Justin McBride’s value to Kentucky starts with one thing: the shot.
Mark Pope added the JMU transfer power forward this offseason, and while McBride has bounced around a bit in college basketball, his time with the Dukes was the stretch that put everything together. He averaged 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game last season, but the real leap came from beyond the arc.
McBride hit 40% of his threes while taking 3.1 per game, easily the best three-point mark of his college career. He has pointed to his fit in the JMU system as a major reason that season came together, and that same logic is what has him feeling good about Kentucky.
Justin McBride believes in “playing the game the right way” and that’s why playing for Mark Pope made sense. pic.twitter.com/p6QsAKUSsU
Speaking with the UK Sports Network, McBride laid out why he thinks his game translates so well to Pope’s style. “I would say shooting ability is really good.
Just running the floor as a big finding mismatches and just playing the right way of Mark Pope basketball. Finding open shots, playing through motion instead of doing stagnant plays.
That's the biggest thing for me.”
That fit matters because Kentucky appears to have a clear role in mind. McBride is expected to come off the bench and back up Ousmane N’Diaye, giving the Wildcats a pair of bigs who can both stretch the floor. McBride also said he is close with N’Diaye, and even with minutes on the line, the two are pushing each other.
The early signs from summer practice have been positive, and McBride sounds like the kind of player who can quietly become essential. He may not draw much national attention, but if Kentucky has the kind of season many expect, his shooting could end up being a major reason why.
He also looks like a player Lexington will embrace quickly. After hearing McBride talk a few times, it’s not hard to see why he could become a fan favorite.
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