Kevin McCullar could benefit by returning to Kansas basketball for his super senior season, but it could also hinder his options in the future.
Kevin McCullar was the heart and soul of the 2022-23 Kansas Jayhawks team. He was one of the best defenders in the nation and won KU several games with his gritty hustle plays in crunch time.
It would be a blessing for Kansas fans if McCullar returned to the university for one more year. However, doing so could damage his standing as an NBA Draft prospect. He is currently participating in the Draft Combine in hopes of making an impression on scouts.
There are several justifications you could argue as to why McCullar should or should not come back to KU in 2023-24, so we explored what another year under Bill Self might do for him.
These are three advantages and disadvantages for Kevin McCullar if he returns to Kansas basketball.
Advantage No. 1: His offense will improve considerably, an area he currently lacks in.
While heading to the NBA would also improve his offense, NBA scouts are not looking for project players in the late rounds. Unless you are a 7-footer who handles the ball like a point guard, organizations will not want to develop someone like McCullar, who is 6-foot-5 and not very athletic.
Another year under Bill Self would supply McCullar with a more refined offensive game. He shot 29.6 percent from three-point range this past season on 2.9 attempts per game, including a 23.4 percent clip in his final 20 games. His jump shot is one area of McCullar’s offense that is well below average.
No one expects him to become a 20-point-per-game scorer at the college level. However, his inefficient shooting percentage, while averaging just over 10 points, is not ideal for an NBA Draft prospect. Staying at Kansas would patch up some of his rough spots in the half-court.
Advantage No. 2: He might be drafted with a higher pick next season rather than a late second-round pick or an undrafted free agent.
Most mock drafts have McCullar being selected between picks 50 to 60 or not at all. Unlike teammates Gradey Dick and Jalen Wilson, he might have to sweat out until the final hour to hear his name called by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the podium.
Returning to Kansas and showing significant improvements could make him a sure-fire NBA Draft selection. While there are underdog stories where undrafted players become respectable role players in the league, it is probably best for McCullar not to go down that route. He will have to climb his way up from the bottom if he does so.
Scouts at the Draft Combine will be telling him the general vicinity that a team will select him. If they cannot guarantee him a rookie contract, McCullar is better off returning to Kansas and working his way up to an early second-round draft pick in 2024.
Advantage No. 3: McCullar might receive more money at Kansas than he would as a rookie in the NBA.
We don’t know the exact numbers that Kansas offered Hunter Dickinson via NIL benefits, but there were murmurs that he was promised around seven figures for this upcoming season. One thing is clear — the university can offer a ludicrous amount of funds to student-athletes.
There is a chance that Adidas would offer McCullar more money as a KU athlete than he would receive in the NBA, especially if he becomes a star-caliber player. If he were to keep his name in the NBA Draft pool and be selected in the late second round, McCullar would likely sign a two-way contract. (Note: Players on a two-way contract receive a flat salary of $449,155 per season).
Unlike several years ago, college basketball players can make money off their name in school. So while McCullar might receive a tad bit more money from the NBA, he is also taking a massive gamble on himself. It might be a wise financial decision to stay at KU for the meantime and collect all the NIL benefits he can.
Disadvantage No. 1: He will turn 24 at the conclusion of his first NBA season.
We are in a day and age where athletes can come out of high school, skip college, train for the NBA Draft for a year, and become lottery picks at 18 years old. If McCullar were to stay at Kansas another year, before his first professional season even ends, he will be 24. For reference, Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is just 23.
He is not the most appealing draft prospect to begin with, and time is precious in the league. Organizations are not going to put time and effort into a player at his age if he does not immediately perform.
Disadvantage No. 2: If he does not improve his offensive game enough, his draft stock will stagnate or even diminish.
McCullar was disappointed after KU’s season ended against Arkansas in March Madness. But if he returns to Kansas, his primary reasoning will be to improve his draft stock by improving his game. If he does not improve or, even worse, gets injured, he is putting his NBA career in jeopardy.
While he has the potential to be one of the best players in the Big 12, there is also a chance he stays the same player as last season. In this case, he will have wasted a year that could have been spent professionally, and a year of his career will have been wasted.
His jump shot is what needs to be improved the most offensively, but if scouts think they can fix that issue in the pros, we likely will not see McCullar back for another season.
Disadvantage No. 3: He will have to wait another year to fulfill his lifelong dream.
This goes for any draft prospect contemplating the decision to go pro or stay in school. No matter how much you might love playing college ball, these guys have had one dream their entire lives — to play in the NBA.
The opportunity to be drafted might not be possible for McCullar next season. Nobody can fault him if he wants to risk going undrafted to play the sport he loves in the greatest league in the world. Ultimately, he needs to make the decision that is best for him.
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