(2024) G - Paul McNeil Jr.

[Demo 17,450]

1 hour ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Jamie Shaw on '24 wings to watch.

https://www.on3.com/news/2024-wings-to-keep-an-eye-on/

The wildcard

6-5 Paul McNeil

McNeil is a bucket-getter in its truest sense. He has natural size with good length and has put up over 22 per game this season on 50/40 shooting splits. The wildcard part comes with McNeil’s continued development. He will need to get stronger, and more explosion should come. While the Rockingham (NC) Richmond Senior wing has deep range and a crispy pull-up, he should continue learning to become a scorer. While he is not there yet, learning the footwork and the angles of getting to his spots could see him shoot up the 2024 wings rankings lists.

Claimed offers: NC State, Clemson, Indiana, Tennessee, Florida State

Never heard a pull-up described as “crispy” before. I like it.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

McNeil with a near triple double in No. 1 Richmond's (24-1) 4A East playoff win over No. 16 Wake Forest (18-6) 87-57.

He finished with 17p  19r  9a.  He had a double double at halftime with 12p  13r.  Richmond faces No. 8 Pine Forest on Saturday in a 3rd round game.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

Jamie Shaw recruiting upda on McNeil -

Paul McNeil, Jr. has been trending as one of the nation’s most intriguing shooting guards in the 2024 class. The 6-foot-5 sophomore averaged 24.6 points per game this season, leading his Rockingham (NC) Richmond Senior High team to a 24-1 record on the season.

“I can do a little bit of everything on the floor,” McNeil, Jr. told On3 after a recent playoff win. “I’ve got mindset no one can stop me; I am him, Paul McNeil, Jr. My mid-range pull-up is what I do best on the floor; that is my game. I’m playing a lot better defense this season, and my ball-handling is turning into a weapon. I watch a lot of Chris Paul. I love his mid-range game and then his passing.”

College coaches started taking note after a good summer playing with Garner Road on the Adidas 3SSB 15u circuit. Paul McNeil spoke exclusively with On3 about his recruitment and visits.

“I have six D-I offers right now,” McNeil, Jr. said. “I’ve been on unofficial visits to UNC, NC State, Wake Forest, and Clemson. Clemson and NC State offered me.”

McNeil, Jr talks recruitment

Clemson: “When I went down there, they showed me a lot about their program and how they develop guards. They showed me how I fit on the wing with how they play and what they do. The campus is beautiful, that orange and purple is nice. We talk with coach Lucas (McKay) a good bit. They have a great crowd for games.”

NC State: “It’s live there. That place is lit. The whole environment they have, I love it. I love everything about that place, coach (James) Johnson and Coach (Kevin) Keatts. Their playstyle, they let you rock out, do anything you want to with the ball.”

“I also have offers from Tennessee, Indiana, Western Carolina, and Florida State,” McNeil, Jr. said. “Georgetown, Kansas, and North Carolina are some schools that have been in contact with us recently.”

McNeil, Jr’s take

“I want to go to a place where the ball will be in my hands,” McNeil said. “There are going to be a lot of good players already playing, but I want to go somewhere that is going to let me rock out. Early playing time will be big, and I play best in a run and gun, up and down type system.”

On3’s take

Paul McNeil, Jr. is a scoring guard. Make no mistakes about it, he has buckets on his mind. Standing with a lengthy frame, he has a pure stroke with natural balance and a consistent release. He will need to continue adding strength, and with that, more athletic explosion may come as well. McNeil, Jr. has a confident pull-up jump shot, going right or left, off two dribbles. He will need to tighten up his handle in the half-court and continue to work on his footwork and reads, but the natural mentality as a scoring assassin is there.

[rayl456 393]

6 hours ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Jamie Shaw recruiting upda on McNeil -

Paul McNeil, Jr. has been trending as one of the nation’s most intriguing shooting guards in the 2024 class. The 6-foot-5 sophomore averaged 24.6 points per game this season, leading his Rockingham (NC) Richmond Senior High team to a 24-1 record on the season.

“I can do a little bit of everything on the floor,” McNeil, Jr. told On3 after a recent playoff win. “I’ve got mindset no one can stop me; I am him, Paul McNeil, Jr. My mid-range pull-up is what I do best on the floor; that is my game. I’m playing a lot better defense this season, and my ball-handling is turning into a weapon. I watch a lot of Chris Paul. I love his mid-range game and then his passing.”

College coaches started taking note after a good summer playing with Garner Road on the Adidas 3SSB 15u circuit. Paul McNeil spoke exclusively with On3 about his recruitment and visits.

“I have six D-I offers right now,” McNeil, Jr. said. “I’ve been on unofficial visits to UNC, NC State, Wake Forest, and Clemson. Clemson and NC State offered me.”

McNeil, Jr talks recruitment

Clemson: “When I went down there, they showed me a lot about their program and how they develop guards. They showed me how I fit on the wing with how they play and what they do. The campus is beautiful, that orange and purple is nice. We talk with coach Lucas (McKay) a good bit. They have a great crowd for games.”

NC State: “It’s live there. That place is lit. The whole environment they have, I love it. I love everything about that place, coach (James) Johnson and Coach (Kevin) Keatts. Their playstyle, they let you rock out, do anything you want to with the ball.”

“I also have offers from Tennessee, Indiana, Western Carolina, and Florida State,” McNeil, Jr. said. “Georgetown, Kansas, and North Carolina are some schools that have been in contact with us recently.”

McNeil, Jr’s take

“I want to go to a place where the ball will be in my hands,” McNeil said. “There are going to be a lot of good players already playing, but I want to go somewhere that is going to let me rock out. Early playing time will be big, and I play best in a run and gun, up and down type system.”

On3’s take

Paul McNeil, Jr. is a scoring guard. Make no mistakes about it, he has buckets on his mind. Standing with a lengthy frame, he has a pure stroke with natural balance and a consistent release. He will need to continue adding strength, and with that, more athletic explosion may come as well. McNeil, Jr. has a confident pull-up jump shot, going right or left, off two dribbles. He will need to tighten up his handle in the half-court and continue to work on his footwork and reads, but the natural mentality as a scoring assassin is there.

Hmmm...wants to go where he can "rock out"..."the ball in my hands"..."run and gun"..."early playing time."   I know we want/need offense, but there's a defensive element that Coach Woodson requires, if you want to see the floor.  Wonder if the young man is aware of this??   

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

No. 1 Richmond (25-1) and No. 8 Pine Forest (23-4) battled back and forth throughout the game.  McNeil hit 3 FTs with 28 sec. left in regulation to make it 63-60 but PF scored to send it to OT.  In OT, Richmond held PF scoreless and the final score was 70-63 and Richmond advances to the 4th round.  McNeil 28 pts. and 19 reb.  He scored 5 of his 28 in the OT.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

McNeil's season ends in an 83-62 loss to Cleveland.   He scored 33p and had 16r.  He scored 14p in  the 4th Q.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

Per MaxPreps for 27 games:  24.5p   9.7r   3.8a   1.7s   1.8b   1.1t

49% FG    31% on 3s    81% FT

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

 Richmond High School sophomore Paul McNeil received a major award on Wednesday as he was named the Gatorade North Carolina Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

McNeil stands at 6-foot-5 and 180 pounds and helped the Raiders to a 26-2 record record and appearance in the quarterfinals of the 4A state playoffs.

This past season, McNeil averaged 24.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game. He was named the Sandhills Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was the N.C. Basketball Coaches Association District Player of the Year.

“McNeil is a special talent at a young age,” said Paul Biancardi of ESPN Basketball. “He can create his own shot and shoots it with deep range. His feel for the game is advanced and he’s an active rebounder. He’s a winner with a bright future.”

Off the court, McNeil has volunteered with the African-American Students organization at Richmond.

McNeil is the first Gatorade NC Boys Basketball Player of the Year selected from Richmond.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

In an early season AAU game, McNeil scored 28 as his Garner Road team defeated Team Hope 74-60.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

Garner Road AAU team played in the RYZE Tipoff Classic this weekend and won the championship.  No detailed box scores published but based on how prolific a scorer McNeil was this past season and how balanced the scoring that has been reported for Garner Road I'm guessing minutes were pretty evenly dispersed.  

McNeil's points by game:  16, 6, 11 & 15.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

From this past weekend's RYZE event -

McNeil came in with one of the biggest reputations in the field after winning NC Gatorade POY, and he lived up to it. He was consistently a huge scoring threat in Garner Road's tremendous 16U backcourt and shot the ball from three at a very high level. He's a threat to score both off the catch and off the dribble from all over the floor, and he's incredibly versatile and can be a big matchup problem.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

Announced today he's transferring to Prolific Prep for his junior season.  The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 24.5 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.8 APG and 1.7 SPG last season for Richmond (NC)

[Demo 17,450]

22 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Announced today he's transferring to Prolific Prep for his junior season.  The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 24.5 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.8 APG and 1.7 SPG last season for Richmond (NC)

Among the scuzzier prep programs, Prolific always feels like the scuzziest.

[Stuhoo 75,752]

11 minutes ago, Demo said:

Among the scuzzier prep programs, Prolific always feels like the scuzziest.

“I want to go to a place where the ball will be in my hands,” McNeil said. “There are going to be a lot of good players already playing, but I want to go somewhere that is going to let me rock out. "

 

No

Thank

You.

[Demo 17,450]

19 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

“I want to go to a place where the ball will be in my hands,” McNeil said. “There are going to be a lot of good players already playing, but I want to go somewhere that is going to let me rock out. "

 

No

Thank

You.

In the games of his last winter he had the most erratic body language. Sometimes completely aloof. Other times straight up barking at guys. And, yet, his teammates didn’t seem bothered at all. He seemed to get along fine with them. And he always played hard. Maybe some “Paul being Paul” at play here. That’s the one thing about watching these kids by stream, there’s some nuance you’re definitely missing.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

https://richmondobserver.com/local-sports/five-star-recruit-mcneil-jr-heading-to-californias-prolific-prep.html

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

Moderately interesting development.  This past summer McNeil announced he would transfer to Prolific Prep which he did and he has played in 5 games for them this season.  Today, he confirmed with #ROSports that he has re-enrolled at Richmond Senior and will play for @HoopsRichmond  this season. McNeil is the reigning N.C. Gatorade Player of the Year and has spent the last several months at Prolific Prep in California. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

In his first game back at Richmond HS, McNeil had 13p; 9r; 3a as Richmond beat Trinity Christian 69-54.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

I've been tracking his season but not posting game stats because there's no indication we're actively in pursuit.  But last night's game was impressive.

Richmond 93, Southern Lee 46.  37 pts, 7 assists and 5 rbs.  He shot 13-of-19 with 6 triples, didn’t play 4Q.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,109]

Solely FYI since he's currently not on the IU radar.

https://www.highschoolot.com/blake-paul-mcneil-jr-s-uncommon-path-back-home-to-rockingham/20682860/