:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47043918/usa-today-7823467.0.jpg)
As previously reported, rising senior guard Koby McEwen will make the trip from Utah to North Carolina this weekend to officially visit Wake Forest. McEwen, originally from Toronto, is a slashing 6'3" guard who is rated by ESPN as a 4* recruit and 96th overall in the country. He further made a name for himself this summer in the Adidas Nations event, where he averaged 20+ points against competition such as North Carolina's own Dennis Smith.
From a recruiting standpoint he has claimed Wake, Georgia Tech and Utah State as his leaders but claims to be open to new suitors as well. He also has reported offers from Baylor and Ole Miss. The visit this weekend will be the first official visit that he has taken. There is no time table on his decision, just that he will make the decision when he feels he has found a great fit. Below are his recruiting profiles from the major sites, which seem to have a varied opinion on where he ranks in the 2016 class:
If you only read one report on him, it should be this one from Draft Express. Jonathan Givony watched him over the course of the Adidas Nations event and provides a great scouting report of strengths and weaknesses, arriving at the conclusion that he "will be a very good college player." From this report it seems that he has several similarities to current Demon Deacon guard Codi Miller-McIntyre. Both thrive on getting to the rim and play an attacking, fast paced style off ball screens (which is what McEwen claims to like about Danny Manning's offense). In this report you also like to see his rebounding and steals figures, which seem to prove out that McEwen is a very active, high energy player than can help in several facets of the game. Another positive is his free throw percentage of around 80%, which is even more beneficial for an attacking guard.
When thinking about Danny Manning's current roster for 2016 and onward, McEwen would fit nicely in that the roster lacks players who can create off the bounce. Incoming freshman Bryant Crawford and rising HS senior Brandon Childress (to an extent) seem to be the only other players on the roster who can thrive on getting into the lane. The others, including Hudson, Wilbekin, Washington, Mitoglou and Woods, seem to be more comfortable as spot-up shooters who would space the floor for the driving guards. Of course big guys Doral Moore and John Collins aren't going to be expected to handle the ball, so having guards to create easy looks for them is key as well. Overall, it seems that McEwen would be a great fit and just what the doctor ordered for the last guard scholarship for this class.
Finally, below is a mixtape of McEwen in action. My favorite part may be him describing his competitiveness by saying that if he was playing his grandma, he would want to beat her 100-0.
Hopefully Koby has a great time on campus this weekend and Danny Manning and staff can add a vital piece to the 2016 recruiting class. Stay tuned to BSD for any breaking news!