Four-star Justin McBride sees recruiting profile rise

MONTVERDE, Fla. -- A four-star prospect in the class of 2023, Justin McBride is sitting in three early scholarship offers. The Oak Hill High School star will see his options grow in the year ahead, but he doesn’t mind discussing how things stand at this early juncture. Below, McBride chats about his offers, his dream school and a program that could be close to making things official.

ON SCHOOLS STANDING OUT

"I really don’t have a favorite or anything. I like Arkansas, TCU and Kansas right now because they’ve offered. "

ON KANSAS

"I haven’t talked to coach Self much yet, but I always talk to the assistants. They love seeing me play. They just want me to keep talking to them, learning about Kansas and getting comfortable. It helps that I have a friend that goes there, Dajuan Harris. He likes it. I’ve known him since eighth grade or something."

ON ARKANSAS

“With Arkansas, I like the coach. I also have family down there. I have a bunch of family in Little Rock. I talk to pretty much all the coaches. I’d like to visit for sure when I can.”

ON TCU

"TCU was my first offer. They offered me, like, in eighth grade and have stayed with me. I actually really appreciate that. I like TCU and feel like the early offer helps us get close."

ON HIS DREAM OFFER

"I really like Michigan State. I like Coach [Tom] Izzo. That’s the big offer I want.”

ON LOUISVILLE

"Me and coach [Chris] Mack are cool. He talks to my dad a lot, too. There’s a lot of interest there but no offer. They really like and I like them. When me and Coach Mack talk … one thing I used to struggle with is moving without the ball. He wants me to keep working on that. I love the way they play, though. I love transition. I love getting out at running. I think I could be a good fit there."

RIVALS REACTION: McBride brings up Michigan State in every recruiting conversation and likes to tell a story about how he met Tom Izzo as a child. The Spartans are yet to make contact with the 2023 prospect, but it seems as though they hold the power to change his recruitment if they so choose. For now, however, it’s too early to name a frontrunner. Kansas seems to have piqued his interest most, but the picture of McBride’s recruitment won't truly begin to clear until he takes campus visits.