LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The reloading period has officially started for the NM State men's basketball team.
In an announcement made Thursday afternoon by NM State head men's basketball coach
Chris Jans, junior guard Mario McKinney Jr., has chosen to join the Aggies beginning in the 2021-22 academic year.
The addition of the St. Louis, Mo., product brings the number of newcomers on the Aggies' 2021-22 roster to three after NM State welcomed Ishan White and Kiran Oliver II into the fold during the November 2020 signing period.
Mario McKinney, Jr. | Jr. | G | 6-2 | 185 | St. Louis, Mo./Vashon HS/Missouri/John A. Logan College
• For year two of his college basketball career, McKinney, Jr., made the move from Missouri to Illinois where he suited up for the NJCAA institution John A. Logan College. Through his 2020-21 campaign, the guard out of St. Louis, Mo., started each of the nine games he took part in.
• The leading scorer for the Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC) club, McKinney, Jr., put in points at a rate of 18.4 per game and put up shooting splits of .457/.351/.671. An aggressive style of play allowed McKinney, Jr., to averaged 7.8 free throw attempts per game while also sinking an average of 5.9 field goals per outing.
• A solid all-around player for the Vols, he also put up averages of 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
• In seven of the nine games he played in for John A. Logan College, the guard amassed at least 12 points. His debut outing concluded with a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double in an 88-64 win over Shawnee Community College but it was his next game which turned the most heads.
• Putting on an elite scoring show, McKinney, Jr., finished with 52 points on a 17-of-23 night from the field to help the Vols get by Three Rivers Community College by a 121-117 tally. That night he also went 15-of-23 from the foul line while coming up with eight rebounds and seven assists.
• McKinney's first season of college basketball (2019-20) was spent in Columbia, Mo., competing for the SEC's Missouri Tigers. In four games for Mizzou, the guard averaged 3.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 9.3 minutes per game. His best game in a Mizzou uniform came in a non-conference win over Incarnate Word where he went for seven points, three rebounds and an assist in 14 minutes of work.
• One of the finest prep basketball players in the nation, McKinney, Jr., was tabbed the top player in the state of Missouri's class of 2019 by both ESPN and 247Sports. During his high school career, he was considered a four-star recruit as well as the 19th-best point guard in the country.
• A 2019 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association's all-state team choice, McKinney, Jr., led Vashon High School to back-to-back-to-back Missouri state championships in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
• The 2018 Public High League Player of the Year in St. Louis, McKinney, Jr., averaged 25 points and 7.5 rebounds during the 2018 state semifinal & championship games.
What they're saying about McKinney, Jr.
NM State head coach Chris Jans | "We are thrilled Mario has chosen to further his academic and athletic career at NM State. Mario is an electrifying player that competes at a high level. His passion for the game will make him a fan favorite in Las Cruces from the moment he arrives."
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