Mitch McGary was once the No. 2 overall prospect in the class of 2012. Now he’s not even pegged as the best ’12 Michigan signee by some recruiting services.
That’s provided more than enough motivation for the 6-10 power forward to post a strong freshman season with the Wolverines. He told AnnArbor.com that he was simply trying to be a good teammate and wasn’t worried about posting big numbers. Concerns about his offensive skill, focus and overall impact were raised.
McGary says most of it stemmed from one game when he faced Nerlens Noel, but beyond that, there’s nothing to doubt him.
“At the offensive end, last season wasn’t as good a performance as it could have been,” McGary told the paper. “But I was doing what I was told. I averaged about 10 or 11 rebounds per game, my coach was happy with my performance and we won. A lot. So that’s all that really matters.
“It’ll be great to be able to come in and fit right away and know that I don’t have to force things. I’m not going to force things as much as people might think, I’m going to be a team player and try to help get everyone involved. That’s the main thing for me.”
McGary’s still rated as the best 2012 Michigan prospect by Scout.com and Rivals.com. He won’t have the impact of Noel – few will – but there’s no doubt that if McGary’s focused on rebounding, defense and helping Michigan make a run at the Big Ten title, that’ll be more than enough to make his mark.
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