Former Gamecock uses NIL money for dad to open barber shop in Charlotte

Brian Mack points to one of more than 30 photos on the back wall of his newly-opened barber shop.

The first one he picks out is the 1989 boys’ basketball team at Garinger High, which won the program’s only state championship. A shot of C.J. Johnson, the late legendary girls’ basketball coach at Mallard Creek, is above it, beneath an image of a youthful Steph Curry bringing the ball up for Charlotte Christian.

Clippings from The Charlotte Observer document the city’s basketball history, from black-and-white pictures of a Titus Robinson-led East Mecklenburg 66-64 win over Hopewell to a colorful graphic that declares Isaiah Evans, the Duke-bound North Mecklenburg star, the greatest player of his generation.

From jerseys and memorabilia of high school standouts — who’ve been remembered as well as Curry or forgotten, like former South Meck superstar Johnny Edwards — to a poster breaking down the inaugural NBA roster of the Charlotte Hornets, this new barber shop in west Charlotte is all about uniting its community through a passion for basketball.

“I was born and raised here all my life,” Mack said. “A lot of new people are coming in here. We want to make sure, 20-30 years from now, the history that supports the Charlotteans is still preserved somewhere. There’s somewhere, where you can come in, and you can learn about a Johnny Edwards. You can learn about Kris Robinson. You can learn about an Ian Miller.

“Twenty years from now, people moving here, and Isaiah Evans — now, people may know him, but they may soon find out who Isaiah was. Or Jaden Springer, Patrick Williams or BJ Mack.”

Fulfilling his father’s dream through NIL

The House of Hoops barber shop, located inside a strip mall off Interstate 85 at 2504 Little Rock Road, Suite D, opened over the weekend.

Mack’s son, BJ, just wrapped up his final year of NCAA eligibility at South Carolina. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound Charlotte Christian and Wofford College alum was second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.6 points per game for the Gamecocks.

Mack, who played for Garinger when it won its only state title in 1989, has been a barber for the past 26 years. He used to have a place on the corner of Independence Boulevard and Sharon Amity Road.

But, he said, this new one is “10 times sweeter.”

BJ Mack decided to use the money he made off his name, image and likeness (NIL) to give his dad his own barber shop. The family truly cares about their community, and Mack is ecstatic for the shop’s opportunity to bring people together.

“That first one was just for me. That was something to do,” Mack explained. “This one has so much more meaning behind it. Because of my son and my family being involved.”

‘We want to be an inspiration’

There’s a basketball feel in every corner of the House of Hoops barber shop.

Four televisions face different directions hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room, mimicking a Jumbotron. In addition to the decorative back wall, the walls above the mirrors are filled with more framed jerseys, photos and plaques.

And there’s room for plenty more.

Intentionally, Mack left gaps of blank space on the walls. He wants to highlight current — and soon, future — stars of all levels of basketball in the Queen City, while ensuring that they never forget their roots.

“We want to be an inspiration for the next kids,” Mack said. “I can’t wait until I’m old, sitting around in my rocking chair, and I see that little boy that was in the barber shop walking across the NBA Draft stage.

“You see them on the wall. You next. Give them that little motivation — you never know what it takes to get that kid over the top.”