Buffs Frosh Point Guard Wright Turning Heads In A Hurry

BOULDER — When the Colorado basketball team convened earlier this summer for a pair of practices ahead of their August trip to Italy, all four freshmen who were present made an impression.

D'Shawn Schwartz quickly showed why he was a consensus top 100 player in last season's recruiting rankings, displaying an all-around game and level of maturity that is far beyond his years. Evan Battey showed why he is one of the more intriguing recruits in recent Buffs history, a combination of size and deceptive quickness that will make him a problem for opposing defenders. Tyler Bey put on display the athleticism that shows why CU coaches believe his impact as a Buff could be tremendous before his career at Colorado is over.

But the freshman who may have turned the most heads, who had observers — including plenty of members of Team Colorado, the alumni team hosting a training camp in Boulder at the same time — talking about immediate impact?

Try the last addition to the five-member recruiting class, point guard McKinley Wright IV (the fifth member of the class, Lazar Nikolic, is scheduled to be on campus in time for CU's August practices before the Buffs depart for Italy.)

Wright, who didn't sign with the Buffs until late April, quickly took command when his turn on the floor came up. He directed the offense with authority, showed toughness on the boards and with the ball in his hands, and also quickly made it clear that he's physically ready to play in the Pac-12.

"He's way beyond his years in terms of his feel for the game, his toughness," head coach Tad Boyle said. "He's physically ready to play at this level. He's going to be a heck of a player in his time at Colorado. He's got a chance to be an all-league guard."

High praise, particularly for a freshman, and particularly from a head coach who has always been hesitant to put freshmen in the spotlight. Boyle's tendency over the years has been to work his first-year players slowly into the lineup while not depending too much on significant contribution from first-year players.

That, however, will change this year. Boyle has said he will be expecting immediate contributions from at least two or three of his freshmen — and it's hard to imagine Wright not being a part of that equation.

Wright comes in at a position where the Buffs are relatively thin in terms of numbers. Senior Dominique Collier, a starter at point guard as a sophomore and part of his junior year, finished last season playing more at the two-guard spot while Derrick White took over duties at the point.

Collier could no doubt return to the point, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility to imagine Wright stepping into the role for some significant playing time, with Collier playing some two-guard again.

Wright, though, isn't in the business of speculating, particularly at such an early point. Rather, he's focused on what his duties will be.

"My job as a point guard is to make sure everybody's in their position, find guys when I need to, score the ball when I need to, and win games," Wright said. "I was comfortable with those guys (his new teammates), wasn't afraid to tell them where to be, get on them a little bit — and they obviously get on me, too. Just making sure everybody's in the right spot. I'm very comfortable with that."

Indeed, his floor command is one of the things that caught the attention of observers in CU's first couple of practices.

"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. He can find guys, he's unselfish and he's a leader. He's a guy that's not afraid to open his mouth."

Also quickly apparent is Wright's competitive nature and his physical style. While not particularly big — he's listed at 6-foot, 185 pounds — he boasts a rock-solid frame and is clearly not easily intimidated (something he showed in pickup games against the Buffs alums). He is an excellent passer and has already earned the respect of his new teammates for his ability to find them when they're open.

Asked what fans can expect when they see him play, Wright was succinct.

"High-tempo guard, willing to do whatever it takes to win, whether it's scoring, rebounding, finding open teammates, defending the best player," he said. "Whatever it takes to win basketball games and go to the tournament."

Wright seemed to immediately hold his own against players who are bigger, faster and stronger than those he saw in high school. Still, he said, it's an adjustment that won't be completed overnight.

"It's a new feel, obviously, from my high school," he said. "A much higher tempo, much more physical, bigger guys, more athletic. It's a different feel, but it's something I'm getting used to and I'm looking forward to it."

Another adjustment has been Boulder's altitude, a dramatic difference from his North Robbinsdale, Minn. home. He admits it had an effect when he first arrived, but he put in some extra work to hasten the adjustment period.

"I'm making sure to get in extra runs before practice and after practice, days that we don't have workouts, on my own time," he said. "I'm doing my best to get used to it as soon as possible."

Wright and his teammates are currently engaged in summer strength and conditioning workouts. They will return to practice in early August, when they will have eight more sessions to prepare for their 10-day trip to Italy that will see them play four games.

The early summer practices and those yet to come will be an invaluable piece of the puzzle this year as the Buffs incorporate a host of new faces into the picture. Wright said the process is already occurring.

"This team, from the day I got here on my visit, they made me feel like family," Wright said. "I'm a point guard. The ball's going to be in my hands. I'm going to make the right reads for them and they're going to trust me with the ball. They made me feel like part of the family from Day One. I'm very comfortable with those guys on and off the court."

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu