Miles McBride Selected No. 36 by Thunder, But Going to Knicks
West Virginia guard Miles McBride is now a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, after he was taken No. 36 overall in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft on Thursday night.
McBride spent two seasons at West Virginia, declaring for the NBA Draft after helping the Mountaineers back to the NCAA Tournament. He retained his eligibility until after the NBA Scouting Combine, where he played his way into potential first-round selection. But he ended up slipping into the early second round. But, right after his selection, ESPN reported that McBride was actually going to end up with the New York Knicks via trade.
Knicks selecting WVU's Miles McBride at No. 36, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 30, 2021
McBride grew quickly in Morgantown, becoming the most relied-up guard on the Mountaineers the past two seasons. In 2020-21, McBride went from being an off-guard to a quality point guard, expanding his potential in the NBA.
READ MORE: History of Big 12 Players Selected No. 1 in NBA Draft
READ MORE: Bob Bowlsby Makes Gutsiest Move of His Big 12 Tenure
Last season McBride averaged 15.9 points per game for the Mountaineers, who reached the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament before advancing to the NCAA Tournament. He also averaged 3.9 points and had 140 assists for the season. McBride earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors in the process.
As a freshman, McBride was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team as he averaged 9.5 points per game for the Mountaineers, who were pointed toward a trip to the NCAA Tournament before COVID-19 canceled the season.
The Mountaineers must find a guard to replace McBride. But, fortunately, two other guards who tested the NBA waters — Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil — chose to return for another season in Morgantown. That, along with a solid group of transfers, the growth of Jalen Bridges, and the return of the injured Isaiah Cottrell, should keep the Mountaineers in the mix in the Big 12 next season.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
**Want to win a $20 gift card? Go sign up here and join our conversation! The best poster each week wins a gift card to your favorite establishment!**
