Next Season Scouting Report: Mitch McGary
By Joshua Lea
Last season, Mitch McGary had a decent rookie season, one filled with the expected ups and downs of a first-year player adjusting to the NBA. He showed his teammates and Thunder fans that he could run the floor, get rebounds and flat out hustle. McGary brings energy and toughness to the Thunder and can also run the floor in transition with Westbrook.
The former Michigan product has battled some injury issues since his freshman year. However, the Thunder picked him at number 21 despite only playing eight games during his sophomore year. The reason behind the selection became evident when Mitch finally got to see some game time action. In particular, Mitch displayed a solid effort against the LA Clippers on February 8 dropping 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting, in just 23 minutes. He also added 10 rebounds in a game where the Thunder outshined the Clips from tip to final buzzer.
The stat line for McGary is impressive at first glance. He averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in just 15 minutes per game. His mid-range jumper has the potential to be an asset. According to Basketball-Reference.com, he shot 40 percent from within 10 to 16 feet, albeit on only 25 attempts. By continuing to shoot well and make hustle plays, Mitch could very well solidify himself as a valuable weapon.
After last season Mitch began to transform his body and his game. Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman talked with Mitch about his weight loss and his willingness to improve as a Thunder.
"“I’m sick of being injured and not being able to play at full strength 100 percent,” McGary said. “So this summer was really key for me. I stayed in Oklahoma City and just been working my tail off to get into shape.”"
He showed up to summer league looking lean and displaying his ability to run the floor. Mitch had some nice dunks and really showed even more improvement. This seems to be a trend among Thunder players; the team has had an incredible success rate developing the potential of young talented players and McGary might be the next to thrive as a result.
Next year, you can look for Mitch to improve his mid-range game and his ability to run the floor with the second unit. What’s interesting is that this second unit is going to be key for Oklahoma City. Mitch can be a part of one of the best reserve groups in the NBA. With the departure of Scott Brooks and the emergence of Billy Donovan as head coach, McGary gets a clean slate to work with and a chance to shine as a fan favorite.
OKC’s front court is somewhat clogged at the moment, with other forwards/centers like Nick Collison, Enes Kanter, Serge Ibaka, and Steven Adams. However, McGary can run the floor more effectively than the others and can distinguish himself as a valuable backup for the Thunder.
Now, here’s where the concern is for McGary. The sky is the limit for this kid. He wants to be better and play the best basketball of his life. The drive is there, the energy is there. However, adjusting to Donovan and learning to move in a new offense can be problematic. McGary can operate in the pick-and-pop and the transition game, but, can he operate in the pick-and-roll with Augustin and Waiters? This is going to be essential to the second unit. While it’s clear that Waiters will get a majority of the shots and touches, Mitch is going to have to be in the lane at the right time for an easy layup or dunk. Something he showed that he could during last season, and during the summer league.
Chances are the Thunder as a whole out preform last season stat-wise, Mitch will improve at his position and the run game will still be effective for the Thunder. One thing to keep in mind, is the offensive flow is going to be according to how the team gels with Donovan on the offensive end. One would assume that Mitch will be able to adjust and improve quickly, especially after shedding the weight during the offseason.