin said. “He always used to tell me, ‘You have a chance.’ Ever since that real heartfelt conversation, the next morning I woke up with a whole different mentality. I hit up my mentor/trainer and we got in the gym that morning and it went on from there.”
Martin would get back in the swing of the early morning workouts and long hours in the gym as longtime mentor Robert Kelly aided in his return. His work would eventually lead to high-level performances at JUCO showcase camps, where he would gain an opportunity to step back out on the collegiate floor, this time at the College of Southern Idaho.
The sophomore guard has enjoyed his return to the court, helping Southern Idaho to a top-10 spot in the JUCO rankings. A family-like culture has given Martin the confidence that he can keep things going as his career continues forward.
Following the conclusion of this season, Martin will finally get the chance to play at the Division I level, committing to Siena to start the year.
“This is why I really came out to Idaho just to get away and really focus on myself and really lock in because this is definitely the last chance I have,” Martin said. “I’ve been on top of everything [academically], I won’t even stoop down to a – C. I need to have all A’s and B’s and that’s what I’ve been doing. Hopefully, I finish off this last semester strong because right now I’m academically qualified to go to Siena.”
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After receiving a handful of offers this past year, the opportunity to join coach Carmen Maciariello at Siena next season was one that Martin didn’t want to pass up. The program showed a belief in the sophomore guard that he didn’t feel elsewhere. It also allowed him to return closer to home, which has been part of the adjustment to being across the country during his year in Idaho.
“It’s always going to be tough times and ups-and-downs playing basketball but what’s been making me push lately since I’ve been out here… is just calling my mom.
“I wanted to go back for my mom and my trainer and everybody else, my little sisters,” Martin said. “I have a big family of 10 siblings so I want everybody to be able to come watch me for the rest of my college career.”
As Martin aims to finish his year off strong, he’s looking to take all the right steps to achieve his upcoming opportunity. For now it’s Division I, but in the future, his goals go even higher.
“I plan on going to the NBA, too,” Martin said.
