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Q&A: McKinley Wright Talks Gophers Visit, Upcoming Dayton Visit & Sept 15 Decision
Q&A: McKinley Wright Talks Gophers Visit, Upcoming Dayton Visit, and September 15 Announcement
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/695522?referrer_id=
McKinley Wright, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior guard from Champlin Park (MN) High, is one of the state’s top player in the Class of 2017. Wright made his official visit to Minnesota this past weekend and plans to announce his college choice on September 15.
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 attended the Minnesota games versus Nebraska-Omaha and Clemson this past year.
Wright caught up with Gopher Hole to talk about the latest on his official visit.
Gopher Hole: You visited Minnesota this past weekend. What was that experience like?
McKinley Wright: It was a great experience. It was different from all the times that I have been down on campus. On the official, I got to spend a lot more time with the guys, spend more time with the coaches, overall, so it was really good and my family got to visit and see the whole campus, so it was a good experience for them as well.
Gopher Hole: What all did you get a chance to see and do?
McKinley Wright: We saw everything inside the campus. All the dorms that you get a chance to live in. We had dinner at Coach Pitino’s house. We went out to breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. We went to the football game as well and after that, I got to spend time with the guys.
Gopher Hole: Is it tough to compare the visits, especially when there are official visit compared to unofficial visits?
McKinley Wright: Yes. It is different. They are all different.
Gopher Hole: You are going on one last visit this upcoming weekend to Dayton. What are you expected to see there? Obviously, they have football, but it is not to the same level as here, but what are you expecting from them this weekend?
McKinley Wright: I am just looking to have fun. I am not trying to see anything specific. I just want to have my family sit down with the coaches and see everything that they have to offer, if I were to go there. I want to see what they have to offer me my freshman year if I were to come there and play. I want my family to see that as well.
Gopher Hole: How important is it to have your family with you?
McKinley Wright: It’s big. It’s big. My family is not too big on recruiting. Everyone knows Coach Al (Harris). Coach Al has been the main guy who has helped me with my recruiting, but as far as family, I want them to get the experience and see what it is like for college basketball.
Gopher Hole: Do they want you to make your own decision or do they tell you stuff?
McKinley Wright: They want me to do what is best for me. They are leaving it all on me. Obviously, Coach Al is helping me, picking out little things like the pros and cons of each school. He is big on that, but they are leaving the decision up to me. No matter where I go, I know that all of them will be supporting me.
Gopher Hole: I saw that on Twitter, you are going to make your decision on September 15. What is the significance of that day?
McKinley Wright: There is not a significance. I get back from Dayton on the 11th and I’ll have a couple of days to sit down with my family and my coach and I think that I am ready to get it over with it. The 15th is the day
Gopher Hole: Has it been a little tiring at time, the recruiting process?
McKinley Wright: It can be stressful, but again, I am grateful for it. I am blessed to be in this situation. It is a great opportunity for me.
Gopher Hole: So how many schools are you down to? Just two?
McKinley Wright: Yes.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you can’t really go wrong with either school. Both have a lot of opportunities. Does that make it easier knowing that wherever you go, you are going to get a good education and a good college basketball experience?
McKinley Wright: For sure. Either school. Both schools are very good schools. I can see myself at both schools, but at the end of the day, it is going to be a tough decision. It is very hard, because both schools have been on me pretty hard for the last two years, two and a half years, so it is going to be tough.
Gopher Hole: I was talking to you about your outside shot. It seems like your shot is even better than in the past. I know that you said that you have been working on that. What other things have you been focused on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
McKinley Wright: I am just trying to become a better point guard overall. Be a better leader, on and off the court. That is another piece that I can work on. I struggle with that sometimes in the last high school season, but this season, I am looking forward to making that better.
Gopher Hole: Theo (John) is also looking at Minnesota, Do you guys talk about playing together in college much?
McKinley Wright: We talk about it a little bit, but at the end, you have to do what is best for us. We’re not sure what we are going to do.
Gopher Hole: I know that Jericho Sims is a player you play with AAU-wise. A lot of people thought that he might end up at Minnesota, but he decided to go to Texas. Were you surprised at all about that?
McKinley Wright: I wasn’t really surprised. Texas had been recruiting Jericho pretty hard for however many months, but I am happy for Jericho. I like that is a good spot for him. I’m glad that he likes it. You can’t be mad at him. It is a good situation for him.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota has been recruiting a lot of in-state kids that you have played with and against. Is that nice that if you go to Minnesota, you are not only going to go with some kids that you have played with like Amir (Coffey) or Michael (Hurt), but maybe a kids from your own class?
McKinley Wright: That would be fun, but at the end of the day, like I said, everyone has to do what is best for them. I’m not sure who all will be at Minnesota, but if they were to be, me and whoever else, so be it. We’ll have fun.
Q&A: McKinley Wright Talks Gophers Visit, Upcoming Dayton Visit, and September 15 Announcement
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/695522?referrer_id=
McKinley Wright, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior guard from Champlin Park (MN) High, is one of the state’s top player in the Class of 2017. Wright made his official visit to Minnesota this past weekend and plans to announce his college choice on September 15.
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 attended the Minnesota games versus Nebraska-Omaha and Clemson this past year.
Wright caught up with Gopher Hole to talk about the latest on his official visit.
Gopher Hole: You visited Minnesota this past weekend. What was that experience like?
McKinley Wright: It was a great experience. It was different from all the times that I have been down on campus. On the official, I got to spend a lot more time with the guys, spend more time with the coaches, overall, so it was really good and my family got to visit and see the whole campus, so it was a good experience for them as well.
Gopher Hole: What all did you get a chance to see and do?
McKinley Wright: We saw everything inside the campus. All the dorms that you get a chance to live in. We had dinner at Coach Pitino’s house. We went out to breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. We went to the football game as well and after that, I got to spend time with the guys.
Gopher Hole: Is it tough to compare the visits, especially when there are official visit compared to unofficial visits?
McKinley Wright: Yes. It is different. They are all different.
Gopher Hole: You are going on one last visit this upcoming weekend to Dayton. What are you expected to see there? Obviously, they have football, but it is not to the same level as here, but what are you expecting from them this weekend?
McKinley Wright: I am just looking to have fun. I am not trying to see anything specific. I just want to have my family sit down with the coaches and see everything that they have to offer, if I were to go there. I want to see what they have to offer me my freshman year if I were to come there and play. I want my family to see that as well.
Gopher Hole: How important is it to have your family with you?
McKinley Wright: It’s big. It’s big. My family is not too big on recruiting. Everyone knows Coach Al (Harris). Coach Al has been the main guy who has helped me with my recruiting, but as far as family, I want them to get the experience and see what it is like for college basketball.
Gopher Hole: Do they want you to make your own decision or do they tell you stuff?
McKinley Wright: They want me to do what is best for me. They are leaving it all on me. Obviously, Coach Al is helping me, picking out little things like the pros and cons of each school. He is big on that, but they are leaving the decision up to me. No matter where I go, I know that all of them will be supporting me.
Gopher Hole: I saw that on Twitter, you are going to make your decision on September 15. What is the significance of that day?
McKinley Wright: There is not a significance. I get back from Dayton on the 11th and I’ll have a couple of days to sit down with my family and my coach and I think that I am ready to get it over with it. The 15th is the day
Gopher Hole: Has it been a little tiring at time, the recruiting process?
McKinley Wright: It can be stressful, but again, I am grateful for it. I am blessed to be in this situation. It is a great opportunity for me.
Gopher Hole: So how many schools are you down to? Just two?
McKinley Wright: Yes.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you can’t really go wrong with either school. Both have a lot of opportunities. Does that make it easier knowing that wherever you go, you are going to get a good education and a good college basketball experience?
McKinley Wright: For sure. Either school. Both schools are very good schools. I can see myself at both schools, but at the end of the day, it is going to be a tough decision. It is very hard, because both schools have been on me pretty hard for the last two years, two and a half years, so it is going to be tough.
Gopher Hole: I was talking to you about your outside shot. It seems like your shot is even better than in the past. I know that you said that you have been working on that. What other things have you been focused on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
McKinley Wright: I am just trying to become a better point guard overall. Be a better leader, on and off the court. That is another piece that I can work on. I struggle with that sometimes in the last high school season, but this season, I am looking forward to making that better.
Gopher Hole: Theo (John) is also looking at Minnesota, Do you guys talk about playing together in college much?
McKinley Wright: We talk about it a little bit, but at the end, you have to do what is best for us. We’re not sure what we are going to do.
Gopher Hole: I know that Jericho Sims is a player you play with AAU-wise. A lot of people thought that he might end up at Minnesota, but he decided to go to Texas. Were you surprised at all about that?
McKinley Wright: I wasn’t really surprised. Texas had been recruiting Jericho pretty hard for however many months, but I am happy for Jericho. I like that is a good spot for him. I’m glad that he likes it. You can’t be mad at him. It is a good situation for him.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota has been recruiting a lot of in-state kids that you have played with and against. Is that nice that if you go to Minnesota, you are not only going to go with some kids that you have played with like Amir (Coffey) or Michael (Hurt), but maybe a kids from your own class?
McKinley Wright: That would be fun, but at the end of the day, like I said, everyone has to do what is best for them. I’m not sure who all will be at Minnesota, but if they were to be, me and whoever else, so be it. We’ll have fun.