Recruiting Report: Dezmond McKinney (2020)
Recruiting Report: Dezmond McKinney (2020) A 6’1, 158-pound combo guard, Raytown South 2020 Dezmond McKinney is putting together a big spring and summer running with Marcus Denmon Elite. He can play either point or shooting guard and likes to play…
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Continue ReadingRecruiting Report: Dezmond McKinney (2020)
A 6’1, 158-pound combo guard, Raytown South 2020 Dezmond McKinney is putting together a big spring and summer running with Marcus Denmon Elite.
He can play either point or shooting guard and likes to play a fast-paced, uptempo style. He says he takes pride in playing the game under control and getting his team involved.
“But at the same time, I like being the player they can come to when the ball needs to be scored,” he says.
McKinney says he has enjoyed the experience of playing with Marcus Denmon and says he hopes it prepares his for the upcoming season and perhaps beyond.
“It’s prepared kinda different considering this my first year playing with this team, it’s made me a better player because now I’m seeing the court from a different angle,” he says.
McKinney has spent much of the offseason focused on improving his outside shot and working on refining his mechanics.
“Working on my shooting being more confident with it, not bringing the ball down to my hips keeping it up and just little stuff like dribbling and passing and just playing ball and not thinking too much about it,” he says.
Raytown South has high expectations for the upcoming season as the Cardinals have several key players returning.
“The (2018-19) season didn’t go as planned but it was a fun season playing with different teammates and playing a different role on the court being able to take what I learned from the previous season and taking it and being able to teach it this year,” McKinney said. “I was able to be a leader and one of the coaches and players counted on to lead the team.”
McKinney says several people have helped impact his game over the years.
“I wouldn’t say just one person I would have to say it’s a group effort because my parents and grandparents push everyday to work on my game and I just see them working everyday and it just pushes me to work because I want to be able to tell them they don’t have to work no more and they can just chill,” he said.
A fan of NBA guards Russell Westbrook and De’Aaron Fox, McKinney says he enjoys watching players who also play a fast paced game.
“I like the way they use they speed they change it up, that’s what I do with my game,” he said.
McKinney has drawn interest from several college programs, including Washburn, Western Illinois and others.