Kansas basketball: If Kevin McCullar returns, he can be a Wooden award candidate

Kevin McCullar is still contemplating the decision to go pro or stay in school, but if he returns for a super senior season, he could be one of the best players in recent Kansas basketball history.

Jalen Wilson and Gradey Dick will undoubtedly hear their names called on draft night in June. However, there is far less certainty regarding when or if any team will choose Kevin McCullar.

The senior transfer from Texas Tech flourished in his lone season as a Jayhawk. He averaged 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 44.4%. Additionally, McCullar was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year.

As an on-ball defender, McCullar is as polished as any other player in college basketball. You rarely will see a player get past him, but if they do, they might have their shot blocked. He also has some of the most active hands in the Big 12. His high motor and drive to win are something any head coach would love to have.

If one aspect of McCullar’s game is lacking, it is on the offensive end. He is not a bad offensive player, scoring double-digits in three of his four collegiate seasons. Still, he is very inefficient and takes an unnecessary amount of outside shots. His three-point percentage was 25.5% in 18 games of conference play.

Sure, McCullar is terrific defensively. An NBA team could take a flier on him as a project. But he has very little to offer in the pros until he can learn to become more versatile offensively.

With such a narrow skill set, McCullar would greatly benefit from staying another season at Kansas. He still has plenty of room to grow as a player and leader.

Fans witnessed Jalen Wilson’s tremendous jump from his time with the national championship-winning team compared to how he performed this season. He went from being a mediocre offensive player to averaging 20+ points on a Bill Self squad. Similar growth could be seen in McCullar next season if he returned as a super senior.

Not to say that McCullar will become a similar player to Wilson, but another year at KU will easily make him more of an offensive threat. He could be in contention for Big 12 Player of the Year and several other national recognitions.

Even Self voiced his opinion on whether McCullar should stay or not in KU’s award banquet. All Kansas fans and the coaching staff want him back for one last ride. He has to make an extremely difficult choice in the next month — enter the draft with hopes to sign a rookie contract or become a bona fide prospect under the greatest coach in the sport.