Wake Forest Athletics
McClinton Values Season on the Sidelines
2/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 13, 2014
By Emma Lingan, WakeForestSports.com
Though he has yet to play any minutes as a Demon Deacon, freshman Greg McClinton has become a familiar face on the Wake Forest sideline this season.
After tearing his ACL during a high school game in mid-January, McClinton spent the offseason in recovery and is continuing to rehab his knee as he redshirts his first season at Wake Forest.
"It's been a process," McClinton said. "It's been a little while, but I think it's been going good. I've been working on my shot with Randolph (Childress). As of late, I've been able to practice a lot more."
A supportive presence for his teammates on the bench, McClinton has yet to establish his role on the court. For head coach Jeff Bzdelik, the main priority is ensuring McClinton's full recovery, no matter how long it takes.
"He hasn't really been rushing me to get back," McClinton said. "He's just wanting me to go at my own pace, so we haven't really talked much about my role. He just told me to make sure I do what I'm supposed to do with my knee and with school."
"It was kind of an adjustment," McClinton said. "I had to get used to all the moving with tutors, class, weights and practice. It was hard getting used to all of that, but I got used to it. I was able to adjust fine."
McClinton has been taking advantage of the extra practice time, particularly the time he has been able to spend under the tutelage of two former Demon Deacons in assistant coaches Randolph Childress and Rusty LaRue.
"Those are two great guys," McClinton said. "Two great Demon Deacons from the past. Both of them played at the next level, so they know a lot of things that we don't know. I just try to get as much knowledge from them as I can."
McClinton chose Wake Forest over offers from several other major college programs, including Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, NC State, Virginia Tech and Xavier.
"I always liked Wake, and I played hard to get here," McClinton said. "I always kind of knew I was going to Wake Forest."
The Winston-Salem native comes from a long line of homegrown Demon Deacons, including Josh Howard, C.J. Harris, Chris Paul and L.D. Williams. Although he is anxious to continue their legacy on the court, McClinton believes he has gained valuable experience this season on the bench.
"I think it's been a pretty good year," McClinton said. "I've learned from it. I got to see a lot of things instead of just being thrown in like Miles (Overton). Miles had to play, but I got to watch and learn from the sideline."
McClinton says he will not forget the lessons he learned and the observations he made this season when he is eventually cleared to play. He has spent months watching his teammates, and he feels they are capable of anything.
"I've been able to see a lot of things that they wouldn't see because I've been watching from the sidelines," McClinton said. "We're as good as we want to be."
