Isaac McKneely, a former Virginia shooting guard, has seen a shift in momentum regarding his transfer portal recruitment. Initially, North Carolina and Louisville were the frontrunners for McKneely, ranked as the No. 8 player in the portal and the No. 2 shooting guard. However, Tennessee has recently emerged as a strong contender, with national basketball analyst Travis Branham noting that the Vols are making a significant push. “A big curveball has been thrown,” Branham explained, as Louisville seemed close to securing McKneely, but now the race is wide open, with Tennessee becoming a serious player and North Carolina falling behind.
McKneely, who entered the transfer portal with a “do not contact” tag, visited Louisville on Saturday and will head to Knoxville for a visit with Tennessee on Monday. Although there hasn’t been an official visit to North Carolina yet, Branham speculates that the Tar Heels could still get him on campus soon if he doesn’t commit after his visits to Louisville and Tennessee.
The 6-foot-4 junior guard had a standout season at Virginia, leading the team in scoring with 14.4 points per game, along with 2.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds. He also led the ACC in 3-point shooting percentage (42.1%) and ranked second in made 3-pointers per game (3.2). McKneely recorded eight games with 20 or more points, including a season-high 27 points in a loss to Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament. He was named to the All-ACC Honorable Mention team for his performance.
McKneely’s skill set as a sharp shooter is well-regarded. He’s known for his ability to move off screens and hit shots both on and off the ball. According to 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein, McKneely is a strong movement shooter who can also make plays for others, averaging 2.9 assists per game. However, one area of his game that could improve is his ability to finish at the rim. Defensively, he has been solid in Virginia’s system, though it’s unclear how he would perform in a different defensive scheme.
The transfer portal is open until April 22, with McKneely’s recruitment continuing to develop.
