Basketball Operations Brief

He’s now in the midsts of a long, successful basketball career playing for multiple teams around the world. behind the scenes, though, brandon mccoy has been working his whole life for this. how did he do it and what is he doing today?

Gregory Spicer – profile – 12/1/25

Debater, boxer, student, smart, energetic – even a little crazy. Those were the words you’d probably use to describe a young Brandon McCoy. The Chicago West Side kid hadn’t even hit his growth spurt yet – normal for an average 12-year-old boy, but McCoy isn’t average.

Starting out as a boxer, he made it clear the athletic talent was there. He still remembers his three wins in elementary school: Citywide, Silver Gloves, and Junior Olympics.

Still, that wasn’t what he loved. McCoy loved basketball: A tough sport to dedicate yourself to for anyone not in the top few percentiles of height. That’s where McCoy got a little bit of love from the basketball gods.

Between his eighth-grade year at Frazier Elementary School and high school, McCoy grew 9 inches. Around that same time, there was a basketball coach on the other side of the country assembling a group of students to train at his prep school.

Shaun Manning, a San Diego-based coach also from Chicago, was recruiting young prodigies to bring to San Diego and train in basketball. That summary doesn’t really do Manning justice, though. The group of five recruits, including McCoy and future #1 overall draft pick Deandre Ayton, learned a lot more than just rebounding and post hooks.

“We brought five kids into our home, and we raised and schooled and assessed them,” explained Manning. “They all moved in with us.”

The move alone came with so much character building. How many eighth-graders would want to live in a new city on the other side of the country…. without their mom, no less?

That maturity, discipline, and flat-out boldness is part of what makes McCoy impressive. He was making life-altering decisions while other kids were waiting for a new Fortnite battle pass. That’s not to shame kids for being kids, but some people really are built different.

“I went to meet him, and he was very enthusiastic about coming. I met with his grandmother and mother and told them what our goals were. He was a very energetic kid and needed some discipline and structure.”

McCoy’s new training kickstarted an incredible high school basketball career in San Diego. The 6-foot-11 phenom won the State CIF Eastern League Championship in his freshman year at Morse High School. Following that success, he had to make another business decision.

After his sophomore year, McCoy left the school he had brought glory to and transferred to Cathedral Catholic High School. He had to prioritize his career and go somewhere with the budget to travel and play against other high-level teams. The risky transition away from Morse – a program that he had found so much success at – paid off by skyrocketing his recruiting status.

McCoy ended up as a five-star prospect at Cathedral and was ranked as high as number five in the Top 100 list. He even had the chance to return to Chicago and compete in the McDonald’s All-American Game at the United Center. He showed out, putting up 13 points, seven rebounds, four steals, and four blocks.

Behind the scenes of his rapidly growing status, there was still a Chicago kid being trained in all facets of life by Coach Manning. Consistent with his motivation for transferring high schools, McCoy played AAU ball in Los Angeles to continue competing at the highest level. Despite the distance from L.A. to San Diego, Manning insisted on teaching McCoy the value of sticking with his teammates.

“I was still having him drive to L.A. to get on the plane with his teammates [flying to tournaments for the weekend]. Then Sunday night you get back at 11 or 12 o’clock, but we would still fly back with them and then drive to San Diego.”

Throughout McCoy’s journey as an elite player, there’s a consistent trait: he’s more than just a hooper. His most impressive moments have nothing to do with his dominant stat lines or racked-up accolades; instead, it’s about the work behind the scenes and the character it built.

Here’s the first thing his old coach and guardian had to say about him:

“He’s gonna do special things after basketball.”

After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Brandon Mccoy Today

Ultimately, McCoys journey as an athlete has continued to reap fruitful rewards on and off the court. 

After high school, he committed to UNLV where he played one season. His time in Las Vegas may have been brief, but he made it count, cementing himself as one of the best to ever wear a Rebel jersey. He won Mountain West Freshmen of the year with a 16.9 / 10.3 split, 1.8 blocks, and 59% true shooting percentage. 

Following college, he was snubbed out of a selection in he 2018 draft. He played in short stints for multiple NBA teams including the Bucks and the Pelicans, where he practiced with fellow Chicago big-men Anthony Davis and Jahlil Okafor. 

Today, McCoy is traveling the world playing for a variety of professional teams in countries such Mexico, China, and various European cities. Still, he makes time for his home back in the U.S. 

In fact, McCoy had the chance to return to San Diego this week and reconnect with his community. He visited both of his former high schools to speak with students and spent time with his old teammates.

The highlight of the weekend came when he laced up for San Diego’s newest basketball team: the San Diego MOB. MOB, which stands for Mind on Basketball, is a professional team in the reincarnated American Basketball Association (ABA) and is general-managed by Manning himself. His old pupil, McCoy, played in the home opener, and per usual, the on-court presence spoke for itself.

McCoy led MOB to a staggering 100-point victory against the Arizona Fire: 171–71. He threw down multiple rim-rocking dunks, got to the free-throw line at will, and snagged every rebound in reach.

“I really want to be an anchor on defense, being able to hold my team down,” McCoy said. “I’m protecting the bank, but also being able to finish strong down in the hole as well as knock down open shots.”

That performance wasn’t the most important part of the night, though.

McCoy has great aspirations of playing overseas and dominating professional basketball, but that game was about representing San Diego and running it back with his old boys.

The stands were filled with people waiting to watch him play, and after the game, he stuck around to talk with anyone and everyone. He’s happy to discuss hoops, but his eyes really light up when he’s asked about his roots in Chicago and San Diego.

“Actually! I am from Chicago. The West Side!”

“San Diego is my home. The people here are great. They accept me with open arms. I have family, even property here.”

For that, Manning should always be proud. Brandon McCoy, the once-young man who took bold risks and worked his tail off is still holding onto the off-court values instilled in him throughout his upbringing.

“I really feel great about my training,  that no matter how long they play, they still love basketball because of the principles and morals I instill in the training, and the respect for the game.” – Shaun Manning