What ‘superpower’ AJ McGinnis can possibly bring to Wichita State basketball
A.J. McGinnis is coming off a career-best season where his shooting percentages and scoring average skyrocketed in his second year at Lipscomb.
The 6-foot-3 sharpshooter is prepared to make another jump in his final year of college basketball, which is why he said he picked Wichita State from the transfer portal.
“I knew they would push me over the limits that I need to be pushed,” McGinnis said. “I took the step to be uncomfortable because I know they’ll help me get over the hump. Now my main focus is to make the biggest jump I’ve ever made in my career.”
After leading scorer and top shooter Colby Rogers departed for conference rival Memphis, adding shooting to a team that finished in the bottom-third in the country in 3-pointers made this past season was a primary goal for head coach Paul Mills in recruiting.
McGinnis fits the bill.
He canned 77 3s for Lipscomb this past season, which came out to 2.4 triples per game on 40% accuracy. He nearly doubled his scoring average from the previous season, upping it to 13.2 points, which was also boosted by 55% shooting inside the arc and 83% shooting on free throws. Those are totals and percentages that he is aiming to replicate for the Shockers.
“I know they struggled in the past with (3-point shooting),” McGinnis said. “With that being my superpower, they didn’t really have to say anything (in recruiting). I know what I need to come in here and do.”
Given WSU’s perceived improvement in depth, it’s unlikely any one player will replace the 35-minute and 16-point averages vacated by Rogers, but McGinnis is certainly first in line to serve as the team’s sharpshooter.
He did most of his damage this past season at Lipscomb spotting up around the perimeter, converting 39% of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers.
McGinnis is plenty familiar with analytics playing formerly under Wes Miller and Lennie Acuff, which has made him appreciate working closely with Mills in Wichita.
“He’s so crazy smart,” McGinnis said of his new head coach. “The feel he has for the game and the way he knows analytics, it’s unbelievable. You can’t really fight the numbers.”
After Mills and his staff spent the entire summer last year teaching every player their system, their plays and their vernacular, they feel like they have a head start this summer. The staff is able to work eight hours per week with the players, split between four hours for basketball-related activities on the court and four hours in the weight room.
Eight players from last year’s roster returned, while four of the newcomers — Justin Hill (Georgia), McGinnis (Lipscomb), Zane Meeks (Arizona State) and Corey Washington (Saint Peter’s) — are veteran additions from the transfer portal.
“One of the things that happens when you have a team of veterans is that they can explain exactly what’s being said (to newcomers),” Mills said. “So you’re really encouraging new guys to ask questions. Sometimes what they call a ‘Suns’ action is what we might call a ‘Shake’ action. It’s the same exact thing, just a different name. It takes time to remember that kind of stuff, but the more questions that they ask, the more we can help them.
“I’ve been doing this for close to three decades now and I’ve realized that the more simple you can keep it before you go to complex stuff, the easier it is for these guys to learn. We’re putting in the building blocks right now.”
On the court, McGinnis said he is focused on refining his elite skill: shooting.
Nearly two-thirds of his offense last season at Lipscomb came on spotting up around the perimeter and running in transition, two areas where he suspects he can find similar success at WSU.
He’ll work on tightening his handle to occasionally serve as a secondary play-maker in the offense, but he knows his bread will be buttered by spacing the floor, darting around screens and moving without the ball for kick-out looks that he’ll be expected to knock down.
“At the end of the day, I just want to help bring that culture back to Wichita and win,” McGinnis said. “I’m pushing myself every day to be the best version of myself and be the best person I can be for my teammates.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2024 at 6:01 AM.
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