Buffs Freshman Wright Says 'We Want To Prove People Wrong'

BOULDER — When the Pac-12 men's basketball preseason poll is released Thursday at the conference's annual Media Days, it almost certainly won't include Tad Boyle's Buffaloes anywhere near the top of the heap.

In fact, CU's players are expecting a prediction that will put Colorado somewhere in the No. 8 to No. 10 range. The Buffs know what they look like on paper:

— Gone are three full-time starters from last season, including NBA first-round draft pick Derrick White.

— CU's top two scorers from last year are also gone, as are two of the top three rebounders.

— The Buffs have just one player, senior George King, who started in at least half of Colorado's games last season.

— Eight of the 13 scholarship players on Colorado's roster have never played a minute of a college game in a CU uniform, a group that includes five true freshmen.

— Aside from King, Colorado's returning players accounted for a grand total of just 22 starts last year.

No doubt, "inexperienced" will be an adjective used frequently in association with the Buffs — and that's just fine with them. Feel free to attribute it to the vagaries of youth, but this team believes it is ready to spring a surprise or two on the Pac-12.

"This team is very deep," freshman guard McKinley Wright IV said after a recent practice. "Regardless of class or age, it's very deep. We know they're probably going to pick us 10th or so in the Pac-12. But we're not worried about that. We're here to prove everybody wrong, and I think we can."

If the Buffs do prove some people wrong, Wright will likely play a big role in springing that surprise.

A late addition to CU's recruiting class, the 6-0, 185-pound Minnesota native has turned heads since he first arrived. He made a name for himself in pickup games last summer against CU alums, and has since made a case for himself as the starting point guard. While Boyle is still weeks away from naming a starting lineup, there's little doubt that Wright will get some strong consideration from the Buffs coaching staff.

Wright certainly doesn't look out of place on a Division I floor.

"It's a whole different game," he said. "It's super fast, it's up-tempo and it's playing against older guys who are all good players.

"But I'm learning as fast as I can. I think I've been playing pretty well so far — not the best — but I'm learning day by day. I'm doing my best to work with all the coaching staff, watch film and get out here on the wood and lay it all out every day."

Point guard was not exactly a position of super stability for the Buffs last season. Senior Dominique Collier, a starter as a sophomore, was injured early in the season last year and ended up starting only 15 games. By the end of the season, White had moved to the point and Collier had switched to shooting guard.

Wright, though, is a pure point guard. He has already displayed the ability to move the ball quickly up the floor, has an eye for open teammates and is an uncanny rebounder, particularly for a 6-footer.

He also brings an element of toughness to his game that has impressed CU's coaches, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. In a program that emphasizes rebounding and defense above all else, Wright appears to be a very good fit.

"I take pride in my defense," Wright said. "In high school, I wanted guard the best guy all the time. In college, coach let me know I'm going to be guarding bigger guards, 6-4 point guards. I'm looking forward to the challenge and I'm going to keep working on it."

The Buffs are now roughly four weeks away from their Nov. 10 opener against Northern Colorado at home. They will have one closed scrimmage prior to the opener, as well as an Oct. 30 exhibition game against Colorado Mines.

"When you look at this team, there's a lot of depth," Wright said. "Having guys like this, knowing you can get them the ball and they're going to make a play, that's a good feeling. I know we have a long way to go and a lot of work to do. We still have a lot to learn.

"But like I said, I'm happy they're going to pick us at the bottom of the Pac-12 because we're going to prove people wrong."

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu