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Post by trotters10 on May 31, 2023 9:04:30 GMT -5
One of the things that I like about McKenna is how every scouting report mentions how he handles the ball like a guard. That, and he has good form and a pretty sweet jump shot that extends out to the 3-point line. Those are obviously 2 important attributes, but not everyone at his age is fluid in those 2 areas. We saw last year how Brandon Murray kinda struggled with his handle and it led to a lot of turnovers when he tried to drive or bring the ball up the court when Primo wasn't out there. If it's true that McKenna handles the ball like a guard, that can make him very versatile, and obviously be very important for him to become both a slasher and a shooter.
I think this is really good pick up.
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kettlehill
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Post by kettlehill on May 31, 2023 9:23:36 GMT -5
I can think of another smooth 6'8" or so PG County kid that came in to a Hoya program and led it back to prominence....
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Post by hoyalove4ever on May 31, 2023 9:49:31 GMT -5
...one who is playing in the NBA Finals?
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beenaround
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Post by beenaround on May 31, 2023 9:53:43 GMT -5
When I saw he was a versatile 6 8 guy playing in Howard County, my first comp was Greg Whittington. Greg never had a full career here, obviously, but definitely had some talent. If he has that skillset and a good head on his shoulders, I wouldn't complain.
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on May 31, 2023 10:05:04 GMT -5
I can think of another smooth 6'8" or so PG County kid that came in to a Hoya program and led it back to prominence.... Having seen Jeff in high school, gotta say two entirely different games. But I get what you’re saying.
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Post by HoyasAreHungry on May 31, 2023 10:50:53 GMT -5
Man it feels good to follow recruiting again! Welcome Drew! Big time pickup and early in the cycle too! About as late in the cycle as you can get for a class of 2023 recruit, but a good pickup nonetheless. Lol ok I walked into that one. *Now that he's a 23 a very good LATE pick up
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SSHoya
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Post by SSHoya on May 31, 2023 11:27:52 GMT -5
I can think of another smooth 6'8" or so PG County kid that came in to a Hoya program and led it back to prominence.... Having seen Jeff in high school, gotta say two entirely different games. But I get what you’re saying. Wasn't Green playing more like a traditional 5 at Northwestern HS but only moved to the point forward position under III or is my memory wholly incorrect?
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hoya73
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Post by hoya73 on May 31, 2023 12:22:28 GMT -5
Having seen Jeff in high school, gotta say two entirely different games. But I get what you’re saying. Wasn't Green playing more like a traditional 5 at Northwestern HS but only moved to the point forward position under III or is my memory wholly incorrect? Absolutely accurate.
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hoyaroc
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Post by hoyaroc on May 31, 2023 15:50:31 GMT -5
Great pickup by the coaching staff. Mr. McKenna welcome aboard young man. Hoya Saxa!
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prhoya
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Post by prhoya on May 31, 2023 15:55:58 GMT -5
Congrats to Drew, his family, Cooley and his staff!!! Welcome to the family!
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jun 1, 2023 13:17:46 GMT -5
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xpathoya
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Post by xpathoya on Jun 1, 2023 20:21:31 GMT -5
www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/12/06/with-versatility-growth-spurts-dc-areas-junior-class-stands-tall/McKenna, from Glenelg Country School in Howard County, showed up to high school as a 6-4 athlete who loved football. By his sophomore year, he was 6-8 and realized his future was on the basketball court. He exploded onto the recruiting scene that year, the proud representative of a private school of just 280 students. This past summer, after McKenna had established himself as a high-major prospect, some people were still unfamiliar with his school — but not many were unfamiliar with his name. “It took some getting used to, going in the gym and people knowing who I was,” McKenna said. “It took me a while to even comprehend that. So there wasn’t a whole lot of pressure because I didn’t even realize it was happening until, like, July.” The upside of a sudden growth spurt often means players who trained to play on the perimeter suddenly find themselves in the body of a big man. Nowadays, that kind of versatility is valued more than ever. Positionless players are in vogue, and the 2024 class has them in spades.
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hoyaboya
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Post by hoyaboya on Jun 5, 2023 12:35:17 GMT -5
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jackofjoy
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Post by jackofjoy on Jun 5, 2023 19:18:04 GMT -5
In other words the perfect ranking range for the kind of kids that will help start to rebuild this program.
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Jun 9, 2023 10:14:16 GMT -5
Friendly reminder to NOT forget about this guy. That #130 ranking is laughable. I may post something about him soon.
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bostonfan
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Post by bostonfan on Jun 9, 2023 10:22:42 GMT -5
Friendly reminder to NOT forget about this guy. That #130 ranking is laughable. I may post something about him soon. Good highlight reel. What I really like is that he seems to be "shot ready" when he gets the ball on offense and has a quick release. That is a important fundamental skill that a lot of players just never acquire. He doesn't look to be rushing anything with his shot and still gets it off very quickly
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beenaround
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Post by beenaround on Jun 9, 2023 11:39:25 GMT -5
Great news!!!
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Jun 9, 2023 12:24:28 GMT -5
You hear a lot about the guys who can score at all three levels. But many high school players who are tagged with this distinction don’t necessarily meet the criteria. Drew, however, checks all the boxes in my estimation.
At the basket. From the midrange. Beyond the three-point line. Everything you read about Drew and most importantly everything (every clip) you see of him suggests that not only does he possess true three-level scoring capabilities that will translate to college, but that he has a rare combination of skills and physical tools that could someday make him elite.
Lets start with his feet. Drew has a nice quick first step that allows him to beat his defender off the dribble. Additionally he possesses the ballhandling skills to keep the play alive while doing so. Drew remarkably can use that first step and his dribble control to get by even smaller defenders smoothly, something that the more athletic Jamarko Pickett had troubles with. In the open court with a defender right in front of him, Drew can even rely on a behind-the-back dribble to avoid any trouble or he can change hands if needed to provide him more space. A Washington Post story was recently posted here which explained that Drew was a guard all along who had a growth spurt of about four or more inches over a summer. He retained those guards skills despite the height spike. He is at times listed as a guard or will even call himself a guard. This may not be smoke.
That dribble and handle combination also helps free him up for jumpers. He looks great switching directions off the bounce from anywhere at midrange to beyond the arc. When he shakes his defender he can either pullup for an uncontested jumpshot in one quick, fluid motion, or he can use that sudden opening to drive. If the drive is there Drew is a threat to take it all the way or to pass. As some have mentioned his ability to make pinpoint passes (a bounce pass, a chest pass,etc.) is not talked up enough. He can actually catch his teammates off guard with how unexpected those passes can be because of his ability to thread that needle. If he drives all the way to the hoop it will be difficult to stop him from scoring because he has enough athleticism to go with that heigh to put the ball in the hoop.
Scoring is his calling- card. He can erupt and can do so in various manners all over the court. That means driving baselines for slams. That means posting up for smooth turnaround jumpshots in the paint. He can catch a ball underneath the basket and, flat-footed, use his long frame and long arms for layups off the backboard from difficult angles. But what really sets him apart is his shooting ability. He seems to have the ability to make any shot with ease. I don’t recall any high school recruit I’ve seen in person or in clips on the internet who makes RIDICULOUS shots like this guy. These are often the type of shots you observe and think “No!” as he takes them. But those shots are makable for him. Watch enough basketball and you become aware of how the elite shooters can make the hardest shots look so easy and effortless. That’s what I think of Drew when I see his highlight clips.
It helps that he is standing at 6’8 and that his arms are long too. He can hit shots over most anyone. The true secret sauce of his recipe, though, is a feathery/silk touch that causes the ball to go through the hoop so cleanly. He is a danger to hit a standstill jumpshot from midrange or beyond. He is a danger to hit a jumpshot off the dribble from midrange or beyond. I just don’t see many high school players with his height with such sharp shooting mechanics. I recall reading about one of his exploits in a tournament in which he went 10 for 10 from the floor and made all of his free throws. For that entire weekend he went 16 for 18 on shot attempts which led me to wonder why he didn’t shoot more! Its one thing to shoot such a high percentage if you are big men being fed lobs for dunks all game of if you are an uber athlete being used exclusively on fastbreak finishes. But Drew is a shooter who likely takes most of his shots outside the paint.
Throughout his soph season and going into his junior year there was a lot of chatter hype about him on social media...
He seemed to have been forgotten so he obviously did not live up to much of the hype. I read that he averaged 23.5 points as a sophomore. This past season as a junior that scoring average slipped to 22 points per (with 12 boards a game). I am not certain what the circumstances were for the past year (did they need him to do other things did defenses focus on him, did he just not make an expected leap) but I am going to guess that there was disappointment in his play by not averaging more points and leading his team to more wins. Longtime Baltimore high school hoops guru wrote this when listing McKenna as his area’s top recruit in the Class of 2024:
“Gifted, McKenna can play either forward position comfortably. A high-major prospect, McKenna must begin to dominate games to scratch his enormous potential.”
That description is probably as likely to sum up McKenna’s situation as anything. Ridiculously talented prospect who has yet to enforce his will on the court. I also worry that his high school team seemed to lose badly last season to almost any good team it faced. He put up some eye-popping number in those games for the most part, but there should be concern that the team results were still subpar. I somewhat worry about his aggression level and toughness (he gets bumped, he falls down), but he can acquire all of that. What hasn’t changed is that he is still a 6’8 guy with a sweet stroke. Those skills, that shooting ability, that height, hasn’t gone anywhere. He may have become the forgotten man of the 2024 DMV class (before he was reclassified) but I feel his upside is still as high as any of those area guys now ranked well above him. Crazy as it may sound I would not trade him for any of them. I don’t recall Gtown getting a guy with that height, those shooting mechanics, those skills and the ability to make a quick shot off the bounce. Reggie Williams is before my time, Hollis Thompson didn’t appear to be as strong off the dribble coming out of high school and Otto wasn’t nearly the threat from deep before his college days.
By the way on defense he is an asset too. He can move his feet quickly while guarding smaller guys on the perimeter and his wingspan allows him to disrupt passing lanes.
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blueandgray
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Post by blueandgray on Jun 9, 2023 19:25:03 GMT -5
Based on the description…seems like a Greg Whittington type with perhaps a more polished offensive package.
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Post by hoyasaxa2003 on Jul 16, 2023 13:21:44 GMT -5
Looks like this isn't a sure thing yet:
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