Queens Basketball Star AJ McKee Named Preseason All-Conference

Queens University of Charlotte men’s basketball star AJ McKee was named an ASUN Preseason All-Conference honoree, as officially released by the league on Monday afternoon. The junior guard is coming off a sophomore campaign in which he was named Third Team All-Conference.
 
“AJ is primed for a big-time season after he blossomed last year in conference play,” said Royals head coach Grant Leonard.
 
Last season, McKee started all 33 games for the Royals and finished second on the team in scoring. The Charlotte native averaged 15.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 43 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent from behind the arc. The scoring mark was good for a top 10 ranking in the ASUN as he reached double figures in 31-of-33 games, including 27 straight at one point in the season.
 
Against North Florida, McKee poured in a season-high 28 points on a 7-for-13 mark from the field. A key trait in McKee’s game has been attacking the rim and getting to the free-throw line. In his first Division 1 season, McKee led the conference in free throws made with 136 as he averaged 5.3 attempts per game.
 
The Royals are gearing up for their second Division 1 season. Last year, the Royals posted an 18-15 overall record and a 7-11 mark in league play. Queens reached the quarterfinals of the ASUN Tournament before falling 67-66 at top-seeded Kennesaw State. The 2023-24 non-conference slate presents a unique challenge as the Royals will face off against rivals from the ACC, Sun Belt, Missouri Valley, Big South, Colonial, MAAC, and NEC.
 
The Royals’ success came from a significant number of players who will be returning. Prior to going down with a season-ending injury, Gavin Rains led the league in rebounds bringing down 10.2 boards per game. BJ McLaurin, Kalib Mathews, and Chris Ashby are also key returners for the Royals as the trio averaged 23.2 minutes, 8.3 points, and 2.9 rebounds per game.