5 Players Heat fans should watch in the NCAA Tournament
By Wes Goldberg
3. Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas
A streaky shooter who fills in the gaps everywhere else, Kansas senior Kevin McCullar Jr. projects to be the kind of player who can slide into a role for a contender.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor compared McCullar to Nic Batum, Bruce Brown and Josh Hart, writing, “Think about how critical Josh Hart is to the Knicks’ defensive rotations and offensive connectivity. McCullar could potentially fill the same kind of role.”
McCullar is a streaky shooter who will need to stabilize his shot at the NBA level, but his 3-point percentage and free-throw percentage have trended up in his five collegiate seasons. At 23, McCullar will be even older than Jaime Jaquez Jr. when Jaquez was drafted, but his two-way impact is likely to make him a middle-of-the-first-round pick.
His high IQ, ability to make plays out of the pick-and-roll and defensive versatility would help connect many different Miami lineups. If he can improve his perimeter jumper, he could develop into a real difference-maker.