Now back to form, McDermott drawing interest
"I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy," he said.
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But now that the shooting guard from Pendleton Heights has endured through the illness and most of its aftermath, his basketball recovery seems all but complete.
"It's hard to say where he'd be if he didn't lose two months, but the good news is he's back to where he needs to be," said Jim Reamer, McDermott's summer coach with UA Grind's Class of 2015 team.
Physically, the illness cost McDermott in the vicinity of 15 pounds. Might not sound like all that much, but when you consider McDermott's long, narrow frame to begin with, it was not like nearly 10 percent of his body weight was being drawn from a surplus.
The good news, though, is that while McDermott lost weight, he gained elsewhere, growing nearly two inches to a legitimate 6-foot-6.
"Being sick, I lost a lot of weight, probably about 13 pounds, but I've put it all back on and probably five extra," McDermott said. "I'm getting the strength back and growing's been helping too."
Physically, McDermott seems back. His level of play is, too.
"I'm probably just now getting back to (where I was)," he said. "I thought I was playing pretty well before the season started, before I got sick, and I think this (now) is about what I was playing like before I got sick. My whole high school season, I was just trying to catch up again."
McDermott was disappointed his junior season, though he was awarded a spot on the Indiana junior all-star team regardless. Of course, his season can easily be explained off and the college recruiters who were interested before obviously give him the benefit of the doubt, considering the circumstances.
But this spring, McDermott's played well, "dominant" on offense, as Reamer put it. The guard has always been a potent three-point shooter, but has regained the form this spring of a player that's more than just a shooter.
That return to form has brought with it renewed interest from Purdue, Indiana, Butler, Nebraska and Clemson, McDermott said.
Indiana State, Illinois State and UNC-Greensboro have offered.
McDermott again has the look again of a high-major college prospect.
Purdue is among those watching closely. He'll be in West Lafayette Monday for an unofficial visit.
"They said they want me to come meet with all the coaches," McDermott said. "Their interest seems to be picking up over time, so we'll see."
McDermott has long been recruited by Purdue in one form or another and has some connections to the school. For one thing, his uncle, Linc Darner, played for the Boilermakers.
"It's a big-time school that offers a lot, strong basketball and good education," McDermott said. "I really like the coaches and they seem to like me. We'll see what happens when I go up there."
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