Maric becomes focal point
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By BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
The project took roughly one hour.
Toss a couple of basketballs to your big guy from Australia, tell him to ham it up, and click away … about 250 times.
The result?
Ask any Nebraska men’s basketball season ticket holder.
Those tickets to Husker home games bear different poses of Nebraska senior center Aleks Maric — 21 tickets in all, each featuring the man who happens to wear No. 21.
“We came up with some pretty clever shots,” said Marc Boehm, Nebraska executive associate athletic director, who oversees basketball.
Maric is also prominent on the cover of Nebraska’s media guide. He appears with coach Doc Sadler in the team’s “Get on Board” video promotions.
A billboard at 17th and Vine Street features Maric.
“I haven’t seen it,” Maric said. “Just heard about it.”
And that’s about the extent to which Maric prefers discussing Nebraska’s recent promotional campaign.
“I don’t like being the center of attention,” Maric said. “I like being part of a group. If I liked being the center of attention, I’d be playing tennis or golf. That’s why I’ve always liked the team environment.
“Marketing does their job. I practice and I play. That’s my job. And I go to school.”
It’s not often Nebraska’s athletic department will single out only one player on any team and promote that athlete on so many levels. It’s especially uncommon for men’s basketball.
Then again, how often does a team have only one senior, and a pretty darned good one, at that?
“If there were some other seniors, they’d be obviously sharing in all this different stuff,” Sadler said. “It’s just so ironic that he’s the guy we have to have a big year, and at the same time, he’s the only senior.”
Maric is the focal point, in many ways, for Sadler’s second Nebraska team. He’s the top returning scorer (18.5 points per game) and rebounder (8.7) in the Big 12 Conference. He’s a first-team preseason All-Big 12 pick, according to league coaches. Athlon Sports magazine tabbed Maric a preseason third-team All-American.
What happens when you have a player that talented, that touted, who’s also likable, personable and humble?
You promote the heck out of him.
“We think that Aleks really relates to Nebraskans,” Boehm said. “We really feel like people can identify with him.”
Boehm points to a scene at last Sunday’s Red-White scrimmage. Players threw small, plastic balls into the stands as they were being introduced. Maric handed his to a little girl.
After the scrimmage, the 6-foot-11, 275-pound Maric was helping 6-year-old boys dunk basketballs.
It’s also not uncommon to see Maric making rounds at the athletic department, poking his head in offices, just to say hi.
“That’s part of his marketability. He’s genuine. He has those leadership qualities,” Boehm said.
“He’s a little bit like Doc. That’s what makes the program so great. People identify with that.”
Maric understands and accepts his role, too. His marketability can bring national attention to a program that’s been void of any high-profile players for several years.
But Maric tires of discussing his NBA potential. Too much could happen between now and then, he says.
“What if I wake up, go to class and get hit by an 18-wheeler? I won’t be the big man. I’ll meet the Big Man,” Maric said.
“Or I could be here averaging two points and one rebound a game. You never know.”
Right now, though, chances are good that Maric will be Nebraska’s first player drafted by the NBA since Venson Hamilton in 1999.
“There are some great opportunities for Aleks,” Boehm said. “I think it’s important since you have an individual like this, to showcase him and get him out to the national media.
“He’s very well-known. He’s gaining national attention. The more you can get something out there, the more it’s going to help the overall program of Nebraska basketball.”
Maric can help himself, too. He’s savvy enough to know how the marketing game works. He’s experienced in dealing with media, dating to his days of playing with the Australian Institute for Sport, a national development center for elite athletes.
Notice how he carefully frames the “Adidas” logo on the basketball, so it’s prominent in his photos.
“He’s very, very aware of the things you need to do,” Boehm said. “He’s very aware of the image.
Maric is equally aware that Nebraska basketball is more than Aleks Maric. He talks about how the pieces of the puzzle are in place for the Huskers to have a successful season, and how it’s up to all of the players to fulfill their roles.
Maric, if he averages numbers similar to last season, is targeted to finish his Nebraska career fifth on the school’s scoring charts and second in rebounding.
When it comes to being a face of Husker basketball, he might be top five.
“He doesn’t seem to be fazed at all,” Sadler said. “Aleks is one of those guys who’s going to come and work hard in practice, going to do his thing and show up the next day and do it again.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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