Mark Strickland remembers exactly what it feels like to be hanging onto an NBA dream by a thread. One workout. One phone call. One coach willing to give you ten minutes longer than planned. That’s all it takes sometimes. And now, years after Miami Heat fans knew him as “Pogo Man,” the former high-flying forward is doing everything he can to help his son get that same shot.
And honestly, this whole story feels like something straight out of old-school NBA lore.
You’ve got Mark Strickland, now 55 years old, still plugged into the basketball world, still grinding, still making calls behind the scenes trying to get his son Markhi noticed before the 2026 NBA Draft. Not because he’s some overbearing sports parent screaming from the sidelines, but because he knows exactly how fragile these opportunities can be. This guy clawed his way into the league the hard way. Undrafted out of Temple. Played everywhere. USBL. Overseas. Puerto Rico. The basketball wilderness. Then suddenly, boom — Miami gives him a chance and he sticks around for parts of four seasons with the Heat.
Heat fans from that era remember him well. Eric Reid calling him “Pogo Man” because the man looked like he had springs hidden in his sneakers. He wasn’t a superstar, but he was one of those players every tough team seems to have — energy guy, rebound chaser, athletic freak who could change momentum for a few minutes off the bench.
Now the spotlight shifts to his son, Markhi Strickland, a 6-foot-7 guard coming out of North Dakota State. And first off, let’s just acknowledge how basketball has changed. Back in Mark Sr.’s day, a guy that size was expected to battle inside and clean glass. Now? Markhi’s handling the ball, working guard skills, interviewing with NBA teams, and showing off bounce at the combine. The younger Strickland reportedly posted a 35.5-inch max vertical at the G League Elite Camp. Not bad for a guy trying to carve his own path into one of the deepest draft classes in years.
And this is where the story gets interesting because Mark Strickland isn’t pretending the process is fair or easy. He’s actively working phones, talking directly with Miami Heat executive Keith Askins, trying to secure workouts and get his son’s name on the right lists.
“What Keith Askins told me was they would put him on the local list,” Strickland explained. “So at least he’s on somebody’s list.”
That quote right there tells you everything about life around the NBA bubble. It’s not always glamorous. Sometimes it’s just trying to get somebody — anybody — to watch film for five extra minutes.
And there’s another layer to this story that makes it feel very Miami Heat. This organization has quietly become one of the most family-connected franchises in basketball. Sons of former players constantly cycle through Summer League teams, G League opportunities, workouts, and camp invites. Pat Riley’s Heat culture somehow became family culture too. If your father wore a Heat uniform, chances are the organization at least opens the door for a conversation.
That doesn’t guarantee anything. But it matters.
Mark Strickland knows that better than anyone because his own NBA journey started with a one-day trial in Miami that turned into an actual career. That’s why he’s pushing so hard now. He understands how quickly one opportunity can snowball into something real.
And maybe the most fascinating quote of all came when Mark talked about his son’s game.
“He’s better than I was. He’s got guard skills at 6-7.”
That’s not just proud dad talk. That’s a former NBA player evaluating how the league has evolved and realizing his son may actually fit today’s game better than he did twenty-five years ago.
Now the question becomes whether somebody in the NBA agrees enough to give Markhi that one opening. One workout. One camp invite. One roster spot.
Because if there’s one thing basketball history keeps teaching us, it’s that the league is full of players who only needed one chance.
