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Kansas basketball: Why we should expect more from Kevin … – Through the Phog
Sep 8, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks basketball player Kevin McCullar takes a photo with fans during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin McCullar is one of the best players in the Big 12, but fans should expect more from the Kansas basketball super senior during the 2023-24 season.
Hunter Dickinson transferring to the Kansas Jayhawks was one of the biggest storylines in college basketball this offseason, but head coach Bill Self would argue that Kevin McCullar withdrawing his name from the NBA Draft was even more meaningful for the likely preseason No. 1 team.
He had long been expected to keep his name in the draft pool up until the days he decided to return to school. The Hall of Famer constantly praised McCullar’s work ethic and gritty play style all of last season. He averaged 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2 steals in 2022-23 with a 44.4/29.6/76.1 slash line.
Although his numbers don’t pop off the stat sheet, McCullar does the things that don’t show up in the box score. He dives for loose balls, recoups his team when they are struggling, and plays lockdown on-ball defense against opposing players.
McCullar is capable of just about anything on the hardwood. What he does struggle with is his jump shot. He is a lifetime sub-.300% 3-point shooter across three years at Texas Tech and one at Kansas. Still, teams were interested in him as a defensive specialist wing.
Despite being projected as a mid-second-round pick, McCullar utilized his final year of collegiate eligibility. Why? He wanted to prove to scouts that he could improve his offensive game. And if that’s the reason he returned to school, Coach Self will definitely be looking to keep him more involved in his offensive sets.
READ: Top 5 remaining recruiting priorities for Jayhawks
During the Kansas basketball Puerto Rico trip, McCullar was much more aggressive with the ball in his hands. He averaged 13.6 points per game during the three-game set and had a much deeper bag offensively.
Self has told reporters that McCullar is the team’s best player. He even compared his progress to a pair of former Kansas basketball superstars.
“I think it’s the exact same thing that Ochai and J-Wil did. “I think they tested the waters and went and did all the NBA stuff and have a better feel for what it takes to play at a really high level,” Self proclaimed. “And they realize that in order to do that, some certain things have to change. And with Kevin, it was confidence and aggressiveness. With Ochai, it was confidence and aggressiveness, and with J-Wil it was confidence and aggressiveness. He’s just kind of in that same boat with those guys.”
I’m not telling Jayhawk fans to expect a 20-point-per-game season from the super senior. Defensive is his forte, and he’ll be asked to anchor that unit throughout the year. However, we should expect more from him during the 2023-24 season because he has a chip on his shoulders with NBA scouts and wants to prove he isn’t one-dimensional.
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