Projected First-Round Pick Kevin McCullar Jr. to Miss Big 12 Tournament with Knee Injury

The Kansas wing will miss the conference tourney with a bone bruise in his knee.

© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas basketball finds itself in a bit of a predicament at the moment, as its two most productive players, Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr., will both miss the Big 12 Tournament due to injuries. 

Both players were named to the Big 12's All-Conference First Team over this past weekend, but neither will have a say in the Jayhawks' chances in trying to win the conference crown. 

McCullar has been battling injuries in the midst of an otherwise stellar season, where he's averaging 18.3 points, 6 boards, and 4.1 assists per game while providing truly great defense on the wing. 

He has a bit of a Naji Marshall (New Orleans Pelicans, Xavier) type of game as a big wing that can defend the perimeter and get downhill with the ball, finish in the paint, rebound, and facilitate offense.

He's Kansas' most valuable player, even over Dickinson, or Harris, or Adams. But the short-term departures could prove beneficial for the Jayhawks' overall health, as McCullar has not looked the same from a pure athleticism perspective since injuring his knee. 

Part of McCullar's appeal is his explosion combined with his size on the wing, but his injury has limited him as of late. Hopefully the time off allows for some mending so he can compete in the NCAA Tournament, aiding his teammates while boosting his draft stock. 

Of course, any kind of knee injury is going to raise red flags for teams in the business of securing long-term assets. Luckily for everyone involved, there is no structural damage, and a contusion seems to be the extent. 

The Jayhawks are projected as a 3-seed in the national tourney, but with a healthy McCullar and Dickinson, they could easily outplay their ranking – and with Bill Self at the helm, a championship is never out of the question. 

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.