???In Montreal, everyone is expected to embrace the hockey culture. Like most children in the Canadian city, junior forward Max Boudreau of the men's basketball team was raised to love the sport.
???Boudreau grew up on the ice before hitting the basketball court. While his childhood idol was the legendary Canadiens winger Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Boudreau found his niche as a goaltender. As a 13 year old, he shone between the pipes, demonstrating great skill for the position.
???Boudreau's height grabbed the attention of many people, including his gym teacher.
???"In the 10th grade, my gym teacher asked me to try out for the basketball team," Boudreau said. "I didn't know much about basketball, but I decided to play."
???Basketball was not nearly as respected or admired as hockey was, but the more Boudreau practiced on the court, the more he loved the game. He quickly realized his natural ability and soon became a dual athlete.
???Starting basketball at such a late age, however, was not easy.
???"My first game I played inside the paint and had a double-double," he said. "It was funny because at one point, the referee blew the whistle and called me for three in the key. I just looked around and asked, 'What is that?' I didn't really know the rules."
???By his senior year, Boudreau was 6 feet 5 inches tall and starting for Champlain St. Lambert, one of the most well-renowned high school basketball programs in Canada. He averaged 12 points, eight rebounds, and three assists per game during his final year with the team. Boudreau currently holds school records for most rebounds in a game (21) and offensive rebounds in a game (11).
???The time spent playing both sports took its toll on Boudreau. He reached a point where he had to decide between basketball and hockey and found it very difficult to come to a conclusion.
???Despite the tradition of hockey in Montreal, the love he held for the game, and the 13 years of playing the game, Boudreau chose to leave hockey behind and to continue his basketball career.
???"It was the hardest decision I've ever had to make," Boudreau said. "The pressure was big. My parents thought I was jumping into nothing. But I chose to continue basketball anyways."
???After catching the eye of head coach Reggie Witherspoon at a basketball camp in Kansas, Boudreau was recruited to become a Bull. Despite being scouted by schools like Davidson and Michigan State, Boudreau chose Buffalo after a campus visit with his mother.
???Boudreau was very impressed by Buffalo's coaching staff on his visit.
???"I fell in love with the campus, the facilities, and especially the coaching staff," he said. "The coaching staff really took me in and was excited for me to be a part of the team."
???Now in his third season with the Bulls, Boudreau plays an important role coming off the bench. The reserve forward is averaging five points and three rebounds per game this season. ???Boudreau made his big leap last season, posting career highs in points, rebounds and field goals. Witherspoon expects nothing but progression from him in the future.
???"He's learning to be aggressive inside the paint," Witherspoon said. "Once he can learn to be aggressive, I think he can be an exceptional player."
???Off the court, Witherspoon says the 6-foot-7-inch student-athlete shows a lighter side.
???"Max is like a silent comedian," Witherspoon said. "He is very proud of Montreal. He loves the Canadiens and the game of hockey. He speaks very highly of his team and we all like to debate it with him."
???The proud Canadian has a couple options for the future. Boudreau plans to build a career in urban planning and transportation as a grad student studying transportation and business geographics.
Plan A, however, is to continue playing basketball.
???"My main goal is to play basketball for as many years as I can," he said. "You've always got to have a backup plan B, but some day I would like to be paid to play the game. Who wouldn't?"
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
