I think this thing with him wanting to be a “wing” has been misinterpreted. It’s more about how he wanted to be used, not an an actual positional thing. He saw himself as a skilled wing forward ie 4 man, basically Luke Maye. That was the popular comparison out of HS. But he just wasn’t, at least not at this level. So UVA tried to turn him into Isaiah, which he isn’t at all.
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That’s my quibble. He sure wasn’t Isaiah, but he seemed to have some aptitude for that type of role.
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I don’t have any ill feelings towards Jabari. I do think he grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth and prob didn’t have to work especially hard for anything in his life…it’s not surprising he didn’t work in our system. Wish him the best.
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He was Isaiah than Dre and had every physical attribute and skill that pointed that direction as well. I get that he wanted it one way, but it was another and that’s been repeatedly shown to him but he appears (from a distance) to still be resilient, which is fascinating to me.
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I think his name is Jabri but whatever ha.
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There are so many sons of pros that succeed at high levels that I’m not sure this is much of a factor. Heck, I think that familiarity with the grind, the training, etc. etc. often gets cited as a positive for those guys (e.g., Jabari Smith last year). With Jabri, I think it just turned out he wasn’t that good. He didn’t develop that well from the time he was about 16/17 or so. Not that big. Not a plus athlete. And not a good enough shooter to overcome all that.
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Feels like another example of maybe P5 wasn’t the right spot for him. Had he maybe slotted in a mid-major he could have locked in and gotten run.
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I’m cool with JAR…doesn’t seem like it’s going well for him down in GA though.
For McKoy, based on what I saw and heard he was a little immature and I’m cool with that. But I’m not cool with the big fat ego he acquired at the end…he dissed the program, acting like he was a blue chipper and not a #200+ recruit, insisting to play the 3 (or 4?). It’s earned, not given. I’m not interested in disparaging his talent, but let’s be real whether he was 2, 3, 4, I sure as heck didn’t see #$%& that ever made me think, “boy we could really use McKoy in the game right now” I guess we’ll ever know but let’s be real here. He’s fair game.
Had he just left quietly we’re cool…
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Yea , Mckoy caught UNC at the right time. They had just hired a new coach and at that time they needed bodies and Mckoy was Hubert’s first recruit. I remember how excited Mckoy was to be there but I think we all knew what would happen.
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As soon as they got Manek it became pretty apparent that McKoy was going to be, at best, a role player.
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Yes I agree with 4.5 him being minted as “Typhoid Mckoy”…allright I said wasn’t going to contribute, but today is a new day ladies and gentlemen… but seriously I haven’t really given him a thought since our season has started, but I want us to WHOOP UP when we play him!
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@BDragon you just reminded me about something that Anthony Gill said a few years(?) back. Tony wouldn’t let him shoot from three when he was here in 2014, even though he really could- as he is showing on the Wizards…or something like that. However since then Tony has adjusted his offenses to allow players like Dre, Mamadi, Braxton Key, Jay Huff etc. shoot from three from that 4/5 spot.
So how much of it was McKoy *not being able to shoot/play on the perimeter and how much was Tony being Tony? 
(The drama)
But truthfully- since all of those players came before him, if he really could play on the perimeter then TB would let him.
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To be honest I remember seeing his highlight videos from highschool and I thought that he *would be a 3, as his shooting looked pretty smooth, and even his dribbling was pretty good, *but of course things change and he was at a different level in the ACC, BUT then that just means there was a MAJOR disconnect when TB and him were recruiting and vetting each other out- as those are completely different positions and skills set.
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I liked Casey and Carson and think they did the right thing transferring and am happy it is working out for them. I never knew what was going on with Jabari leaving and don’t really think about him and if he is happy at GA I am fine with that. I was sad that Igor left but if he didn’t we would probably not have BVP and I happy with that trade. If Charlotte works out for him. Great. I like the joy and enthusiasm that McKoy brought when he was here. He said some Ill advised stuff when he left but all of us did stupid stuff when we were teenagers so I give him a pass and I don’t really care if he went to UNC because he isn’t really that good and had nothing to do with them beating us last year and won’t play when we beat them this year,
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That’s a reasonable take.
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I think he just had a bad injury at a critical juncture of his development and has not overcome it so far. As I’ve gotten older and seen a multitude of successive generations follow their dads into the pros, I don’t think growing up spoiled is that big of a deal.
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If you want to know what is wrong with UNC here it is. Against Alabama Caleb and RJ took 60 shots between them with only 4 assists. Thats 4 assists in a 4 overtime game!!. Its been like that all year. Game set match …
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When people bring up the guys who’ve left the program, I reference this scene from Mad Men.
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I really think this is revisionist history. His sophomore year he gave us solid minutes here and there as a hustle guy who would scrap and get us some buckets. I get your overall point, but think it’s overstated.
With that being said, I don’t think he was ever going to be a starter. I really think we would’ve pursued Gardner anyway. And if not, we would’ve been worse off.
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