Mitch McGary, formerly of Chesterton High School and now Brewster Academy (NH), announced on Thursday that he will attend the University of Michigan. He chose Michigan over Duke and Florida with North Carolina in the mix as well. It had been rumored for a few weeks that he was going to end up at Michigan, so the announcement was no surprise.
McGary had his stock explode this spring with many impressive showings especially in the Pitt Jamfest. He carried that strong play into the summer; where he performed well at the NBPA Top 100 camp and LeBron James Skills Academy. He went from a top 100 player in the nation to a top 3 player from spring to the end of summer.
His biggest asset is his versatility. Offensively, he can score inside and outside. He is a good spot-up shooter to 20 feet, but also has a variety of post moves. The thing that caught most people's eye in AAU was the fact that he could get a rebound and go coast to coast for a finish, while being 6'10". McGary also has great timing for blocking shots. He moves and jumps well for a big man, but he isn't an athletic freak. His timing and the fact that he is left-handed makes him a great shot blocker. One thing he will need to improve is power finishes around the rim. When he doesn't finish the play with a dunk, he looks to complete the play with finesse more often than not. Finishing strong will be crucial in the Big Ten and potentially in the NBA (more coming on this).
McGary was originally a member of the 2011 class. He played three seasons at Chesterton before transferring to Brewster before his senior year. He graduated in May and is currently in his post-graduate year. Since he did graduate with the 2011 class, he will be eligible for the June 2012 draft unless the NBA changes the rule in the current lockout negations. Entering the draft in 2012 could very well be a great option for McGary. Will he be "NBA-ready" in June of 2012? No, but very few players are actually ready. His stock will be extremely high and it will be hard to turn down the opportunity. There are a lot of things that can happen in the next eight months, so I'm not going to say what he should do now. It will likely be something McGary has to think about though, at the very least.