CINCINNATI — Former Walnut Hills High School basketball star power forward Tyler McKinley announced Thursday he has given a verbal commitment to the University of Cincinnati.
The 6-foot-9 1/2 McKinley, a four-star player by 247 Sports, is rated among the nation's top players in the 2024 class. McKinley verbally committed to the UC staff before making the public announcement Thursday.
"It was just the relationship that we built," McKinley said. "I was the first visit on campus. I was always considered a priority. But, over time it was bigger than basketball. Me and coach (Wes) Miller and all the assistant coaches - we were just had a family bond. It felt like it was only right to go there."
McKinley said he committed to UC through a FaceTime call with UC coach Wes Miller and assistant coach Andre Morgan.
"(Miller) was excited," McKinley said. "He was screaming. It was a good feeling."
McKinley played for Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) this past season and helped the Lions win the GEICO Nationals title in Fort Myers, Fla. McKinley scored 17 points and had six rebounds in the championship game.
McKinley is expected to complete his senior season at Link Academy, sign with UC in November and then enroll in 2024.
His verbal commitment to the Bearcats continues the significant recruiting momentum for the UC men's basketball program among local high school star players. Freshman Rayvon Griffith, a former Taft High School star, signed with the Bearcats this past November.
McKinley had more than a dozen scholarship offers throughout the recruiting process including Xavier, Ohio State, Kansas State, South Carolina, West Virginia, Dayton, Tennessee, Ohio University, Miami University, Pittsburgh, Penn State and Virginia Tech.
His finalists included UC, Ohio State, Xavier, Virginia Tech, Michigan State, Alabama and Tennessee, according to 247 Sports.
"I would say for UC fans they're getting a hard-working kid, very versatile — he can score on all three levels," said Link Academy assistant coach Alex McGlothin, McKinley's brother. "He wants to make his team better."
McKinley was rated Ohio's No. 1 player in the 2024 class when he decided to transfer to Link Academy in mid-August 2022.
McKinley was star player for two seasons at Walnut Hills. He averaged 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks as the Eastern Cincinnati Conference player of the year during the 2021-22 season. He was a Division I honorable mention all-state selection, too.
After winning a national championship in April, it was continued to be a busy spring for McKinley. In addition to his UC verbal commitment, McKinley is among 35 athletes expected to participate in the 2023 USA U19 Men’s National Team Training Camp at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The camp begins Sunday.
The 12-member team is scheduled to be announced before the U.S. squad departs for the 2023 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup, scheduled for June 24-July 2 in Debrecen, Hungary.
The United States will square off with Lebanon, Madagascar and Slovenia in pool play.
Ten athletes invited to the USA Basketball camp recently concluded their college freshman years. Jonas Hayes (Georgia State University), Kevin Kruger (UNLV), T.J. Otzelberger (Iowa State University) and Micah Shrewsberry (Notre Dame) are among the court coaches during training camp.
McKinley has also been invited to the NBPA Top 100 camp June 26 in Orlando.
