Kevin McCullar Jr. is the newest addition to this Raptors’ roster, joining Toronto on a two-way deal earlier this week on November 5th. The former New York Knick is a 25 year old small forward, standing at 6’6” with a 6’9” wingspan.
After being waived from New York to make space to sign Dalton Knecht, McCullar Jr. joined the Raptors. The leader of the Big 12 in scoring in his senior year, he was an All-American on the Kansas Jayhawks before turning pro. In the NBA, his biggest role came in his sophomore
year with the Knicks, where he played in 21 games, including a stretch of matchups when Josh Hart went down with an injury.
From our sister site Posting and Toasting, an idea begins to emerge about who he is beyond the stats. Writer Michael Zeno said that the forward exhibited “pure hustle” while being a threat from deep off the catch-and-shoot, with a penchant for picking up some unnecessary fouls.
From his highlights, you see a shooter with good form, someone who can knock it down past the arc while remaining competent closer to the basket. Having spent time in the G League, the Westchester Knicks made a video interviewing him about his personality, on and off the court. He called his stepback his “go-to move”, which he said was his main way of independent shot creation.
This offensive toolkit is certainly something that the Raptors require. Being able to play without the ball in your hands, to allow for the Raptors’ arsenal of creators to set the flow of the offence, while not freezing up when executive decisions need to be made, sounds like just what the doctor ordered for this Raptors team. Jamison Battle is the teammate comparison that comes immediately to mind; and while the forward has not yet developed the same reputation as a knock-down shooter, his development further him along in that direction.
In the G League, McCullar Jr. averaged nearly 17 points and six assists, along with three stocks per game, showing some two-way capabilities. He’ll likely spend a lot of time on the Raptors 905 developing further, and bolstering a team which just lost its first matchup to the College Park Skyhawks this week.
McCullar Jr. could be the next Raptors success story, developing well and making it out of the G-League to become a productive pro. In a situation where it feels like a roster shakeup is inevitable, the Raptors are taking this first step to bolster the team’s shooting.
