Season in Review: Leslie McDonald

I believe when Leslie McDonald was first recruited, he was touted as Jackie Manuel with a jump shot. I can’t say that he was Manuel with a shot all the time. In fact, I would say he had more of a shot than he had of Jackie Manuel. If McDonald was a defensive threat, I didn’t see it, but perhaps it would be more evident with more playing time. With Marcus Ginyard as the primary defensive stopper, McDonald was unable to see the floor much.

What I didn’t like:
1. Defense. I just didn’t see it and maybe it will be better as he matures as a player and gets some more time. He didn’t play a lot, so it’s hard to get in a grove and rhythm, but if he comes off the bench, he has to be able to come in and give all his energy because he doesn’t get a lot of playing time, so he has to give it all.

What I liked:
1. Contributions. When McDonald did play, he would actually be an offensive threat from my perspective. He would typically be good for a few buckets if he got over 10 minutes and even had a few games where he cracked double digits.

I like McDonald and think he will do well with more experience. I consider him a good option off the bench, even though his shooting percentages need to improve. I hope the defensive does become more evident, because we all know what opposing guards tend to do against UNC.