Norm Roberts, a former highschool teammate of Anthony Mason’s and the previous head coach at St. John’s, believes the Knicks landed themselves one other match for Tom Thibodeau’s system within the second spherical of the NBA draft.
Roberts has served as an assistant coach underneath Invoice Self with Kansas since 2012, so the New York native gives useful insights on Kevin McCullar Jr. after the Knicks grabbed the previous Jayhawks wing with the 56th total decide.
“He’ll slot in completely with the Knicks,” Roberts informed The Publish on Wednesday in a telephone interview. “He’s a flexible participant who can play on the ball or off the ball offensively, and he’s a a number of defensive participant who can guard 1-through-4.
“He in all probability has as excessive of a defensive IQ as any participant I’ve ever been round in my life. And he’s powerful as nails, so he’ll go guard a 6-foot-9 man or guard a 5-foot-11 man. In order that, to me, is a man that may match proper in with who they’re and what they do.”
Roberts believes the 6-foot-6 McCullar, who led the Jayhawks in scoring final season at 18.3 factors per recreation, “undoubtedly was a first-round participant” however slipped on draft boards as a result of a late-season bone bruise in his knee that sidelined him within the Large 12 Match and the NCAA Match.
McCullar performed his first three collegiate seasons at Texas Tech earlier than transferring to Lawrence for his ultimate two years of eligibility.
Based on Roberts, early comparisons between McCullar and do-it-all Knicks wing Josh Hart are legitimate, saying, “I coached in opposition to Josh Hart when he was at Villanova, and they’re very related gamers.”
He additionally in contrast McCullar with former Kansas wing Christian Braun, who received an NBA championship as a rookie with the Nuggets in 2023.
“I really assume he’s a plug-and-play man proper now in the event that they had been to wish him to be,” Roberts mentioned of McCullar. “I believe you’ll be able to play Kevin instantly. We had Christian Braun, too, and they’re very related in that regard. Christian Braun could also be extra athletic, jumping-wise, however I might say Kevin McCullar has higher ball expertise than Christian had whereas he was right here.
“However they’re minimize out of the identical fabric. Christian goes to Denver and performs like quarter-hour per recreation his first yr, they win the championship. Now he’s taking part in 24 per recreation and who is aware of, possibly he’ll have an opportunity to begin there subsequent yr. I consider Kevin might be that sort of man in the precise scenario.”
In fact, the Knicks have already got terrific depth on the wings with Hart, a re-signed OG Anunoby, newcomer Mikal Bridges and Donte DiVincenzo, so there in all probability isn’t a lot taking part in time obtainable for the rookie until accidents come up.
McCullar additionally clearly wants to enhance his exterior shot after posting a .309 capturing proportion from 3-point vary throughout his faculty profession.
“Kevin McCullar is a winner, he’s powerful…And he’s undoubtedly powerful sufficient to deal with New York,” Roberts mentioned. “The opposite factor I can say about him that they are going to love is he is aware of the best way to be a task man and play that function to one of the best of his skill, and he is aware of the best way to be a lead man, which he needed to be for us this yr. So he’s already performed each roles, and he understands the best way to do each nicely.”
The 58-year-old Roberts attended Springfield Gardens H.S. in Queens, the place he teamed with Mason, the previous Knicks ahead who died in 2015. He additionally coached for six seasons at St. John’s from 2004-10, so he is aware of what it means to town to have the Knicks aggressive once more.
“The Knicks had been terrific this yr, and I’m so pleased for [Tom Thibodeau] and the followers with what they’ve achieved,” Roberts mentioned. “Anthony Mason was a superb good friend of mine, we performed highschool ball collectively, and his son [Anthony Jr.] performed for me at St. John’s. So we had been very shut.
“You may see that the followers really feel about this workforce like they felt about these groups, and I believe Kevin McCullar will slot in nicely with what they’re doing.”
