Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - Jayhawks Portal Target? 3-Point Marksman Paul McNeil Would be a Unique Fit for Self to Figure Out

Episode Date: April 28, 2026

Kansas Jayhawks eye top-tier perimeter firepower as sharpshooter Paul McNeil enters the transfer portal. Could McNeil’s elite three-point shooting transform Bill Self’s offense next season, or does his fit raise more questions than answers for KU’s backcourt rotation? Derek Johnson breaks down McNeil’s impressive shooting stats from his 43% clip on high volume to his clutch performances and off-ball movement. The conversation explores McNeil’s potential lineup fit alongside key guards like Leroy Blyden and Taylen Kinney, the impact on Kansas’ defensive schemes, and how factors such as Tyran Stokes’ recruitment and roster funding could shape KU’s transfer priorities. Is adding a “one trick pony” with elite range worth the lineup concessions, or should the Jayhawks prioritize versatility over pure shooting? Don’t miss this deep dive into Kansas basketball’s next possible roster shakeup. Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub   Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Can I interest you in one of the best shooters, not just in the transfer portal, but in college of basketball this past season. Paul McNeil is in the portal. I think you'd be a great target for KU. You are locked on Jayhawks, your daily podcast on the Kansas Jayhawks, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. What's going on Derek Johnson here and on today's bonus episode of the show, we're going to be breaking down Paul McNeil, who's in the transfer portal. Would he make sense for Kansas? I think on paper, one of the best shooters, potentially in college basketball next season, but the fit might not be super easy for KU.

So getting to all that, his counter import and more. Let's start right here. McNeil is a 6-foot-5, 190-pound shooting guard. He'll be a junior in the upcoming 2026 to 2027 season, although I guess that could mean a third year out of fifth-year player if these rules kind of end up passing here. There hasn't been any smoke. connecting KU at this point, but doesn't really feel like there's been a ton of

direction one way or another so far in the McNeil recruiting to where it just makes you wonder as he goes through the, I think he's going through the draft process. You know, maybe this will be kind of a late figure for some team, but he was a former four-star prospect, top 80 prospect coming out of high school, comes to NC State from the jump, plays limited as a freshman, 24 appearances, eight minutes per game, shoots 36% from three. so already the three-point shooting on display a bit. And then he became a key player for Will Wade as a sophomore this past season. He averaged 13.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and he shot an explosive 43% from three-point range on over seven attempts per game.

This was one of the best shooters in the country this past season. He had eight games of 20 or more points, including a 40-point explosion against Texas Southern, where he was 12 of 12 at the foul line and 11 of 17. from three point range. Now, he did struggle against KU. He had just four points on one of seven shooting. So honestly, makes me like him more because he helped KU win the game in that standpoint, right?

But the metric's really good here. 99th percentile in offensive RAPM, 70th percentile on the defensive side, 98th percentile in offensive winshares per 40, 37th on the defensive side, 89th percent of E.R. 96th percentile wins above replacement player, In terms of the on-off ratings, it reflects the offensive impact at NC State.

NC State was like a half point better per 100 possessions when he was on the floor on defense. They were like basically the same slightly better. But the offense was over 12 points better per 100 possessions when he was on the floor good for a 95th percentile impact on that end of things. And 24-7 sports has him listed as a 14.7. star transfer who's top 35 overall, both on three and the athletic have him in their top 25. And then Evan Miyakawa has him around the top 40. So, you know, basically consensus-wise, this is like a top 30-ish transfer. But if you're specifically looking for shooting, I don't know that you could find a better option here, especially proven at the Power 5 level than Paul McNeil.

And to that standpoint, this would be a great addition for any team. All teams could add more shooting, right but I also wonder does this make sense for Kansas because it gets a little sticky and trying to figure out how would you play it lineup wise if you add Paul McNeil and then based on some other things that could happen so we'll get to that as well as his scouting report next this is locked on Jayhawks today's bonus episode of the show is brought to you by fandul the NBA playoffs are here and every possession matters if you're looking to get closer in on the action fandwell has a great offer to get you started new customers can bet just $5 and get 150 in bonus bets if your first bet wins.

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Dot supercast.com. Okay, strengths and weaknesses for Paul McNeil's games. Let's start with the strength. I mean, it's obviously where we're going with the first one is shooting, right? I mean, specifically if you want to say three-point shooting, but he's just a good shooter in general. 97th percentile and true shooting percentage. I mean, you can just look at the raw stats, too, 43% from three on a super high volume. He was 93rd percentile in three-point attempt, right?

So he shoots a high volume, did it at a power five level, shot really efficiently. And maybe to me, like one of my favorite things in looking at this was he was almost like zone-proof. Like it didn't matter, you know, some guys that's like, hey, just make sure he doesn't shoot a three from the wings. or make sure he doesn't shoot a three from the right side or whatever. He's basically zone proof. His worst zone was 35% shooting on one of the corners, according to CBB shot charts. That was his worst zone was still an above average three-point shooter, right?

And he can really extend the range. You're talking 44 of 86. That is 51% on long threes, which are classified by CBB analytics as three is taken of 25 or more feet. So incredible range here too. He also shot very well at the free throw lines. This again is, you know, if he comes back to college basketball next year, one of the best shooters in college basketball. He's also a really clutch shooter as well.

He was 17 of 31 on threes. That's 55% when the shot clock was between zero to 10 seconds. And in general, all that makes him an off ball extraordinaire, right? He doesn't need the ball in his hands. He had a 99th percentile turnover rate. He was a 98th percentile in perimeter sniper play style. So like, this is the perfect player as a compliment. if you have players who need the ball in their hands that can play off of those, right?

But it also still doesn't stop him from if you need him to make shot off the dribble. He still can. He was in the 97th percentile for dribble jumpers. And then he's also an excellent transition score. I mean, you get out in transition, he gets an open three. He'll set and shoot that thing, 87th percentile in points per possession on transition. Now, where are some of the weaknesses here? He doesn't really handle the ball aton.

He doesn't really make plays for others. He doesn't pressure the rim. part of that you could just say is part of his role but those are not strengths of his game but I think you have to understand that if you you know you're not bringing in Paul McNeil to be a complete three level score and give you 18

points per game if you're bringing Paul McNeil in it's to continue to be a sniper from the outside he is mostly a one trip pony with the three point shooter shooting right he's not actually a great mid-range shooter either driver but again he is elite at that one trait which is the

three-point shooting which is what you should be bringing him in for. I also don't know that like, I think defense is clearly a weakness here for McNeil. He doesn't get steals. The team metrics aren't great. The scouting reports note for him not being a very good defender. I think the defense becomes a bit more of an issue with how almost Kansas would have to play him. And I'll explain that next of what the potential fit would be for McNeil because I would love to have this archetype of player, this incredible shooter. but I don't know that it works for Kansas unless you make some concessions with the lineup. So we'll get to next.

Again, don't forget, you can check out the everyday or club and get the ad-free version of the show at Lockedonjahawks.supercast.com. Okay, so McNeil is the type of player because he can play off ball and shoot three that technically can fit in with any team in the country. Why it becomes difficult a little bit more for Kansas is they already have two on-ball guards with Blyden and Kinney.

And I view McNeil Moore as a shooting guard at 6'5, 190, right? So, like, theoretically, you could play him at the three. You know, if you have Dawes and Reeves at the four and five or Dawes and Embia at the four and five, that's going to have enough rebounding and sob thanks. But if you're playing him at the three, it does put more pressure on him to be a better rebounder and to play a little bit more defense, right? And those are things that are not necessarily part of his game. So then you run into a situation of, okay, what happens if you land Tyron Stokes? Then it's like a no starter. And honestly, you land stokes you probably don't have the money to get mcneal as well anyway um but the the concession

you would i think have to make here if you're kansas is if you're adding a paul mcneal can you get a taylin kinney or leroy blyden to come off the bench and be your sixth man who's still giving you 20 25 minutes per game making an impact you know could you have kinney come off the bench and be your sixth man and that would solve the bench issue as well you know and then you have Blyden starting at the one, McNeil at the two, and that would be as good of a shooting backboard as KU has had in a while here. That would be really interesting to me, right? But if you're doing that, then who's your three? Because I just said, like, in this world, are you able to afford both Stokes and McNeil, you know?

So I don't know that this is the best fit for Kansas, but it's one of those because he is such a good three-point shooter that if Kansas does strike out on Tyron Stokes, there's a part of me that would just be like, just get whatever the best talented player you can get. Like I would have, you know, Duke Harris or Milan Momchilovich or some of these guys higher on the list because of the fit would be a little bit better than I would have with Paul McNeil. And in an ideal world, you would have enough money to be able to afford Paul McNeil and Tyrant Stokes and say, you know, let's just let the competition decide who, you know, who starts here and there. I don't know if that's plausible, but it just takes, you know, one donor who says, yeah, I'm in. on that vision too and here's the check to make it happen and McNeil becomes the perfect you know player to work with Stokes who has a good passing vision and game but we don't even know if Stokes will commit to KU right so that makes it a little more you know difficult to try to figure some of

this stuff out too but um i guess point being it's not the easiest fit but there is going to come a time if you don't land stokes or you're just going to have to take the best talent that you can get aboard and if you do land stokes do you just take again the best talent and just say hey let the competition figure itself out. So, yeah, I think kind of a complicated one here, but, you know, I love me some three-point shooting. Paul McNeil can certainly do that. All right, that'll do it for this episode of Lockdown, Jayhawks. You can find our show anywhere you get your podcast, including on a YouTube page we can like and subscribe. See you next time.