McKines just scratching surface

MANILA, Philippines - There’s no doubt that Alaska import Wendell McKines is an immovable force inside the paint but what’s scary is he still hasn’t unravelled his outside game in the PBA Governors Cup. McKines, 25, gets a chance to show his complete arsenal against Barangay Ginebra at the Mall of Asia Arena tonight.

In two games with Alaska so far, McKines is hitting .564 from the field. He has taken only one attempt from beyond the arc and missed. McKines measured 6-4 1/4 in the PBA’s official sizing but plays taller than his ceiling. Neither Globalport’s Markeith Cummings nor Rain Or Shine’s Arizona Reid could stop McKines from powering his way inside to score in the Aces’ first two outings. In his last three years playing for New Mexico State, McKines shot .370 from three-point distance. He hit .352 from the same range with Rouen in the French league before moving to the PBA. So the numbers indicate McKines is no slouch from the perimeter, too.

McKines will face Ginebra’s Dio Lowhorn in a matchup of wide-bodied interior operators. It’ll be a collision course because both imports play a similar style. They like to post up, battle for offensive rebounds, score on put-backs and use their width to establish position under the boards. If McKines finds his outside range, he’ll draw Lowhorn out of the box, leaving the locals to decide control of the glass.

McKines admitted he was nervous in his PBA debut against Globalport. He shot only 4-of-10 free throws but delivered 28 points on 12-of-19 field goals, 13 rebounds including nine offensive, two assists and a steal in 37 minutes. McKines had only one turnover. Alaska, however, lost, 91-88. In his second assignment, McKines compiled 30 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals as the Aces downed Rain Or Shine, 94-79, last Wednesday. For McKines, winning on a Wednesday is nothing new. His nickname is Wens and he has a clothing line called “Wensday.” “Every day is Wens-day to me,” he chuckled.

McKines is in town with his wife Sabel and their 1-year-old daughter Kendell. When McKines played in France, he also brought them along and they lived in a two-bedroom apartment.

When Alaska vacationed in Los Angeles as a reward for capturing the Commissioner’s Cup trophy, team owner Fred Uytengsu invited McKines to join. McKines promised Uytengsu he would take care of business in the PBA. He said it was a memorable bonding experience with former import Rob Dozier and the rest of the Aces. McKines said he enjoys playing with his teammates, particularly Jvee Casio whom he calls the “silent assassin” and Calvin Abueva whom, he says, plays like the Beast that he is.

The PBA is only the second overseas league he’s playing in. “In France, players are bigger but they’re laid-back, the big guys shoot three-pointers,” McKines said. “It’s not like in the PBA where the game is really physical. I like the physical game.” For sure, McKines is built for it. He weighs a hefty 240 pounds and his physique looks like a replica of Mike Tyson’s at his peak.

McKines, who earned an Individualized Studies degree with management and marketing minors, played four seasons at New Mexico State but stayed five years on campus as he redshirted in 2010-11 after breaking a bone in his left foot at practice. McKines came back from surgery to average 18.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in his senior year. He ranked No. 8 in the US NCAA in rebounding and collected 20 double-doubles. In 126 career varsity games, he posted 47 double-doubles.

McKines finished his New Mexico State career No. 2 in rebounding and No. 8 in scoring in the all-time ladder. He’s in the list of distinguished New Mexico State basketball legends with former Chicago Bulls guard Randy Brown, former PBA import Steve Colter, Sam Lacey, John Williamson and Reggie Jordan. In his last two playing years, the Aggies varsity registered a combined 48-22 record under coach Marvin Menzies.

McKines said he owes his growth as a player to Menzies. “I was fresh out of Richmond (high school) and raw, he let me learn from my mistakes and become a man,” said McKines quoted by Kevin McCarthy. “He helped me a lot as a person. I’m more balanced with more finesse and I’m a lot more fluid with my shot. I can make more moves on the court. I take life really seriously. Every breath, every day is a blessing. I really focus on being positive because a lot of kids in my community grow up not really cherishing life.”

Known as an outspoken and personable student athlete, McKines had his share of misdemeanors in school. He sat out 10 games due to academic issues and was once arrested for vandalizing a traffic sign. Before a game against Utah State, McKines boasted that the only way New Mexico State would lose is if he’s carried out on a stretcher. Utah State won by 18 and McKines walked off the court.

In the French league, McKines scored in double figures in 30 of 34 games. Against Evreux, he shot 32 points in 32 minutes, knocking down 6-of-7 triples, 6-of-8 free throws and 4-of-8 two-pointers. He was twice named MVP of the month in the French B league.

Asked by Ed Isaacson about his strengths and weaknesses, he said, “Rebounding is the biggest (strength), I bring a lot of toughness and energy to the court … consistency, especially in my jumper, is the biggest (part of his game to improve on), being more comfortable with the ball when I make moves to the basket and improving my lateral quickness are other key areas.”