My All-Time Favorite Players: 9th - Skylar McBee

When I think of Skylar McBee, I think of a great 3-point shooter. Whether I was in Thompson-Boling Arena for the game, or watching from home, it seemed as if every 3-point he put up had a chance of going in. As a Knoxville native, McBee attended Rutledge High School, which became Grainger High School and went on to play for the Vols from 2009-13. It brings back memories listening to Bert Bertelkamp yell, "Money!" after a McBee 3-point make.

McBee was a walk-on to start his Tennessee career, but his play was terrific early on. In an early-season game of his freshman season against ETSU, he was a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc, and later scored 12 points to go along with 3 steals against North Carolina A&T. My favorite moment of his incredible career was the 3-pointer he made late in the game against No. 1 Kansas. He played in 23 minutes of this game, scoring 6 points and this shot sent Thompson-Boling into a frenzy. On a Sunday afternoon, McBee launched a 3-pointer with a defender in his face and just seconds remaining on the shot clock, to give the Vols a 6-point cushion with about 30 seconds left in the game. This is a very memorable moment for Tennessee basketball fans. Skylar was the first Vol off the bench in 8 games and was an 89% free throw shooter on the year. Additionally, 80 of his 99 field goal attempts were from 3-point range. He averaged just 3.4 PPG in 13.1 minutes-per-game (MPG), but quickly became a fan favorite.

As a sophomore, his overall contribution did not increase much, but he still showed up in big moments. This was evident as he made an important 3-point shot in the second half of a win vs. No. 7 Villanova. McBee played well against Tennessee's in-state rivals. After an 8-point performance against Memphis, he recorded 10 points and 3 steals against Vanderbilt. In the SEC Tournament against Florida, he tied his season-high in scoring with 10 points, to go along with 2 steals and an assist. McBee's defense was effective, as he led the Vols in steals 7 times, while shooting 32.4% from 3-point range (22-68). This was his first season on scholarship and he averaged 3 PPG in 12.6 MPG.

In his junior campaign, his playing time increased dramatically, as he played in 22.4 MPG. Early in the season, he connected on 5-9 shots from 3-point range, finishing with 15 points in 30 minutes against ULM. His sharp shooting abilities continued from there, as he made 4 shots from downtown in a 12-point effort against the Citadel. Later, his 8 points helped Tennessee upset defending national champion, UConn. The first start of his career came on February 4, 2012, as he scored 10 points in the home matchup vs. Georgia. He scored his career-high of 18 points in the contest against South Carolina. Just 3 days later, he played in a career-high 38 minutes, while accumulating 13 points in the victory at No. 8 Florida. In the SEC Tournament game against Ole Miss, he nailed 5 shots from downtown, including the triple that he banked in with 2 seconds left, forcing overtime. Throughout his third year in Rocky Top, he knocked down at least 3 triples in 11 different games, while holding the team-best 3-point percentage of 39.1%. He started in the final 12 games of the season, which is remarkable considering that he started out as a walk-on. Additionally, Skylar led Tennessee in 3-pointers made and attempted, making 63 of 161 on the season.

As a senior, McBee got off to a great start, scoring a team-high 14 points in a season-opening victory over Kennesaw State. Later, he scored all 12 of his points against Presbyterian from beyond the arc. As Tennessee pounded No. 25 Kentucky by a score of 88-58, Skylar made all 3 of his 3-point attempts. Then, in a 4-overtime game against Texas A&M, he contributed 12 points, while draining 3 shots from downtown, including a clutch one in the fourth overtime to seal the win. He also grabbed a career-high 7 rebounds in this game. As the season came to a close, Skylar scored 9 points, all on 3-pointers, and corralled 5 rebounds in the SEC Tournament against Mississippi State. McBee ranked second on the team in 3-point percentage, at 32.7%. He averaged 5.5 PPG in 25 MPG. He saw action in all 33 games, including 16 starts, and was the first guy of the bench for the Vols 9 times, the most on the team. His defensive presence was great to see as well, as he ranked third on the team with 6 drawn charges on the year. He finished his career ranked ninth in school history for most career 3-pointers made, with 161.

One of the reasons that fans, including myself, enjoyed watching McBee play is that he was relatable. Growing up in Knoxville and walking on at UT, fans appreciated the road he took to play for his hometown team. He was a weapon from 3-point range, and it was evident early on in his career. Another reason I enjoyed watching McBee was his style. For the later part of his career, he had shaggy hair and a nice beard/mustache combo. Also, he wore number 13, which is my favorite number. It has solidified itself as my favorite number, since the media had picked the Vols to finish 13th in the SEC for the past 2 seasons. They finished ninth and tied-for-first in those years. Skylar will go down as one of the all-time great 3-point shooters to ever play at Tennessee, and just think, he began as a walk-on.