McGary has Indiana offer for 2011, unsure on 2012
Mitch McGary’s move to Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., from Chesterton High School was made with one focus in mind: academics.
The 6-foot-11, 255-pound forward says the atmosphere at Brewster, a private, preparatory boarding school, is helping him make significant strides in the classroom, where he’s currently receiving all A’s and B’s.
“I like the school a lot more than my old school,” McGary told Inside the Hall on Tuesday evening. “It’s a lot more structured. The teachers are more willing to help. The student-teacher ratio is 6-to-1. They want you to succeed.”
Being away from home is another plus, McGary said, because he’s preparing for life at college.
“I kind of like being on my own,” he said. “It makes me more responsible and (have to) make decisions on my own.”
The Indiana native is also reaping benefits on the court, where he’s playing against a more aggressive schedule than he saw at Chesterton.
“Competition is like another level up here. It’s pretty much like college ball,” McGary said. “We actually play some junior college teams. It’s a lot different. It’s a lot faster and a higher tempo.”
His game, he said, continues to develop on the perimeter as well as in the weight room. His future in college may not be solely as a post player despite his near 7-foot frame.
“I’ve been working on my 3-point shot a lot,” he explained. “Over the summer, that’s all I did. I just need to work on my handles, and I’ve been working on my strength a lot. I’m not really an inside guy. I’m more of a four and a face-up guy. I can also guard smaller forwards because I’m quick on my feet.”
IU’s interest in McGary has continued to stay strong, and he visited Bloomington on Nov. 26 for the Northwestern State game. The one caveat in his recruitment, however, is when Tom Crean would like to have him arrive on campus.
“There’s an offer on the table for 2011,” McGary said. “I’m not sure for 2012. I’m pretty sure I’m re-classifying. They want me to come in 2011 and be with Cody Zeller. But I’m not sure that’s going to happen. I think they’d still want me in 2012, but they’d really like me in 2011 to play with Zeller. Him and I would play great together. We’re both long, lanky, can run the floor and shoot the ball well.”
While he didn’t rule out staying in the 2011 class, he was not optimistic about it.
“I don’t think so because I’m retaking classes that I didn’t get good grades in earlier in my high school career,” he said.
Whether he ends up in 2011 or 2012, McGary is excited about the confidence Crean has in his game and his potential to get better.
“Coach Crean thinks I can be an NBA player. He wants me right now,” McGary said. “He says I’d fit great there. I think so, too. I like Coach Crean, I like the whole coaching staff at IU and I like some of the recruits they’ve got now. I think I’d fit in well with them.”
Filed to: Mitch McGary