Khalil Mack is a superstar. One of the five best players in the NFL and deservedly so. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s probably really good at other sports too. Athletes of that caliber can do just about anything they way. For Mack though his preferred second sport of choice is basketball. He’s been spotted numerous times wearing Chicago Bulls jerseys since he joined the team last September and has his own personal court at his house.
It isn’t just used for exercise and personal enjoyment though. Mack, like any self-respecting superstar athlete, is highly competitive. He enjoys using that court to issue challenges to his Chicago Bears teammates to play pickup games. However, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic, his preferred choice of contest is three-point shooting. Each person gets five shots apiece. The loser must do 20-25 pushups.
It didn’t take long for teammates to find out that Mack is not so much a generous host in such games.
It’s damn near impossible to beat Khalil Mack on the football field. On the basketball court, though, Mack is not invincible — but he’s a lot better than his teammates thought.
One by one, players have been challenged to a 3-point contest at Mack’s place, and when they lose, they’re doing pushups.
Anyone who follows Mack on Instagram has seen it on his stories. In Mack’s personalized basketball court in his suburban Chicago home, Bears players and Mack’s friends are filmed doing pushups while the defensive star cackles in the background.
Khalil Mack shows subtle leadership with such challenges
While Mack may be ruthless in his efforts to conquer every teammate who dares challenge him, he’s also humble when he loses. On top of that, there is a quiet benefit to this excursions to the court. It enables him to bring the team closer together, enjoying life away from the constant grind of football. People always talk about Mack’s dominating presence on the field but they tend to overlook how good of a leader he is.
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His 12.5 sacks last year were a big part of why the Bears defense was great, but it was his constant pushing and motivation to play better that helped elevate everyone else. Mack is the unquestioned leader on that side of the ball with Akiem Hicks, Danny Trevathan, and Eddie Jackson each leading their respective position groups as well. Leadership must fall to more than one person but every team needs that one guy to wear the crown.
That is Mack, and he is a good and just king indeed.
