McLinton improved his ranking as he sat just outside the top-50 and now is parked at No. 39. His sophomore season at Bullis was hindered by injury, so the sites of McLinton’s progress was hit-or-miss, but his command on the ball throughout the month of June was enough to warrant the improvement in ranking. He has feel, twitch to get to his spots and really knows how to get his guys in their spots for scores. He averaged over 5APG in eight games of DMV Live play, did his diligence on the glass and got to the rim when he needed to. Moving forward, stringing together a healthy winter season will be key for McLinton as will showing some worth as a shooter that the defense has to account for.

14p 4r 4a 1b vs DeMatha

-McLinton seems to be turning the corner as a lightning-fast guard prospect in the open floor. McLinton pushed the pace in transition and has improved his handle to weave through traffic in transition to score through contact at the basket. Once he gains a step on his matchup he keeps the advantage with his defender on his hip to score or create in the paint. If he can sharpen his handle to deliver on the passing reads in tight windows in the halfcourt and continues to probe the defense while remaining efficient with his dribble– he has a chance to prove capable of lead guard responsibilities.

17p 5r 2a 6/8 FG vs Highland

-An absolute blur in transition, loved the pressure that he put on Highland’s transition defense as a speedy downhill driver that finished well at the rim and earned several trips to the free throw line. McLinton swooped in for defensive rebounds to push the pace in transition and consistently made the right read. Love the way that he froze his matchup at the top of the key or at the free throw line before explosively changing direction to attack the top foot of his defender to get the blow-by and finish at the rim. If he can continue to improve the handle to keep up with his speed in transition and navigate through tight spaces in the paint to score or pass– I would expect his recruitment to really take off. But he has made some promising strides and will need to step up as a leader for a young Bullis group that is both welcoming and replacing some new pieces in the rotation.

McLinton is an interesting prospect and certainly is developing into one of the better guards in 2028 class.  It was a bit quiet this summer, but I believe that he has a chance to rise the ranks with yet another strong varsity season at Bullis School, proving his talent once again the game against Jackson Reed scored 8 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1TO. McLinton is one of the most explosive and athletic guards around, flying high and finishing strong at the rim.  It is where he thrives, but he is also much more than that, as he has improved in several areas with his shot-making, playmaking, and ability to bring value in other areas. Kevin McLinton’s possesses high-level poise, ability to score from all three levels & his vision all stood out in the game. Look for Kevin McLinton recognition to continue to take shape for the next 3 years.

Previous Rank: 81

-McLinton transferred in this summer and has proved his worth as a change of pace guard that can thrive both on and off the ball. McLinton can put the ball on the floor, knocks down open perimeter looks, serves as a great connector from the wings, and is an underrated on-ball defender. Interested to see if he ends up growing a little bit more but even if he doesn’t- he has the scoring craft and ball-handling to entice college coaches. Want to see him develop into a pitbull point of attack defender this season as Bullis will need to generate more turnovers to ignite their fastbreak with several starters graduating to the next level.

-McLinton is beginning to make some noise with his play this summer as a dynamic scoring guard that can succeed both on or off the ball. He proved to be a capable outside shooter on a steady diet of shots but didn’t settle for jumpers. He’s got some wiggle on the ball as a creative guard that understands angles and can float through the defense to the get to the rim. One of my favorite parts of his game is that he’s always probing the defense but rarely picks up his dribble, always keeping his head up to find scoring or passing opportunities. If he can ramp up his play-making to take advantage of his paint touches, it will be that much more difficult to guard him with one defender.

10p 2r 4s vs Meade

-McClinton transferred into Bullis and has fit in pretty seamlessly to the Bulldogs’ culture as a team-first guard that can contribute in several areas. Love his ability to fit into the offense without dominating the ball as a shooter that can also put the ball on the floor to create for others, play-make from a standstill before the ball screen arrives to serve as a great connector, or rebound the basketball. His willingness to set off-ball screens, chase down loose balls, compete like an animal at the defensive end of the floor, and other winning traits should earn him a sizable role as the Bulldogs look to win another IAC title.