Brandon McCoy is a 6-11, 230-pound post that has just transferred to Cathedral Catholic-San Diego. Last year he averaged 19.7 points, 18.3 rebounds and 6.6 blocks last year in leading Morse-San Diego to a 26-7 record and a runner-up finish in the CIF San Diego Section Division I playoffs.
Some recruiting web sites say he’s 6-10, 6-11 or 7-0 but McCoy states he’s “7-0 with shoes and 6-11 without.”
Regardless of an inch here and there, McCoy will be the tallest player in the junior class edition of the Prep2Prep California All-Star Classic this Sunday at 1:30 pm in Livermore, and the one thing the analysts agree on is Brandon is as the old metaphor says “the real McCoy.”
Both ESPN and Prep2Prep California All-Star Classic selection committee member Ronnie Flores have McCoy as the No. 2 center behind another San Diego post, DeAndre Ayton. Ayton was scheduled to play alongside McCoy but will miss the trip to rehab an old nagging injury.
Flores, an analyst and editor with Cal-Hi Sports and GrassrootsHoops, feels McCoy is creeping up on Ayton.
“Brandon had a much better summer than DeAndre. His play this summer for Cal Supreme has turned him into a legitimate McDonald’s All-American candidate,” Flores remarked.
His summer showing also got McCoy onto Flores Top 10 Summer Risers list in the No. 3 overall spot but No. 1 from the 2017 class.
“McCoy’s offense still needs development, but it has vastly improved from where it was at the beginning of his sophomore year at Morse. McCoy is beginning to utilize short turnarounds and crashes the boards with reckless abandon,” was part of Flores’ assessment of Brandon’s summer play.
Frank Burlison, a Classic selection committee member and a member of the committee that will decide whether McCoy plays in the McDonald’s game, had this assessment.
“His offense is still raw but he made tremendous progress over the summer,” Burlison commented.
“McCoy has long arms, soft hands, and is an exceptional athlete” is how his ESPN scouting report begins.
Working hard to improve his game
For his part McCoy hears what the analysts are saying and he’s doing something about it too.
“I’ve been working very hard on my overall game this summer. Bettering my defensive game and working to improve my offensive game to complement my defense,” McCoy said.
He’s also working hard at the gym. In fact, McCoy spoke to Prep2Prep on Friday morning after a 6 am workout and while he ordered a sausage croissant sandwich and two donuts before heading off to class.
“I guess I’ll have to work it off,” he chuckled when asked about what’s up with following up an early workout with that kind of diet.
What is McCoy doing at the gym?
“Strength conditioning, agility, footwork. All things I need to do to get better as a player.”
What about the game?
The top rated center in the 2017 game is taking his appearance in Northern California in stride.
“My mindset coming into the game is first of all to have fun. If it’s not fun why play the game. Don’t get me wrong. I will compete. I always compete hard, but I’m not going to go crazy and try to do something outside my game. I’m going to play my game.”
College interest
McCoy may not go crazy at the game at Las Positas on Sunday but what’s a little wild is all the interest he’s getting from major Division I colleges.
The list of offers includes Arizona, Cal, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Oregon and San Diego State.
There’s a good chance some of those colleges will be looking at how McCoy does in the game on Sunday with hopes he will come their way in the fall of 2017.
McDonald's hopes
Before he's off to college there is that McDonald's game and it's possibilities are on McCoy's mind.
"Being selected is important to me because many NBA greats have come out of the McDonald's All-American game. To be part of that game is an accomplishment that not a lot of players get to say they participated in. Its something you can tell your grandchildren."
