NCAA champion in 2022 before achieving a new high quality campaign last season, despite a premature elimination in the second round of the “March Madness” against Arkansas, the program of Kansas will once again be among the heavyweights of the college championship next season. For this, the Jayhawks signed a very high level off-season, punctuated in particular by the commitment of pivot Hunter Dickinson, but also by a precious return, that of Kevin McCullar Jr..
At the center of this revamped but still ambitious team, the 22-year-old winger, who arrived on the Lawrence campus last summer from Texas Tech, will indeed look like a veteran, as he will play his fifth and last season on the boards of the NCAA.
“Role player” valuable last season, by his defensive qualities and his “all-around” profile in attack (10.7 points, 7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2 steals), the native of San Antonio now has free rein to impose as the boss on the rotations of the outside positions, after the departures to the Draft of Gradey Dick (Raptors, 13th choice) and Jalen Wilson (Nets, 51st choice).
” The player who has improved the most, without hesitation, is Kevin McCullar. He is our ‘MIP’ at the moment, and even our best player », assures in any case Bill Self, whose Jayhawks will play friendlies against the Bahamas of Buddy Hield and Deandre Ayton soon. ” It might be different later, at another time. But so far he is our most consistent player. »
The (final) season of maturity
A late rise to power, one year from the big leap to the Draft, which inevitably recalls that of the last two star wingers from Kansas…
” It’s exactly the same path as with Ochai [Agbaji] and ‘J-Will’ [Jalen Wilson]. They tested the waters of the Draft, gathered information and feedback before returning [à la fac’] “, adds the Kansas coach. ” So they went into their senior year with a better understanding of what the NBA expected of them, and realized what they needed to change. For Kevin, it’s confidence and aggression. Exactly like Ochai and ‘J-Will’. It’s made of the same wood as those guys. »
After testing his rating in the spring of 2021, Ochai Agbaji had indeed returned to play his “senior” season (2021/22). A hell of a good decision, since the current Jazz player had laid a last campaign with 18.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists, winning the trophy for the best player in the Big 12 conference and the title of NCAA champion, before securing a selection in the “lottery” of the 2022 Draft. The same goes for Jalen Wilson, who returned to Kansas last year to play his “senior” campaign, which he concluded as the successor to Ochai Agbaji as the winner of the best player in conference Big 12, with averages of 20.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Before securing a “two-way contract” in Brooklyn…
Never two without three, then?
“JI want to continue to carry out decisive actions, which contribute to victory. While trying to make further progress in attack, that’s for sure », concludes in any case soberly Kevin McCullar Jr, well aware of the opportunity to be seized. ” As a veteran, I need to be more vocal too. »
