Texas transfer Sheldon McClellan should be worth the wait for Miami
Losing its six leading scorers from last year's ACC championship team has been beneficial for Miami in at least one respect.
It has made the Hurricanes an attractive destination for transfers this offseason.
First, former all-conference Kansas State point guard Angel Rodriguez joined Miami in hopes of becoming the heir apparent to Shane Larkin. Next, ex-DePaul big man Donnavan Kirk chose the Hurricanes because they have ample frontcourt playing time available. And finally, late Sunday night Miami added another coveted transfer.
Guard Sheldon McClellan, who would have been Texas' leading returning scorer had he remained with the Longhorns, chose Miami over Oregon, Marquette and LSU, ESPN.com reported. Whereas Kirk will be eligible immediately and Rodriguez is petitioning for a waiver that would allow him to play next season too, McClellan will sit out the 2013-14 season and make his Hurricanes debut the following year.
There's a good chance McClellan will be worth the wait for Miami.
McClellan had to shoulder too great a scoring burden on a Texas team that didn't have Myck Kabongo for the first 23 games of this past season, but the 6-foot-4 sophomore still showed flashes of the potential that made him a top 50 recruit. He averaged 13.5 points per game for the Longhorns during a difficult season that ended well short of NCAA tournament contention.
The criticism of McClellan during his two seasons at Texas was that his performance was erratic, his concentration often waned and his shot selection was poor. He shot just 38.2 percent from the field as a sophomore, often drawing a quick hook from Texas coach Rick Barnes.
If McClellan can address those shortcomings during his redshirt year and Miami coach Jim Larranaga can figure out how to keep the shooting guard focused and motivated, then the transfer should be a big boost for the Hurricanes.
Pair McClellan and Rodriguez in the backcourt for the 2014-15 season, and Miami would have one of the more potent guard duos in the nation. That's definitely something to look forward to for the Hurricanes even if next season figures to be a transition year unless Rodriguez gets his waiver.
