Mario McKinney Recruiting Update (2019)
Arkansas Razorbacks are out on the hunt. Mario McKinney (Vashon High School) is a strong target of the Arkansas staff. A sophomore, McKinney had been grinding in national anonymity until Thanksgiving break. Vashon played in Holiday Hoopsgiving down in Georgia against…
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Continue ReadingArkansas Razorbacks are out on the hunt. Mario McKinney (Vashon High School) is a strong target of the Arkansas staff.
A sophomore, McKinney had been grinding in national anonymity until Thanksgiving break. Vashon played in Holiday Hoopsgiving down in Georgia against national power Wheeler High (GA).
Vashon won 69-67 with a 26-point fourth quarter.
“Auburn’s coach was there and he offered on the spot,” said Mario McKinney Sr. “Mizzou, K-State, and SLU had been interested. They just wanted to see a bit more.”
Hearing that Auburn pulled the trigger so quickly, Kansas State and SLU quickly reacted.
“It was streamed online,” said McKinney Sr. “Immediately after the game was over with, coach was in the locker room and he got so many calls.”
K-State, DePaul, Southern Miss, Tulsa, and SLU called and offered that day.
Missouri followed suit days later.
Arkansas Connection
A former Missouri Tiger hooper, current Vashon High School Assistant Coach Jimmy McKinney is actually Mario’s uncle. Known to the Mizzou fans as J-Mac, McKinney earned a ten year career in Germany.
J-Mac played for Arkansas Assistant Coach Melvin Watkins at Missouri in 2004-2005. Watkins was Associate Head Coach under Quin Snyder’s occasionally turbulent tenure at Mizzou.
After Snyder resigned, Watkins was hired by the incoming Mizzou Head Coach Mike Anderson, who obviously now calls Fayetteville home. Watkins has been on coach Anderson’s staffs ever since.
McKinney Sr. sees this connection at fortuitous.
“Arkansas is really on him now,” said McKinney Sr. “Wichita State has been in contact. UNLV came down to watch him in the fall. They really liked him. He is getting a lot of interest too from a lot of these other big schools.”
This week Vashon is playing in the Poplar Bluff Showdown.
“(Arkansas Head Coach) Mike Anderson has been at the games down here at Poplar Bluff,” said McKinney Sr.
Chris Lowery (KSU Assistant) evaluated Mario and others last night. Arkansas is sure to take another look.
“They have really been eye-balling Mario,” said McKinney Sr. “He has been on their radar.”