Tanner McGrew Talks TBT, Best Virginia With Media

Honorary Mountaineer Tanner McGrew talks with the media about The Basketball Tournament and joining Best Virginia.

West Virginia Wesleyan alum, Tanner McGrew, spoke to members of the media Wednesday after it was announced that he would be joining Best Virginia in The Basketball Tournament this summer.

When he got the opportunity to play with some of his Best Virginia teammates, McGrew found it hard for him to look at the rest of his team as peers because he grew up watching many of them play.

"Growing up, I watched Kevin [Jones] play, I watch Da'Sean [Butler] play," McGrew said. "We idolized these guys. They were the professionals... So whenever I first got the opportunities [to play with some of his Best Virginia teammates], it was kind of hard for me to see myself as their equal."

McGrew sees his role on Best Virginia to be a high post big man with a facilitating role, comparative to Marc Gasol when he played in Memphis.

"I'm more of a skilled big," McGrew said. "They're not going to throw me the ball in the post and say, 'Go score.' That's not the intention as far as I know. Which is great with me."

McGrew has never competed in the Elam Ending, one of The Tournament's staples, He finds that the game loses structure due to the Ending and hopes Best Virginia can keep their structured gameplay into the Elam Ending.

"Once [the clock shuts off] and you're playing the Elam Ending things kind of get a little out of control," McGrew said. "It's more just like guys think, 'Oh, we gotta score, we gotta score!' We [Best Virginia] should be very intentional about just continuing the things that got us the lead [and] don't change the style [because of the Elam Ending]."

McGrew is excited to play in front of WVU fans at the Charleston Civic Center, crossing an item off his bucket list.

"Of course, I'm excited about playing [at the Charleston Civic Center], especially in front of WVU fans," McGrew said. "That's the big bucket list thing... The commitment that [WVU fans] have to sports is obviously amazing. I'm really excited to hopefully just feel a little bit of that love and be able to kind of reciprocate that back to them and let them feel that I am putting out the effort for something they care so deeply about." 

McGrew and Best Virginia will be playing at the Charleston Civic Center at The Basketball Tournament's West Virginia Region July 24-27. Tickets are on sale now.