AH110 - Sam Mackinnon | Olympic Hoops, Fatherhood & Battling NBA Legends Like LeBron and Shaq

In this episode of Awesome Humans, host Brett McCallum sits down with Australian basketball legend Sam Mackinnon for a wide-ranging, often hilarious, and deeply human conversation. From his early days growing up in Melbourne, juggling football and basketball dreams, to his rise through the NBL and international tournaments—including Olympic battles against LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal—Sam shares what it’s really like behind the stats. The chat spans career highlights, personal struggles, his coaching philosophy, and the journey of raising a basketball-playing son in today’s fast-paced sporting world.

Show Notes

Sponsored by: Official Beer Co - GC Lager

In this episode:

• Sam's early memories and why he nearly played AFL
• Being recruited in Year 11 and signing his first NBL contract at 17
• Playing against LeBron, Shaq, Scottie Pippen and the Dream Team
• What it was like representing Australia at the Olympics
• The highs and lows of a long career: MVPs, injuries, and setbacks
• Transitioning to coaching and building the Taranaki Airs into a contender
• His perspective on fatherhood, divorce, and raising elite kids in sport
• Life lessons from basketball—and what’s next

Quickfire Q&A:
Favourite food? (Steak!) | Favourite place? (Sunshine Beach) | Most proud of? (His kids)