The Phoenix Suns have selected Kevin McCullar Jr. with the No. 56 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but will be traded to the New York Knicks. McCullar spent the first four seasons of his career at Texas Tech before transferring to Kansas ahead of the 2022-23 season.
In the 2023-24 season, McCullar averaged a conference-high 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. Due to injury, McCullar missed eight of Kansas’ final 14 games of the season, including all three postseason contests.
For his efforts, he was named a 2024 All-America Honorable Mention and All-Big 12 First Team selection. Additionally, McCullar was a finalist for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award and semifinalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.
In the 2022-23 season—his first with the Jayhawks—McCullar was a member of the Big 12 All Defensive Team and All-Big 12 Third Team. In four years at Texas Tech, McCullar amassed 78 appearances and 49 starts. He redshirted during his true freshman season with the program.
McCullar played high school basketball at Converse Wagner High School (TX), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 145 overall recruit in the 2019 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
What NBA Draft experts are saying about Kevin McCullar Jr.
With six years of collegiate experience under his belt, McCullar boasts NBA size. However, On3’s James Fletcher isn’t convinced the Kansas standout will instantly find success at the next level.
“Kevin McCullar took a leap on offense this season, averaging 18.3 points for Kansas with a history as a Big 12 All-Defensive team selection,” Fletcher III wrote. “However, his 3-point percentage remains below an efficient mark and an injury history which has limited his game time across multiple seasons.”
Fletcher III wasn’t alone in his hesitancy. RotoWire also voiced its concerns about McCullar’s NBA potential.
“McCullar faded down the stretch, and while he was eventually forced to miss sporadic time due to a knee bruise from the end of January onward, knocking down just 27.9% of 4.9 3s per game across his final 14 contests was a slump that began before his injury. He still finished with a career-best 33.3% clip from deep overall, pairing his newfound shooting with quality cutting and remarkable transition efficiency to round out his offensive profile.
“His on-ball creation fared worse as McCullar’s 112 pick-and-roll possessions as a scorer or passer generated lowly marks of 43.4% true shooting and a 19.6 percent turnover rate. That being said, turnovers generally aren’t an issue for McCullar, who was very connective on offense with a career-high 4.1 assists per game and a 1.63 assist-to-turnover ratio.”
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