Where did "McBalla" come from? This is a question that I get asked regularly. Here is the story.
When I was in 7th grade I was on the verge of playing with the 8th grade basketball team. Before the season started we hosted an open gym. To my surprise I was the only 7th grader in the gym that night. After coming to terms with the fact that I was the youngest one in the gym I decided to make the most of the situation.
We started playing and I came to life. I had spent the entire summer refining my game by playing with my older cousins and it was showing against the 8th grade team. My favorite part about basketball has always been passing. At one point in the night I was inbounding the ball and couldn't find an open teammate. So I decided to bounce the ball of the back of an opposing player and ignite a fastbreak. When I crossed halfcourt I made a behind-the-back pass that led to an open layup. This sequence left the coach and players in awe.
When the night ended it was clear that I was the best player on the court and thoroughly enjoyed the game. At lunch the next day a group of 8th graders approached me about my performance the night before. I was anticipating that they would haze me and set me in my place for showing them up. A kid named Jacob in the group said "Instead of Cody McCulloch you know what we should call you?" My first instinct was to look around and make sure that none of my friends were around to hear the insult that was that coming my way. Jacob continued and said "Since you played the way you did last night we should call you Cody McBalla."
And every since that day in 2008 that name has stuck.
