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Texas Tech Basketball: Mac McClung pickup “risk vs reward” for Red Raiders

By Tristan Freeman

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 19: Mac McClung #2 of the Georgetown Hoyas takes a foul shot during a college basketball game against the Providence Friars at the Capital One Arena on February 19, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 19: Mac McClung #2 of the Georgetown Hoyas takes a foul shot during a college basketball game against the Providence Friars at the Capital One Arena on February 19, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TEXAS – MARCH 07: Guard Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – MARCH 07: Guard Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

What could go wrong with Mac McClung with Texas Tech Basketball?

With everything going on with Covid-19 and the colleges dealing with financial insecurity, the NCAA probably has more things to deal with in the coming months. And with a record number of waiver requests in the final year to do so (assuming transfer rules do change in January), I have a feeling that there will be a number of waivers given out, including to McClung. So this piece going forward will be under the assumption that he will play in 2020-21.

During the NBA Draft process with McClung, it was reported that his best chance to make the top hoops league is from the point guard position. He mostly played off-ball at Georgetown and at 6’2 is just too small to play as a shooting guard in the NBA. He does have great athleticism but the shooting and low passing numbers don’t translate as well. So while teams were recruiting McClung as a transfer, a desire was clear that he wanted to be on the ball more and be essentially the de-facto point guard to improve his draft stock.

Since head coach Chris Beard arrived in Lubbock, the Red Raiders distribution of the ball has been unique. Rather than one individual averaging over five assists a game, this team usually does it by committee. Just last season, Chris Clarke, technically a forward, led them with 4.6 apg. Texas Tech Basketball thrives through the play of the wings, including Jarrett Culver, Zhaire Smith and Jahmi’us Ramsey. Next season likely will be the same, between Nimari Burnett, Kyler Edwards and possibly No. 1 recruit Jonathan Kuminga if he picks the Red Raiders.

Compared to the roster at Georgetown, McClung is going to have a ton of weapons surrounding him. It’ll certainly help him if he changes his game to become a much better passer and facilitator but if he remains a shoot-first guard, there could be chemistry concerns if he tries too much.

There’s a real possibility that he only averages 12-14 ppg, with an uptick in assists. Is that good enough for him or will he try to have a similar season as Baylor’s Jared Butler and Kansas’ Devon Dotson just had in the Big 12? There have been rumors that the guard wants to be around for only one season before going to the draft so his personal agenda could get in the way of the team’s.

Something also to watch will be how McClung improves defensively. At best, he was below-average overall with the Hoyas. And excuse can be made that he needed to focus more on scoring to keep the team in the game but the effort just wasn’t up to par. That’s not going to work with Texas Tech, who has been one of the best defensive units in all of college basketball. And while the Red Raider’s point guards haven’t been the best passers, they have been elite on defense. McClung will have to improve on that end or risk Coach Beard playing him not as much.

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