Former Kansas men’s basketball wing Kevin McCullar Jr. of the New York Knicks scored 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting and grabbed six rebounds while starting and playing 28 minutes in a 104-86 loss to Detroit in the NBA 2K26 Summer League opener for both teams Friday in Las Vegas.
McCullar, who was limited to just four games his rookie season (2024-25) as he rehabbed from a knee injury suffered his senior campaign at KU, missed four of five 3s. He went 2-of-2 from the line. He had three assists to three turnovers.
A second-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft (No. 56 overall), McCullar on Friday played before a crowd that included current Knicks players Mikal Bridges, Miles McBride and Karl-Anthony Towns, as well as team president Leon Rose and new head coach Mike Brown.
The former Jayhawk player was on a two-way contract a year ago and, according to the New York Post, is expected to be re-signed to a two-way contract this season.
McCullar’s two-way deal reportedly paid him $578,577 during the 2024-25 season.
“McCullar was aggressive but put up a lot of tough shots and made a few errors on defense. It’s hard to envision a world in which McCullar, who went 1-for-5 from 3, sticks without showing more progress as a distance shooter,” wrote James Edwards of the New York Times.
“He played five college seasons and never shot above 33%. He made only 22% of his 3s in 13 G League games last year. McCullar won’t have the ball in his hands enough at this level to get by without being a competent 3-point shooter,” Edwards added.
The 6-foot-6, 210-pound McCullar, 24, scored six points on 2-of-7 shooting in his four games with the Knicks a year ago. He had four points, eight rebounds and two assists against Brooklyn in his final appearance of the season on April 13.
Playing 13 games for the G League’s Westchester Knicks, he averaged 11.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals in 27.8 minutes per contest. He committed 2.1 turnovers a game.
McCullar scored 21 points on 9-of-18 shooting (1-of-5 from 3) with seven rebounds, six assists and two steals in Westchester’s playoff loss vs. Maine.
What about Dajuan Harris, Zeke Mayo?
Former KU guard Dajuan Harris of the Charlotte Hornets, did not play, coach’s decision, in his team’s 111-105 summer league opening win over Utah on Friday.
Also, former KU and South Dakota State guard Zeke Mayo of the Washington Wizards, did not play, coach’s decision, in his team’s 103-84 loss to Phoenix.