Texas Tech basketball: Dynamic transfer Mac McClung has Red Raiders in top 7

Wednesday, the Texas Tech basketball program made the top 7 for Georgetown transfer Mac McClung, who is a dynamic guard.

Another day brings another interesting possibility on the recruiting trail for the Texas Tech basketball program.  Wednesday, Chris Beard’s program made the top 7 for Georgetown transfer Mac McClung, who averaged 15.7 points per game this past season as a sophomore.

The other schools in the running are Auburn, Memphis, USC, BYU, Arkansas, and Wake Forest.  It is important to know that the NCAA has postponed a vote on granting undergraduate athletes a one-time penalty-free transfer for at least one year.  Originally, it was believed that such a vote would take place this month.  But being as that has been tabled, McClung will have to sit out next season, as will Wichita State guard Jamarius Burton, who signed with Tech in April (though Beard has said that Burton would have sat out the 2020-21 season regardless of any NCAA rule change).

McClung is a brash, dynamic 6-foot-2 guard who has explosive athleticism.  Earlier this offseason, he entered his name in the NBA Draft pool but he’s since decided to return to school, just not to Georgetown.

He is the fifth player since December to transfer from Georgetown, which is coached by former NBA and Georgetown legend Patrick Ewing.  It is believed that McClung wants an opportunity to play point guard, which is also the position that Burton plays so one has to wonder if that will influence his decision.  On the other hand, in the Red Raiders’ motion offense, there are no defined roles for players meaning that the duo could function well as teammates.

In addition to leading the Hoyas in scoring last year, he grabbed 3.1 rebounds, handed out 2.4 assists, and came up with 1.4 steals per game.  He’s started 49 of 50 games as a collegiate and put up 14.2 points per game in two seasons.

One has to wonder if Beard’s reputation for putting players who were once unheralded recruits into the NBA.  As just the No. 245 player in the class of 2018, he was in a similar place coming out of high school as former Red Raiders Jarrett Culver and Zhaire Smith, both of whom developed into first-round NBA Draft picks under Beard.

There’s no question that McClung would be a difference-maker as a Red Raider.  That’s evident by looking at some of the monster games he’s already had.

This past season, he dropped 33 points on Oklahoma State early in the season.  He also had 26 points against Syracuse, 25 at St. John’s, 21 against top-10 Butler, and twice he scored 20 against Marquette.

His highlights show him to be a fearless player who is vocal and intense.  He comes across as a player who has the street dog mentality that Beard loves.  Hopefully, he decides to bring that mentality to the South Plains because he might be a perfect fit for the Texas Tech basketball program.