One of Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson’s top junior targets, shooting guard KIng McClure recently named the Hogs as one of his top six schools.
McClure, 6-3½ , 208 pounds, of Triple A Academy in Dallas lists in no particular order Arkansas, Baylor, UCLA, Texas, Kansas and Duke as his favorites. Only the Blue Devils haven’t extended an offer.
“I’m just looking for a school that can play to my style of basketball and make me a better basketball player overall on the court and off the court,” McClure said. “Some place where I can go in and make an impact immediately.”
A consensus top 25 national prospect, McClure was named the MVP of the Westlake Holiday Tournament in Austin over the weekend. In the championship game, he hit 12 of 14 of two point shots, 7 of 9 three pointers, 5 of 6 on free throws for 50 points along with 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in 92-73 win over previously undefeated San Antonio Alamo Heights.
His father, LeRoy, a Conway native, was a member of the 1976 Wampus Cats basketball team that went 36-0 and won a state title. Family members in the Natural State are vocal about their desire to see him in Fayetteville.
“The biggest sells pitch I’ve heard is they don’t have a professional sports team,” said McClure, who reports talking to Anderson and associate head coach Melvin Watkins on a regular basis. “Their college basketball team is basically like the NBA team of Arkansas.”
Van Coleman, national director of basketball scouting for Hot100Hoops.com, said McClure is a top notch score but is also very capable as a defender.
“He’s a physical defender who loves the challenge of defending the top perimeter scorer of the opponent,” Coleman said.
An excellent student, McClure has a 3.8 grade point average and leaning towards studying business marketing.
“I want to market players,” he said. “Either be a Nike marketer or a business agent.... sports agent. Pretty much make their name bigger than what it is. Or I want to be a an ESPN reporter.”