NCAA Basketball: Analyzing top-100 forward Justin McBride final 4 teams

Four-star NCAA Basketball prospect Justin McBride is down to four options. Which of them is the best fit for the class of 2023 forward?

Justin McBride is a consensus four-star and top-100 overall prospect in the 2023 NCAA Basketball recruiting class. 247sportsComposite has the power forward ranked No. 66 overall and could very well rise to the top-50 range by the beginning of next season.

McBride is a combo forward, who is comfortable operating on the perimeter and has a face-up game inside. He’s a good offensive prospect and already a power conference talent in college as well. Originally from the state of Texas, the forward currently plays for Oak Hill High School in Virginia, which has had a number of future NCAA Basketball stars.

The four-star frontcourt recruit has limited his potential options to just four; Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Texas Tech. A lot can happen between now and the 2023-24 season but for now, here’s currently look at what each program in the running has to offer to McBride.

Arkansas Razorbacks

The Hogs have been doing great with recruiting guards, including being the favorite to land class of 2022 five-star point guard Nick Smith. One area that needs to be shored up is at power forward, as Wichita State transfer Trey Wade is the lone true four-man on the roster. They can find another grad transfer in the 2022 offseason to replace him but needs to get a high school prospect to at least have depth. This would be a place where McBride can get immediate minutes and be a natural fit in the Razorbacks offense.

Kansas Jayhawks

There’s currently a lot of depth in the frontcourt for the Jayhawks, including redshirt sophomore Jalen Wilson, as well as top-60 freshmen forwards, KJ Adams and Zachary Clemence. There’s also class of 2022 combo forward Gradey Dick on board as well. So unlike Arkansas, there will be recruits in front of McBride when he potentially arrives there. But being all but guaranteed to make the NCAA Tournament every year and playing for a top-5 national program has incredible selling points for a talent like McBride who in time could start for them.

Missouri Tigers

The Tigers got a recent recruiting breakthrough with top-75 class of 2022 commit Aidan Shaw, a talented small forward that will have a big impact in the future. McBride can do the same thing if he picked the SEC program, which is in a semi-rebuilding process. This power forward very well could start on Day 1 and gets to be a featured player on offense. They won’t be as good compared to Arkansas and Kansas unless they add more talent but from a playing time perspective, this would be the top option for McBride.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

After reloaded the roster this offseason with upperclassmen transfers, new head coach Mark Adams will be looking to load up on class of 2022 and 2023 prospects. The Red Raiders already have four-star point guard Pop Isaacs in the backcourt and could use McBride in the frontcourt to replace Kevin Obanor. Daniel Batcho is the only underclassman frontcourt player projected to be around two years from now so from a playing time potential, McBride definitely could see some early time on the court.

How good the program is will remain to be seen under Coach Adams but this program has been elevated under previous head coach Chris Beard and could be a player in the new Big 12 after realignment. That certainly would be the case if McBride joins.