Overview
McCullar being unavailable for Kansas during the NCAA Tournament last month was one of the biggest storylines of March Madness. And rightfully so, as McCullar was a 2024 1st-Team All-Big 12 inclusion, coming off Big 12 All-Defensive Team honors in 2023, who proceeded to revolutionize his offensive game in his fifth collegiate season. The 23-year-old spent his first four collegiate campaigns at Texas Tech, including a redshirt freshman season to rehab a fractured tibia which he suffered in high school. A native of San Antonio, McCullar’s father was a linebacker at Texas Tech.
Analysis
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.
Projection
McCullar has a lengthy track record of next-level intrigue, as he was a participant at the G League Elite Camp in 2022 as well as the 2023 and 2024 NBA Combines. As a 6-foot-7 wing who will chip in on the glass, force turnovers, turn defense to offense in transition and help orchestrate in the halfcourt, McCullar has one of the higher floors among 2024 NBA Draft prospects. Defense is McCullar’s true calling card, with Kansas earning a 98.2 defensive rating during his time on the court this season (94th percentile nationwide). McCullar defends with physicality at multiple levels and a two-way style similar to Bruce Brown and Terance Mann.
— Profile by RotoWire