An emotional Jahmai Mashack sat at the postgame press conference table on Sunday evening with a towel over his head, processing the barrage of emotions that come after an elimination loss in his final game as a member of the Tennessee basketball team.
Mashack didn’t hold back while answering questions from the media, either. He gave genuine, emotion-filled answers that others may have held the curtain on. Mashack, in line with Tennessee’s It’s Not About Me motto, deflected any individual praise toward his teammates and coaches.
“It’s really not about me,” Mashack said. “I don’t care about getting any of the glory. I don’t care about getting any of the accolades, nothing like that. I just care about shining the light on this guy right here and these two guys right here (Zeigler, Gainey, Barnes). I’ve seen them put in so much work. I’ve seen Coach Barnes be the most consistent person. Even though we fight and get into it, we get right back to practice and coaching. He loves to coach me and he knows how much I put in this game. I really wanted to get there for him. I wanted people to realize how good of a coach he is. Sometimes communication can be off between him and the players and that happens, but, man, I just wanted to get there for him.”
Mashack played for Tennessee for four years and gave Vol fans several incredible moments that will be hard to forget, such as a bevy of hustle plays in transition and on defense and the buzzer-beating game-winner against Alabama this season. Still, though, Mashack talked about wanting to give Tennessee fans even more in his final run.
“I wanted to get there for the Vol fans, man,” Mashack said. “I wanted them to have something that they could be proud of, you know what I mean? And it’s hard. It’s hard, but we’re going to have to fight through it.”
At the time of this publication on Monday afternoon, Rocky Top Insider’s video of Tennessee’s postgame press conference has more than 28,000 views and more than 300 comments.
One comment stuck out, though.
While we don’t know the name of this user, their comment had more than 100 likes, implying that their message and view of Mashack’s comments are multiplied amongst the fanbase.
Here’s what this user wanted Jahmai Mashack to know after the former Vol felt like he let the fanbase down:
“Mashack saying he wanted to give Vol Nation something to be proud of broke my heart. Final Four & National Champion would have been great, but teams do that every year. There is something special for VOL fans that we get to say our team had Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack for four years and watched them not only rack up awards but give 100% every game and elevate the basketball program at UT. We got to see Jordan Gainey continually give his all and step in a clutch moments. We had Knecht and Lanier and Vescovi and JJJ and countless other amazing players these last four years. And then top it all of by our Vols being led by not only an amazing Coach but also man in Rick Barnes is more than enough to be proud of. Zeigler and Mashack did for basketball what Peyton did for Football and we’ll never forget these amazing guys. If ever a team deserved the national championship as a reward for an amazing career, it’s these two but it doesn’t take away what they’ve done the last four years and I’m just sad it’s the last time I’ll watch them in the orange and white. Proud every day for four years watching y’all!! 
“
More from RTI – Definition of Different: Jahmai Mashack Left His Mark On Tennessee Basketball
The sentiment was shared amongst other users, too.
User: “Jahmai, I know you wanted to give us, Barnes, and the other guys something special to make us proud…but we are very proud to have young men like you come here and play for us. I’ve just loved watching you guys play. We love you guys! Love Barnes as well and the guys he gets to come play here, they all have great character.”
User: “Man when Mashack got up there that was tough to listen to. Dude wanted it so bad.”
User: “Don’t worry Mashack we will always remember your buzzer beater against Alabama! What (a) shot. This team went waaaay deeper than I expected and it was an awesome season.”
Watch Jahmai Mashack’s postgame comments below:
