Knicks Get Steal at No. 56 Pick

The New York Knicks could benefit tremendously from taking Kansas wing Kevin McCullar Jr.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 28, 2024

Mar 5, 2024; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) dunks the ball against the Kansas State Wildcats during the second half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are breathing a sigh of relief the day after the 2024 NBA Draft.

They added another three players in Tyler Kolek (No. 34), Kevin McCullar Jr. (No. 56) and Ariel Hukporti (No. 58). Out of those three, McCullar may be the player that earns the Knicks the most praise.

Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley graded every draft pick over the past two days and gave the Knicks an "A" for taking McCullar.

"Kevin McCullar Jr. looks ready to fill a supporting role in the NBA—provided he brings any kind of consistency with his outside shot," Buckley writes. "If opponents have to respect McCullar's three-ball, that will open up his half-court game, which features everything from downhill driving and on-target diming to contact finishing and tough shotmaking."

McCullar, 23, will have the task of having to earn minutes in Tom Thibodeau's rotation, which isn't easy for rookies. However, as an experienced five-year player in college, McCullar may have an easier time than most 56th overall picks.

"As long as he can keep defenses honest, McCullar has a chance to fill a fairly significant reserve role right away," Buckley writes. "The Knicks, whose championship window is wide open, did a great job of potentially plucking a plug-and-play contributor with the third-to-last pick of the draft."

The Knicks don't need McCullar to be a contributor right away, but it would certainly be a plus for their roster that's ready to contend now.

If McCullar can add to the Knicks depth and crack small spurts of minutes in Thibodeau's rotation, he can give New York some relief going into the long season.

Make sure you bookmark All Knicks for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Jun 28, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.