BOULDER – After a few years of inconsistency, Tad Boyle’s Colorado Buffaloes could be on the cusp of something special.
Amid an overflow of young talent, CU may have finally found the one piece they have been lacking: a true point guard in true freshman McKinley Wright.
In the early part of his tenure, Boyle had a fine floor general in Nate Tomlinson, and later a star in Spencer Dinwiddie. The latter’s knee injury would come to symbolize so much for the program; It was the end of the Buffs’ ascent and the beginning of the relative turmoil Colorado has endured since.
A single summer practice in the Coors Events Center shows two very different leaders emerging for the new Buffs.
Senior George King is calm, quiet and determined, moving through each drill with poise and precision. Wright is boisterous and confident, shouting and gesturing from the top of the arc.
Both King and Wright will likely hold leadership roles this coming season, but it’s easy to see why Boyle sounds giddy when discussing the freshman.
“He’s way beyond his years in terms of his feel for the game, his toughness. He’s physically ready to play at this level,” Boyle said. “He’s going to be a heck of a player in his time at Colorado.”
Wright seems primed for this role. The 6-foot, 165-pounder certainly knows what is expected of him, and seems comfortable with it.
“I know how to get my teammates involved, get players in the right spot and win games. That’s the point guard’s job, to win games. So that’s what I’m here to do,” Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball of 2017 said.
Identifying as a true point guard is important to Wright, and part of the reason that Boyle brought him to CU.
“He’s unselfish and he’s a guy that’s not afraid to open his mouth,” Boyle said. “That’s what you need from that point guard position.”
Wright’s game, of course, isn’t limited to the intangible of leadership. In high school, he was a monster on the court. As a senior, Wright averaged 22.8 points, eight rebounds and 7.4 assists. So far in practice at CU, his command and self-confidence is apparent in every move.
“He’s got good feel, he’s got good pace, he’s got good change of pace,” Boyle said. “He’s not a great shooter but he’s a good shooter.”
Boyle isn’t the only one who has taken notice. When Wright stepped on the floor to battle the TBT alumni team, many Forever Buffs were blown away.
Just read what he did to NBA veteran Chris Copeland:
(Marcus) Hall took CU freshman three-star signee McKinley Wright under his wing this time.
According to a source, in one of the scrimmages against the TBTers, Wright ‘had a straight up Shannon Sharpe-style put back dunk over Chris Copeland. Brought the house down.’
Afterward, Hall pulled him aside and said, “Good finish boy, that’s big time.”
Wright has a rare opportunity to develop and grow with a very young, talented team. The Buffs currently have seven freshmen and two sophomores making up the bulk of their roster—a combined eight of whom have never even played in black and gold.
“He’s got a chance to be an All-League guard, I think. I really do,” Boyle said.
Basketball season is still far off, and Wright is already setting himself apart as something the Buffs have needed for a long time – a point guard with the confidence to lead his team deep into the postseason. His early emergence is an incredible sign for a young team that could redefine the legacy of Colorado men’s basketball.
