After one season of being basketball eligible at SMU, combo guard Darius McNeill has entered the NCAA transfer portal, Rivals.com has learned.
McNeill, who transferred to SMU from Cal, played in 12 games and started one this season and averaged 7.3 points and 2.6 rebounds. He had his best game, statistically, on Dec. 30, when he finished with 17 points and four rebounds in a win at Temple. McNeill also shot 39% from the 3-point line.
"Darius is a guy who can knock down shots. He can create for others, and at the same time, he's a great defender," SMU guard Emmanuel Bandoumel said of McNeill back in December. "On the ball, he'll do a lot of things. He'll get deflections and steals, and he can guard the ball. On both sides, he's a great addition for us."
McNeill has been on the SMU campus the last two seasons but was declared ineligible by the NCAA for the 2019-20 season. In April of 2019, McNeill announced that he would transfer from Cal to SMU to be closer to his mother, who was dealing with health issues. The NCAA still chose not to grant a waiver.
Whether McNeill will look to play closer to the Houston area -- his hometown -- is still to be determined.
--------------------------------------------------------------
