Android studio on Mac cannot detect connected USB phone

I just wanted to write it down in case someone else comes across this issue.
It took me more than a couple of days to solve this while I was banging my head trying to understand what seems to be the problem.

Note: For me it was a cable issue.

I have Nexus6P with 2 original cables:

  1. Type-C to Type-C
  2. Short Type-C to regular USB

The problem was I was trying to hook the cable 1 directly from the Nexus to the Mac Pro (which didn't work since I think the Mac has a thunderbolt protocol on the Type-C inputs)

Then I tried a Type-C to regular USB cable with an adapter from to make it Type-C to Type-C (bear in mind this wasn't the original cable I got with my phone)

Only when I used the original short cable (cable 2) with an adapter it worked.
Although the non-original cable I used was a high-end cable - it still didn't work

Hope it helps other people who struggle with this