Now that the NBA playoffs are over it is time to start preparing for next year. The lottery was held on June 22nd, the final deadline for early entry withdrawal was July 19th, and the draft will take place on July 29th. We will spend the rest of the month interviewing as many members of the 2021 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with McKinley Wright IV about being a great PG and what it would mean to him to get drafted.
You were born/raised in Minnesota and initially committed to Dayton: what made you eventually choose Colorado? Colorado was the easiest and best decision I have made in my life. The reason I chose Colorado is because of the way the team welcomed me during my visit, my recruiting class, and the Tad Boyle effect!
What makes Coach Boyle such a good coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? Everything about Coach Boyle makes him a great coach. He does not shy away or sugarcoat anything: he is going to keep it real with you. The biggest life lesson he has given me and every player 1-15 is to get our degree because one day this ball is going to stop bouncing for us.
In the 2017 Paradise Jam you scored 21 PTS including a 3-PT shot at the buzzer in a 1-PT win over Quinnipiac (www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1499583533428511): did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career? Of course I thought it was going in! I told my teammate D’Shawn Schwartz that if their guy missed his free throw then we were going to win the game…and it happened. That moment probably ranks in my top-3 from college: I was a freshman and wanted to let everyone know that I had arrived.
In 2018 you were named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team after leading your team in PPG/APG/SPG: how were you able to make such a smooth transition from high school to college? I give all the credit to my teammates/coaching staff. The way those guys believed in me from top to bottom just made it that much easier to go out and play freely without a care in the world. They deserve all of the credit and I love them.
In the 2021 NCAA tourney you scored 12 PTS, set a school postseason record with 13 AST, and had no turnovers in a win over Georgetown: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? Everyone doubted us! About 90% of the brackets had Georgetown beating us and we did not want that to happen. My teammates made me look good by making shots so shout-out to those dudes.
Last spring you were named Honorable Mention All-American and made the All-Pac-12 1st-Team for the 3rd straight year: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It meant a lot. It has all been a testament to my work ethic and always having that chip on my shoulder. Again though, my coaching staff and teammates put me in a great position every single day to be able to go out and perform at a high level.
You also led the Pac-12 with 5.7 APG and set the all-time school record with 683 career AST: what is the secret to being a great PG? I do not think there is a secret. I have always been a pass-first point guard. I love to see those around me eat and love to see them be able to showcase the work that they have put in so I just make simple reads and get them as many shots as possible. 1 thing I would encourage young PGs to do is watch a lot of film.
You graduated as the only men’s basketball player in Pac-12 history with 1800+ PTS/600+ AST/600+ REB and also made the conference All-Defensive Team in 2020: how were you able to balance all of the different aspects of your game? I have always been an all-around player dating back to high school and think those stats prove that. I take pride in being the best at everything I can. Honestly, that was not my plan when I came to Colorado: I did not even know it was possible until last year when Coach told me I was on pace to make history. I have similar high school accolades in which I am the all-time leader in PTS/AST/REB/STL. I have just been blessed to be around others who put me in a position to succeed at a high level.
You majored in Ethnic Studies: what lessons have you learned that helped you try to process everything that has gone on in the US during the past few years? Love others and treat them the way that you want to be treated. It is a cold world out here and there is a lot of hate/racism, so I just try to find ways to bring peace to those around me.
You are preparing for the NBA Draft this month: what would it mean to you to be drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get selected? It would mean everything to be drafted: I have dreamed about it since I was a kid so it would be such an amazing feeling. If not, then I will figure it out like I always have and eventually rise back to the top!