Former Kansas basketball guard Kevin McCullar talks about knee injury ahead of draft

Kevin McCullar surprised Kansas basketball fans when he withdrew his name from the NBA Draft pool last year to return to the Jayhawks for another season. He took a massive leap as a super-senior, leading the Big 12 in scoring with 18.3 points per game and earning All-Big 12 First Team honors. His strong performances have him projected to go in the late first-round of the draft next month.

While McCullar was effective when he took the floor for Kansas, he dealt with a bone bruise for the final few months of the season. The former Texas Tech guard missed eight contests, including the entirety of the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments. Since he missed the final stages of the 2023-24 campaign, some scouts have been skeptical about how he will return. He talked about his injury to reporters during the third day of the NBA Draft Combine yesterday. 

Kevin McCullar opens up about injury he sustained during Kansas basketball season

"It’s been a long journey. Nothing is promised. Just got to keep grinding and keep working... I got a knee scope and everything structurally is good. But yeah, I am going through the process now."

- Kevin McCullar

Due to his knee ailment, the 6-foot-5 guard is not partaking in drills or scrimmages at the combine. However, his measurements were taken and he is actively speaking with teams. The late first-round or early second-round grades still stand for him, even with his questionable injury.

After it was announced that he would miss March Madness, McCullar took to social media a public statement regarding his status. He told Jayhawk fans he would have loved to compete and battle with his team, but his body would not let him despite countless hours of rehab. The ending to his KU career was very unfortunate, and some speculated that he did it to preserve his draft stock.

While speaking to teams, McCullar also compared his game to other NBA talents. He said his comparison would be Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Oklahoma City Thunder wing Jalen Williams. McCullar is a defensive-oriented hustle player who makes hustle plays to help his team win.

From his comments, it appears that McCullar should be good to go by the next NBA season. His injury should not plummet his draft position if he is close to making it back to the court.