Texas Basketball: Former TTU G Mac McClung should be a transfer target

One of the most high profile names to hit the NCAA Transfer Portal around the college hoops landscape early this offseason is the former Texas Tech Red Raiders senior guard Mac McClung. For the second time in his college career to date, McClung will enter the transfer portal and take his talents elsewhere. Could this be the time where he lands with the Texas basketball program?

A reason for belief for Longhorns basketball fans as to why McClung could land on the Forty Acres out of the portal this offseason is the change in coaching regimes. Former Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard was hired by the Longhorns back on April 1 to replace the now-departed former sixth-year Texas head coach Shaka Smart.

Back on March 26, Smart left Austin to take the head coaching job with the Marquette Golden Eagles in his home state.

Moreover, McClung bought into the pitch that Beard and his coaching staff gave to McClung last offseason. Thus, the same might be able to happen with Beard joining the Longhorns this offseason.

Background of potential Texas basketball target Mac McClung

The first time that McClung transferred in his college career was last offseason when he took his talents from the Georgetown Hoyas to join Texas Tech. He was one of the better scorers for the Red Raiders last season, making him what should be one of the more highly sought-after transfer guards this offseason.

And since McClung should be able to come in and make an immediate impact, it makes sense for a coach like Beard that is familiar with him to target him out of the portal.

McClung played in 29 games (all of which he started in) with the Red Raiders last season. And he averaged 15.5 points per game, 2.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks. McClung shot 41.9 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 79.2 percent from the free-throw line.

While he wasn’t the most efficient player during his three years at Georgetown and one at Texas Tech, McClung did steadily improve his advanced metrics in the last two seasons. For his college career, he’s registered a 3.6 box plus/minus rating, .128 win shares per 40 minutes, and 17.8 player efficiency rating.

Given the potential loss that the Longhorns are about to sustain this offseason in their backcourt rotation, it does make a lot of sense on the surface to pursue McClung. The Longhorns could be set to lose sophomore shooting guard Donovan Williams, four-star IMG Academy shooting guard signee Tamar Bates, senior guard Matt Coleman, and senior shooting guard/wing Jase Febres this offseason.

To replace all of that lost depth, bringing in a transfer guard that Beard is familiar with like McClung could be a good move.

Texas finished up last season under the direction of Smart as head coach with a record of 19-8 (11-6 Big 12). The season ended on a disappointing note, despite winning the Big 12 Tournament crown for the first time in program history, by falling short in the Round of 64 at the hands of the 14-seed Abilene Christian.