Welcome Kevin McCullar

[punkrockhawk]

Sometimes it's interesting to see what fans of the school a player is leaving are saying about the transfer to get an idea of what kind of player you're getting. Needless to say, looking on social media, Texas Tech fans are BIG MAD and extremely bitter over this move.

McCullar disabled the comments on his announcement because he saw how Tech fans treated his former coach after he left for UT.

Tech fans really showed their ass, and I bet McCullar will need security detail when he visits Lubbock next season. Just trash.

Yeah the Beard stuff was wild but I also don't doubt Beard made that move because they told him he'd be coaching in the SEC soon. But this is pretty immature.

https://twitter.com/SSN_TTU/status/1527442718900772866

Their fanbase acts as though there is no where else that you should play than Tech. What a joke. They have a couple of good years and suddenly they're a "real" program. That's cute.

[NDballer13]

I just don't see his commitment as anything related to Yes or Pettiford. Even if he comes in and plays 30 minutes, I'd bet close to zero of those minutes are at the 2 and even less of those minutes are at the 1. Those are the positions Yesufu and Pettiford need be worried about.

Now if Hunter or Mosley commit, my tune about those guys might change.

[ChicagoHawk]

If ChicagoHawk is saying that this might speak poorly of Yesufu and Pettiford, then I'd agree. On Pettiford, the poor dude has 3 major injuries in each of his last 3 seasons of ball. It sucks, but it's concerning.

Yeah, this is partially what I was getting at with that comment.

But, to ND’s (and others’) point, I read more opinions on McCullar this morning and I’m open to the idea that he still has room to grow as a scorer and is a truly elite defender. I probably only watched 8 or 10 Tech games last year and while he definitely looked like a great perimeter defender, I don’t think I came away as high on him as some did.

But I’ll happily defer to those who know his game better and be optimistic. It does worry me to start two pretty bad shooters at their positions in Harris and McCullar. I think it’s particularly concerning because there’s no guarantee Wilson improves dramatically if he returns, and while Dick has all the potential to be one of the best shooters in the country, he could also take a year or the better part of one to mesh in Self’s system and start making a big impact.

Anyway, hope he’s great.

[randylahey]

I dont see why people think getting a commitment from mccullar speaks poorly of any of the returning guys. You have 13 scholarships. Self tries to use all 13 every year. Put the most talent on the roster you can. Bringing in a talented experienced wing has nothing to do with pettiford or yesefu or Rice or anybody

[KUTradition]

^^^
if nothing else, it makes for better practices (which makes for a better team, regardless of individual game minutes)

[randylahey]

^^^
if nothing else, it makes for better practices (which makes for a better team, regardless of individual game minutes)

exactly. worst case scenario is you have a big strong athletic experienced college wing to make people better in practice everyday.

McCullar is gonna play though. some of self's other transfers were shitty at defense when they got here, and we all know its tough to earn minutes from self if your defense is lacking. McCullar is the opposite. he's probably the best defender on the roster next

[hasbeen]

lol this guy is coming in to play a ton of minutes

[Deleted User 863]

Depends on your definition of a ton.

This time last year that is what some of you were saying about Yesufu and JCL.

I will take a wait and see approach with any transfer. But I am glad his biggest asset is defense.

[hasbeen]

Depends on your definition of a ton.

This time last year that is what some of you were saying about Yesufu and JCL.

I will take a wait and see approach with any transfer. But I am glad his biggest asset is defense.

Good response, man! I'm formulating my response now and will get back to you ASAP!

[Sparko]

He has seen AFH up close and chooses KU. Good man.

[randylahey]

lol this guy is coming in to play a ton of minutes

Accurate. This team next season has crazy depth (and thats assuming jalen and Christian are gone too)

But its hard to picture which guys would be good enough to keep McCullar off the floor

[Deleted User 863]

lol this guy is coming in to play a ton of minutes

Accurate. This team next season has crazy depth

Does it? I am not so sure.

We say that almost every year and then every year we play 8 maybe 9 guys.

Last year we said we had "crazy depth" and Yesufu and JCL barely played.

Next year I see a solid 8 maybe 9 guys again. Assuming Jalen and CB are gone.

DH, Yes, Bobby as our little guards. Cuffe probably won't be able to crack the rotation yet.

Gradey and Rice as wings. Plus this TT transfer if he comes.

Then KJ Clemence and Udeh.


Am I forgetting someone else who is likely to contribute? I am seeing 8 likely rotation guys. And then a drop off.

With 1 maybe 2 guys who are going to be NBA prospects after next year?

I think we will be a very good team because the parts will fit, the coach is elite, and their is a main 4 or 5 guy core who have experience together + 3 higher end recruits. Although we will need to be elite defensively because we lack 3pt shooting.

[KUTradition]

a team can be deep and still only have an 8 or 9 man rotation

when has Self ever played more than an 8 or 9 guys meaningful minutes?

[Deleted User 863]

If crazy deep means has all their schollys filled then okay.

But I am having trouble counting Cuffe Cam Martin and Zuby as "crazy deep".

When I think crazy deep I tend to think of the 08 team who had NBA players on the bench as non starters or unable to crack the rotation. Not a team with 1 definite NBA player (Gradey) and 3 (maybe 4) other "maybe" future NBA players (Rice, Clemence, Udeh...and maybe KJ if he learns to shoot).

Just my opinion. We can win a national title without 5 NBA starters. We just did it with 3 maybe 4 future NBA players.

But there's a chance Dajuan Harris is our 1st or 2nd best player next year. 3rd or 4th at worst probably.

[randylahey]

a team can be deep and still only have an 8 or 9 man rotation

when has Self ever played more than an 8 or 9 guys meaningful minutes?

exactly. just cause self only plays 8 doesnt mean the team isn't crazy deep.

yesefu and JCL are proof of this. they were proven players that played big productive minutes at other schools already and were on the edge of the rotation at KU. having players that good that struggle to get minutes is crazy depth

[Deleted User 863]

That's an acceptable opinion. But then pretty much every KU team qualifies as crazy deep.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Self's responses are perfect damn near all the time.

"I thought he did fine. The two fouls early. Kevin liked it here. I mean, he loved it here. Both parents went to school here. His dad was a football player here. And he loves Coach Adams. He loves the staff. He loves those guys. The welcome he got was exactly the way it should be, and he knows that. So if it messed with him, then he's had 10 months to prepare for that, because he knew that was coming, and it would mess with anybody. But he knew that was coming.

I think that Kevin played pretty well. I thought he was aggressive. He didn't make shots, but he made the biggest shot of the game. And he didn't do a ton, but he got the biggest steal of the game. So we wouldn't have won the game without Kevin in the last 30 seconds or 40 seconds."

[jfish26]

Self's responses are perfect damn near all the time.

"I thought he did fine. The two fouls early. Kevin liked it here. I mean, he loved it here. Both parents went to school here. His dad was a football player here. And he loves Coach Adams. He loves the staff. He loves those guys. The welcome he got was exactly the way it should be, and he knows that. So if it messed with him, then he's had 10 months to prepare for that, because he knew that was coming, and it would mess with anybody. But he knew that was coming.

I think that Kevin played pretty well. I thought he was aggressive. He didn't make shots, but he made the biggest shot of the game. And he didn't do a ton, but he got the biggest steal of the game. So we wouldn't have won the game without Kevin in the last 30 seconds or 40 seconds."

McCullar is nearly lab-created, in terms of what he can do and how that lines up with what Self wants.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Self's responses are perfect damn near all the time.

"I thought he did fine. The two fouls early. Kevin liked it here. I mean, he loved it here. Both parents went to school here. His dad was a football player here. And he loves Coach Adams. He loves the staff. He loves those guys. The welcome he got was exactly the way it should be, and he knows that. So if it messed with him, then he's had 10 months to prepare for that, because he knew that was coming, and it would mess with anybody. But he knew that was coming.

I think that Kevin played pretty well. I thought he was aggressive. He didn't make shots, but he made the biggest shot of the game. And he didn't do a ton, but he got the biggest steal of the game. So we wouldn't have won the game without Kevin in the last 30 seconds or 40 seconds."

McCullar is nearly lab-created, in terms of what he can do and how that lines up with what Self wants.

I already like him more than Garrett.

I had a good feeling that Self would bring out his offensive talent.

[jfish26]

Self's responses are perfect damn near all the time.

"I thought he did fine. The two fouls early. Kevin liked it here. I mean, he loved it here. Both parents went to school here. His dad was a football player here. And he loves Coach Adams. He loves the staff. He loves those guys. The welcome he got was exactly the way it should be, and he knows that. So if it messed with him, then he's had 10 months to prepare for that, because he knew that was coming, and it would mess with anybody. But he knew that was coming.

I think that Kevin played pretty well. I thought he was aggressive. He didn't make shots, but he made the biggest shot of the game. And he didn't do a ton, but he got the biggest steal of the game. So we wouldn't have won the game without Kevin in the last 30 seconds or 40 seconds."

McCullar is nearly lab-created, in terms of what he can do and how that lines up with what Self wants.

I already like him more than Garrett.

I had a good feeling that Self would bring out his offensive talent.

The difference is entirely roles/expectations, right? If Garrett wasn't ever asked to have a bigger role than what McCullar has this year (if Garrett's peak role had been what it was in 2019-20)...no one would have a bad taste in their mouth over his final year.

So the blame really rests with Self, who found himself having to put the ball in Marcus' hands MUCH more than he should have had it.