College basketball world reacts to Kevin McCullar’s decision to return to KU Jayhawks

Kevin McCullar’s announcement of a return to Kansas for a super-senior season caught the attention of the college basketball world on Wednesday.

“OK, now there is ZERO doubt who should be Preseason No. 1. The rich get richer. Kevin McCullar returns for another year,” longtime college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman of Stadium wrote on Twitter.

Coincidentally, CBSsports.com’s Gary Parrish and ESPN.com’s Joe Lunardi on Tuesday — the day before McCullar’s announcement that he was removing his name from the 2023 NBA Draft — both wrote articles projecting the 2023-24 Jayhawks as the top team in the country.

Yes, that was without returning starter McCullar on the roster.

McCullar, a 6-foot-6, 22-year-old San Antonio, Texas native who is known as a lockdown defender, averaged 10.7 points a game in 2022-23 after arriving to KU as a transfer from Texas Tech. His 7.0 rebound average was fourth best in the Big 12 Conference .He had a team leading 68 steals, fourth best mark in the conference.

“Wow, ‘McCullah’ is back!” ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla tweeted.

“Incredible player. Better person. Jayhawk through and through!” KU athletic director Travis Goff wrote on Twitter.

Jon Rothstein of CBS sports tweeted that Wednesday’s development classified as “Significant Big 12 News.”

Parrish of CBSsports.com wrote: “Now, with a two-time Naismith Memorial defensive player of the year semifinalist back on board, I expect most others to join me in ranking KU No. 1, especially considering the Jayhawks are now officially the favorites in the betting markets to win the 2024 NCAA Tournament.”

Parrish listed a probable starting lineup of McCullar, Dajuan Harris, KJ Adams, Nick Timberlake and Hunter Dickinson.

“That’s a lineup with size, shooting and experience, one so strong that five-star high school prospects like Elmarko Jackson and Arterio Morris will likely begin games on the bench,” Parrish wrote. “Combine that with the fact that Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer Bill Self — a man who has made 24 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and earned No. 1 seeds in 10 of the past 16 — will be the person developing the roster and coaching the team, and it’s pretty clear to me that Kansas will now most likely begin the season at No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since 2018.”

Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com, a Website that lists McCullar as the overall No. 70-rated prospect heading into the June 22 Draft (there are 58 picks this year), wrote on Twitter: “Kevin McCullar is returning to Kansas — huge news for the Jayhawks. Elite defender, plus he provides experience and continuity for a team that will be heavily reliant on newcomers. Might put them over the top for preseason No. 1, too.”

Jalen Wilson, reigning Big 12 player of the year and consensus first-team All-American wrote on Twitter: “ROCK CHALK 15” with a pair of heart emojis.

Here’s one take from an NBA front office rep

NBA employees are not allowed to comment publicly on current college players. An NBA front office official did offer The Star his anonymous take on McCullar’s return: “I think it was a good decision to return to Kansas. I think his stock will go up (in a super-senior season). I really like him.”

Asked about the potential of McCullar receiving a significant amount of money in NIL for his super-senior season, the NBA representative said: “That’s probably the main reason. If he would have gotten a bigger buzz by the NBA (before and after the Combine) I think he would have stayed in the draft.”

Asked about the current draft status of KU’s Gradey Dick and Jalen Wilson, the anonymous NBA official said to the Star: “Dick is still lottery and Wilson … a strong chance late first round, early second. Teams think Wilson is ready to play now, like Christian Braun for Denver.”

Same story, third chapter?

Kansas for the third consecutive offseason has had a key starter test the NBA Draft waters then return to school.

Ochai Agbaji elected to return for his senior year in 2021-22. The Jayhawks went 34-6 and won the national title. Agbaji was named Big 12 player of the year and consensus first team All-America after his senior campaign and a was first-round pick of Cleveland (then traded to Utah) in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Jalen Wilson elected to return for his junior year in 2022-23. KU (28-8) won the Big 12 regular-season title and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs. Wilson also was named consensus first-team All-America and conference player of the year.

Finally, McCullar has elected to return for a super-senior season after earning third-team all-Big 12 honors in 2022-23. He was a Naismith defensive player of the year semifinalist each of the past two seasons.

“How about one more year Jayhawk nation? To be able to play in front of the best fans in the country, to play for the best coach in the nation and I truly believe we’re going to have the pieces to hang another banner in the Phog. Rock Chalk. Let’s do it. 1, 5 (his jersey number) is back, baby,” McCullar said in a KU men’s basketball video on Twitter.

How the roster shapes up

KU, which has 11 scholarship players on the 2023-24 roster, has one scholarship to give in recruiting. KU has implemented a self-imposed NCAA penalty that will keep the roster at a maximum of 12 players instead of 13 the next three years.

So far this offseason KU has had eight Jayhawks enter the transfer portal: Ernest Udeh (undecided), Kyle Cuffe Jr. (Syracuse), Bobby Pettiford (East Carolina), Cam Martin (Boise State), Zach Clemence (Santa Barbara), Joseph Yesufu (Washington State), MJ Rice (North Carolina State) and Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s).

Four portal additions thus far are Parker Braun (Santa Clara), Hunter Dickinson (Michigan), Nick Timberlake (Towson) and Arterio Morris (Texas).

KU has returning scholarship players in 2022-23 starters McCullar, KJ Adams and Dajuan Harris. KU also has signed freshmen Marcus Adams, Elmarko Jackson, Chris Johnson and Jamari McDowell.