Yahoo Sports Kevin McCullar: NBA draft scouting report and intel
2001 | 6’7 | 6’9 WS | 212 LBS
Team: Kansas
Best aggregate mock draft rank: 7 / Worst rank: 35
2023-24 stats:
In 2023-24, McCullar Jr. averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.4 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 45.4 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three, and 80.5 percent from the foul line.
Strengths:
* Dominant defensive player, among the best in the nation
* Great length at the wing position, plays with toughness
* Solid offensive skills, particularly effective inside the arc
* Improved perimeter shooting, showing signs of progress
* High basketball IQ, savvy off-ball movement and positioning
* Excellent rebounder for his size, contributes to second-chance opportunities
* Improved playmaking ability, good passer for a wing
* Versatile defender capable of guarding multiple positions
* Exceptional defensive instincts, anticipates passes and disrupts opponents
* Can block shots and serve as a weak-side rim protector
Weaknesses:
* Not the most athletic player, may not have much room for further development
* Offensive game may not translate well to the NBA beyond being a 3-and-D player
* Recent struggles with shooting efficiency, possibly due to injuries
* Limited shot creation ability, primarily effective as a role player in the NBA
Scotto's Draft Notes:
“McCullar has been hurt quite a bit,” a longtime NBA executive noted. “That’s going to weigh on his draft status when people start looking at his physical. He’s shooting better now than he was two years ago, but in the NBA, he’ll have to step out another few feet. Is he going to be able to adjust to that and knock down shots at a mid 30s or high 30s percentage?”
“I don’t think he’s any better than McCullar was last year,” another NBA executive told HoopsHype. “I just don’t think there are a lot of names to put ahead of him. Some may fall in love with his wing size and look more at his recent shooting percentage. That was the one thing that was missing from his game. The stroke, however, still doesn’t look great. It’s better than what it was. I think he’s an instinctual player on both ends and versatile. You can play him between the two and three in the NBA. I don’t think he has a ton of upside.”
Excerpts from HoopsHype’s Aggregate Mock Draft from colleague Michael Scotto, who contributed research to this story, can be found here.
