Kevin McCullar Jr. Faces New Challenges in Summer League

Las Vegas – For Kevin McCullar Jr., this summer league represents a fresh start, almost like a true rookie season. Sure, he was drafted in 2024 and managed to play four games with the Knicks last season, but knee problems really sidelined him.

He didn’t partake in training camps or the Vegas games for most of the past year. “This is really my real rookie season,” McCulla mentioned on Sunday after scoring 30 points in a 94-81 defeat against the Celtics. “Last year was just a warm-up for me. I genuinely love playing and missed it for a long while.”

During the game, McCulla showcased his abilities, leading the team despite an overall lackluster performance from the Knicks.

After suffering a hit in Friday’s game and wearing a protective mask, the No. 56 pick played 28 minutes and managed to shoot 15-10. While the standards might not have been sky-high, his aggressive play stood out among New York’s players, though it did lead to a few issues—eight fouls (with a summer league limit of ten) and six turnovers.

“Kevin had a solid game,” said Jordan Brink, the Knicks’ Summer League coach. “We need to be more careful with the ball. That’s part of his development as a primary ball handler. And let’s not forget, he was wearing a mask after taking a hit.”

The Knicks still consider McCullar an enigma, particularly since he was expected to go in the first round before his knee issues pushed him to a later pick in the draft.

His injury wasn’t publicly detailed, but it clearly worsened during his final college season at Kansas, which kept him from making significant contributions to the Knicks last year. By the time he returned in March, it was too late for any impactful plays.

Now, having signed a two-way contract, he’s back on the court for this summer league, eyeing available roster spots. The Knicks currently have at least two positions open along with three two-way contracts, which is promising for him.

“It was tough to be sidelined,” McCullar reflected. “But I feel good now.”

He may not take as much time to develop as other Knicks rookies, given that he’s already 24 years old, having spent an extra year with the Jayhawks. Although he was once on the path to national recognition, his knee injury shifted those aspirations.

In college, he averaged 18.3 points over 26 games. Physically, he has a solid build at 6 feet-6 and can defend well. However, his three-point shooting has been inconsistent, showing only limited improvement in the G League last season, where he hit just 22.2% of his shots beyond the arc.

On Sunday, he played confidently and efficiently, but still struggled from the three-point line. He did show potential in ball handling, but it wasn’t without its challenges—he recorded only 13 points on 11 shots with four turnovers in 29 minutes, even while sharing the court with point guard Tyler Collect.

“We’re looking to vary the plays a bit, trying to relieve Tyler from some ball pressure,” Brink explained. “We still have some work to do in terms of spacing. Part of Kevin’s summer league experience is about seeing how he handles being the primary ball handler.”

In his initial game against the Pistons, McCullar scored 13 points but shot just five times successfully out of 14, with a disappointing 1-5 from the three-point range. Yet, when he played against the Celtics on Sunday, he was the sole bright spark in an otherwise gloomy summer league outing.

Unfortunately, injuries hit the Knicks hard that day. Pacom Dadiette, their first-round pick from 2024, left the game with pain in his left foot after scoring seven points in 19 minutes. Meanwhile, James Nnaji, the 31st overall pick from 2023, was taken out early due to hip tightness, managing only two points in his brief nine minutes on the court.