Kevin McCullar Jr. may not be returning during the NCAA tournament, but he’s still confident the Kansas Jayhawks can make a run during March Madness.
The 23-year-old shooting guard has dealt with a nagging knee injury in recent weeks, with Jayhawks head coach Bill Self surprisingly ruling out the redshirt senior for the entire tournament.
“He’s out,” Self said on Tuesday. “We’re shutting him down for the tournament… He hasn’t practiced in six weeks, basically. He hasn’t done more damage to his knee but he tried to [play] and said that he just couldn’t go.”
McCullar had averaged 18.3 points per game, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this season – nearly doubling his scoring average from last season. McCullar’s improvements on both the scoring and assists end landed him an Honorable Mention AP All-American.
While the loss of McCullar – their leading scorer — is a big dagger to a team that began the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the country, the 6-foot-7 swingman is optimistic as the No. 4-seeded Jayhawks look to win a national championship.
During a one-on-one interview — just hours prior to Self ruling out his star player for the tournament – McCullar explained why Kansas is still a threat in the tournament.
“Even with the injuries, other guys have been getting minutes and getting prepared for bigger moments in March,” said McCullar.
With McCullar dealing with his knee injury, other players – such as senior Nick Timberlake – have seen an increased role in recent weeks. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks have also been dealing with a shoulder injury to their second-leading scorer, center Hunter Dickinson. While he was sidelined for their Big 12 tournament game, Dickinson will be back in the lineup when the Jayhawks take on the No. 13-seeded Samford Bulldogs in their NCAA tournament opener.
McCullar believes Kansas entering as a No. 4 seed – many pundits are picking Samford to upset Kansas, including NCAA tournament studio host Ernie Johnson – can actually benefit them.
“You can use that mindset for sure,” McCullar says of the Jayhawks using the underdog mindset to benefit them. “I know we are coming in as the fourth seed. Of course you want to be the No. 1 seed, but that’s the hand that was dealt. That’s what comes with it. We’re definitely going to play with a chip on our shoulder, go out there and compete and it’s win or go home time now.”
Although McCullar has now appeared in his last collegiate game, he detailed why it’s been so important for him to spend six years in college as he prepares for a career in the NBA – he redshirted during the 2018-19 season at Texas Tech.
“It’s been really important,” explains McCullar. “First, just off the court, just growing up and learning how to be a leader. Learning how to embrace myself and who I am and what I can bring to the table. On the court, my game has evolved over the years with so many big games I’ve played in. There’s so many big moments and being matched up against so many great guys that play at the next level as well.”
McCullar – who is projected to go as high as the middle of the first round in NBA mock drafts – believes having played in so many big games at Kansas and Texas Tech has prepared him for the next level.
“Just having that experience, I feel there’s no game that I’m thrown in that I’m not ready to play in. It’s basketball at the end of the day. Just the amount of work I put in over my college career, it’s just been great.”
The Jayhawks star – who is speaking on behalf of his partnership with audio brand JBL – explained why NIL has been so important for collegiate athletes. McCullar started playing in college before NIL rules went into effect in 2021.
“You definitely see a difference,” McCullar said as far as morale for collegiate athletes in the post-NIL era compared to the pre-NIL era. “Times have changed.”
McCullar details that he’s done work with animal shelters in Lawrence, Kansas and with foster kids while at Texas Tech due to NIL.
“It’s super big,” said McCullar of the freedom NIL have given college athletes. “We’re out there, putting in a bunch of work, grinding every day. Having NIL not only helps us out as players, but we can give back and use our foundations and platform to give back to people that are less fortunate.”
“I’ve kind of seen the whole college realm of you just getting your monthly stipend and now you’re making some decent money. With NIL, you can give back, so it’s been really cool.”
McCullar explained why he partnered up with the audio brand for the JBL Campus partnership and how he has used their products to get amped up for games dating back to his high school days. The program features 25 student athletes, including McCullar’s teammate, Dickinson, and LSU women’s basketball star Flau’jae Johnson.
“It’s super dope,” says McCullar. “It’s a super cool partnership where I’ve been able to collaborate with JBL. I’ve been a big fan of JBL for a long time going back to my high school days, getting ready for school, getting ready to play in games. My entire college career I’ve used JBL.”
The sixth-year senior explained what the partnership entails, which includes content creation over social media, such as Instagram.
“Doing some Instagram reels, showing how I use JBL and how I use music to stay motivated and go out and do what I do on the court,” says McCullar.
And while he won’t be on the court during March Madness, McCullar shares the message that coach Self – who has won two national championships – is giving to the team after all of the adversity they’ve faced.
“Everybody is going to remember what you do in March. It’s been a season of ups-and-downs. Coming in as the preseason No. 1, we had super high expectations and we had to battle some injuries. Nobody’s going to remember all of that stuff if we do what we need to do in March.”
