I think he is. They want him to rebound and play defense.
The highlights make McLeod look like a viable guy to cut the the basket and finish other guys drives, get offensive rebounds for dunks and run to the basket on the pick and roll or screen and roll. He dunks everything he can, no wimpy layups that rim or for him. He also is a favorite receiving the alley opp and his teammates really trust him to go get it. He also seemed to get behind the defense in transition, so maybe he's sneaky fast. Edwards watching McLeod dunk in transition was a feature in his highlight tape.
McLeod seems sure handed enough to pull in his fair share of rebounds, even blocking out effectively at one point. He averaged 8 boards per 40 in conference play, so he's not yet dominant, although he could be eventually with his size.
And he is an adept shot blocker (over 10% blocks). He only played 11 minutes a game, but McLeod's per 40 numbers in conference play were respectable. Impressive to me is that he didn't foul much, getting 3.4 fouls and 3.2 blocks per 40 minutes.
His endurance seemed to be lacking, where one poster said he only could really only go 8 minutes before pooping out. Having a solid rotation at center with three or four very tall men available could help McLeod stay fresh and effective.
If the staff likes him, we can only trust them at this point. A rotation of McLeod, Hima, and Brown at the 4-5 seems like it could be effective.
This team could be very good if Mintz comes back, and would be very unproven if he doesn't. So much rides on one player's decision, unlike most years.
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