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Q&A: McKinley Wright Talks Top 5: Minnesota, Iowa St, Dayton, Memphis and Xavier
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/675337?referrer_id=388419
McKinley Wright, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound junior guard from Champlin Park (MN) High, is one of the state's top player in the Class of 2017. Wright narrowed his list of schools to five on Saturday.
Wright averaged a team-best 19.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game this year for the Rebels. He scored in double figures in 26 of 28 games with 13 games of more than 20 points, including a season-best 29 points versus Eden Prairie.
Wright had offers from schools such as Minnesota, Dayton, Iowa State, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Xavier, Illinois and Creighton.
Wright caught up with Gopher Hole Saturday at the Breakdown Summer Classic to talk about the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You narrowed your list of schools to five. How hard was that to do?
McKinley Wright: It is a tough decision. It is a really big decision for me coming up soon. It was hard, but I sat down with my family and my AAU coach and got it done.
Gopher Hole: Does it make it a little bit easier now because now you are just going to hear from those five schools only now?
McKinley Wright: It takes a lot of pressure off me. I'm glad it does and I am blessed to have the whole recruiting process, but I'm glad that I cut it short.
Gopher Hole: Have you set any dates for any official visits yet?
McKinley Wright: No, I haven't. That is a work in progress right now. My high school coach and my AAU coach, they are talking to the colleges and trying to do that now
Gopher Hole: I'll ask you about each of the remaining schools quickly. What do you like about Dayton?
McKinley Wright: Dayton. They are a very good program. I like how they get up and run. They have been to the NCAA Tournament the last four years in a row. They have players who are overlooked, such as myself and they compete, they work hard and get the job done, so I like that about them.
Gopher Hole: What about Memphis?
McKinley Wright: Memphis, I am really cool with Tubby. Tubby is a good coach. I like their style of play, too. They do a lot of pick and roll action, so I am familiar with that game, so I like that.
Gopher Hole: What about Iowa State?
McKinley Wright: Iowa State. They are a great school. I went to the Oklahoma game last year. That was a good experience for me. The fan base is crazy. They sell out almost every game. The style of play, they get up and run. The point guard does a lot of pick and roll, so that is very good.
Gopher Hole: How about Xavier?
McKinley Wright: I like Xavier. I didn't know too much about them until this summer. I obviously watched them growing up in college basketball. They are a very good school. They make to the NCAA tournament almost every year. A former D1 Minnesota player. J.P. Macura plays there. I talked to me a little about it. He likes it. It is a very good school, so I like it, too.
Gopher Hole: How about Minnesota?
McKinley Wright: Minnesota. It's home. I love being here. Minnesota, I think is a good school. They are coming up. They have some freshman, Amir (Coffey) and Mike (Hurt) and Eric (Curry), that I think will help the team a lot this year and within the next few years, Minnesota will be very good.
Gopher Hole: I talked to you at the Gopher team camp before you traveled with D1 Minnesota in July. How pleased were you with how things went in July?
McKinley Wright: In July, we had a very, very good July. We came up short down in Vegas, but other than that, I think that we played pretty well. We proved that we are one of the best teams in the country. Not too many people believed in us when the AAU season first started. I think that we got our group together and said that we are one of the top teams in the country and we came out one of the top teams in the country.
Gopher Hole: Was it nice that you played Eric Gordon and Team Loaded, two teams that had beaten you in a couple of heartbreakers earlier this year, in Las Vegas and got some revenge?
McKinley Wright: It was very nice to get revenge. The team, they talked a lot of mess. We talk a lot of mess as well. They didn't think that we would beat them the second time that we came in and we got the job done.
Gopher Hole: How much do you think that you have gained from this experience? You have obviously played on some good high school teams, but you were playing at a national level AAU-wise. How much do you think that has helped you as a player?
McKinley Wright: Playing with some of the players in the country, with some of the highest ranked players in the country, I think it took my game to the next level. I showed that I am more than just a facilitator. I can score the ball when I need and rebound and I am a shutdown defender. I showed that throughout the summer.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about when you are going to try to decide on a school?
McKinley Wright: I want to get some visits in August. I am trying to get some in for August, if not I'll do them in September. I'm thinking a decision in October.
Gopher Hole: Do you definitely think that you are going to sign in the early signing period?
McKinley Wright: Yes.
Gopher Hole: What are going to be the main factors that make you pick School A over School B or C, D and E?
McKinley Wright: Somewhere, where I am trusted. Where the coach trusts me. I trust the coach. A team, where I can hope them go in the right direction, a winning program. I want to win, so I am trying to make it to the tournament. Somewhere where I can come in and play.
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/675337?referrer_id=388419
McKinley Wright, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound junior guard from Champlin Park (MN) High, is one of the state's top player in the Class of 2017. Wright narrowed his list of schools to five on Saturday.
Wright averaged a team-best 19.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game this year for the Rebels. He scored in double figures in 26 of 28 games with 13 games of more than 20 points, including a season-best 29 points versus Eden Prairie.
Wright had offers from schools such as Minnesota, Dayton, Iowa State, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Xavier, Illinois and Creighton.
Wright caught up with Gopher Hole Saturday at the Breakdown Summer Classic to talk about the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You narrowed your list of schools to five. How hard was that to do?
McKinley Wright: It is a tough decision. It is a really big decision for me coming up soon. It was hard, but I sat down with my family and my AAU coach and got it done.
Gopher Hole: Does it make it a little bit easier now because now you are just going to hear from those five schools only now?
McKinley Wright: It takes a lot of pressure off me. I'm glad it does and I am blessed to have the whole recruiting process, but I'm glad that I cut it short.
Gopher Hole: Have you set any dates for any official visits yet?
McKinley Wright: No, I haven't. That is a work in progress right now. My high school coach and my AAU coach, they are talking to the colleges and trying to do that now
Gopher Hole: I'll ask you about each of the remaining schools quickly. What do you like about Dayton?
McKinley Wright: Dayton. They are a very good program. I like how they get up and run. They have been to the NCAA Tournament the last four years in a row. They have players who are overlooked, such as myself and they compete, they work hard and get the job done, so I like that about them.
Gopher Hole: What about Memphis?
McKinley Wright: Memphis, I am really cool with Tubby. Tubby is a good coach. I like their style of play, too. They do a lot of pick and roll action, so I am familiar with that game, so I like that.
Gopher Hole: What about Iowa State?
McKinley Wright: Iowa State. They are a great school. I went to the Oklahoma game last year. That was a good experience for me. The fan base is crazy. They sell out almost every game. The style of play, they get up and run. The point guard does a lot of pick and roll, so that is very good.
Gopher Hole: How about Xavier?
McKinley Wright: I like Xavier. I didn't know too much about them until this summer. I obviously watched them growing up in college basketball. They are a very good school. They make to the NCAA tournament almost every year. A former D1 Minnesota player. J.P. Macura plays there. I talked to me a little about it. He likes it. It is a very good school, so I like it, too.
Gopher Hole: How about Minnesota?
McKinley Wright: Minnesota. It's home. I love being here. Minnesota, I think is a good school. They are coming up. They have some freshman, Amir (Coffey) and Mike (Hurt) and Eric (Curry), that I think will help the team a lot this year and within the next few years, Minnesota will be very good.
Gopher Hole: I talked to you at the Gopher team camp before you traveled with D1 Minnesota in July. How pleased were you with how things went in July?
McKinley Wright: In July, we had a very, very good July. We came up short down in Vegas, but other than that, I think that we played pretty well. We proved that we are one of the best teams in the country. Not too many people believed in us when the AAU season first started. I think that we got our group together and said that we are one of the top teams in the country and we came out one of the top teams in the country.
Gopher Hole: Was it nice that you played Eric Gordon and Team Loaded, two teams that had beaten you in a couple of heartbreakers earlier this year, in Las Vegas and got some revenge?
McKinley Wright: It was very nice to get revenge. The team, they talked a lot of mess. We talk a lot of mess as well. They didn't think that we would beat them the second time that we came in and we got the job done.
Gopher Hole: How much do you think that you have gained from this experience? You have obviously played on some good high school teams, but you were playing at a national level AAU-wise. How much do you think that has helped you as a player?
McKinley Wright: Playing with some of the players in the country, with some of the highest ranked players in the country, I think it took my game to the next level. I showed that I am more than just a facilitator. I can score the ball when I need and rebound and I am a shutdown defender. I showed that throughout the summer.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about when you are going to try to decide on a school?
McKinley Wright: I want to get some visits in August. I am trying to get some in for August, if not I'll do them in September. I'm thinking a decision in October.
Gopher Hole: Do you definitely think that you are going to sign in the early signing period?
McKinley Wright: Yes.
Gopher Hole: What are going to be the main factors that make you pick School A over School B or C, D and E?
McKinley Wright: Somewhere, where I am trusted. Where the coach trusts me. I trust the coach. A team, where I can hope them go in the right direction, a winning program. I want to win, so I am trying to make it to the tournament. Somewhere where I can come in and play.