Prospect Spotlight: Joemel McNair (2020)
Joemel McNair, a class of 2020 guard at St. Vincent Pallotti, is finding multiple ways to contribute so far at the Capitol Hoops Summer League. The skilled scorer spoke on his overall game and touched on his recruitment during a recent interview with Prep Hoops.
PH: For those that haven’t seen you play, how would you describe your overall game?
JM: “I feel like I’m a versatile scorer. Like I can go in and out. I feel like I defend well laterally. I have good vision too. I feel like I’m a good ball handler as well.”
PH: Are there any aspects of your game that you would consider underrated?
JM: “I talk a lot. There aren’t many people that talk on defense or offense. I talk a lot. All game basically.”
PH: Why is that?
JM: “Just to let my man know. And I just like being the loudest in the gym.”
PH: Have you always been like that?
JM: “Not always. I snapped into it.”
PH: Is there anything specific that inspired you to do that?
JM: “It’s been coaches just telling me you’ve got to talk all the time. Every coach says that to their players, but it really snapped for me a couple of years ago.”
PH: What’s the best coaching advice you’ve ever received and who was it from?
JM: “It was from Coach (Dennis) Murphy. He told me I’ve got to do more than one thing, and not just scoring. Because when I came in ninth grade all I did was score, and that’s why I wasn’t on varsity. So I just had to expand my game in general.”
PH: What’s the most improved part of your game?
JM: “Defense. In ninth grade I couldn’t defend or rebound. Those two parts of my games I’ve improved on just with effort.”
PH: What are you working on?
JM: “I’ve been working on my pull-up jump shot some more. Rebounding. I gotta give more effort on the boards or get some better techniques.”
PH: How are your grades?
JM: “4.0 student. Over 4.5.”
PH: How tall are you exactly?
JM: “6’1. 6’2 in shoes.”
PH: Which schools have you been recruited by so far?
JM: “Princeton the hardest right now.”
PH: What type of feedback have you received from coaches about your game?
JM: “They like my talking. They like my scoring to. They really like my scoring.”
PH: What do you think you can bring to a college program?
JM: “I feel like I can bring leadership, scoring, defense, rebounding, and just bringing a group of guys together.”