The New York Knicks lost 91-84 to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Summer League on Sunday, July 13.
The Knicks used an incredible 14 players in the game, yet only one managed to reach double figures in points.
That man was 24-year-old Kevin McCullar Jr, who put up 30 points, four rebounds, and one assist in 28 minutes.
One would expect the reaction to McCullar’s Summer League performance to be extremely positive, but Knicks fans were actually divided.
Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty ImagesNew York Knicks fans are undecided on Kevin McCullar Jr
Some Knicks fans were excited by McCullar’s 30-point game against the Celtics, especially with a view to him cracking the regular-season rotation.
“Kevin McCullar Jr has been really impressive today,” one said on X. “High motor connective tissue out there on offense. Making good reads. Decisive, active, fundamentally sound.”
“Kevin McCullar Jr has something real, man,” another added. “Reminds me a lot of [Quentin] Grimes. Has run the offense a lot today as well. Very impressive stuff.”
A Knicks fan commented: “Confused by those who have watched McCullar today and their takeaway is, ‘he sucks.’ He’s been our best player all day by a mile.”
“Kevin McCullar Jr is the best player out of our young core, I’ve been saying it,” replied one X account.
However, plenty of Knicks fans are not convinced by McCullar Jr despite his impressive offensive display at the weekend.
“He really needs to work on that jumper. If he can do that, he’s a rotation guy,” one suggested.
“He just needs to keep working on the 3 and decision-making. He can be Josh Hart-ish,” another wrote.
A Knicks fan added: “Yes, but his shooting wasn’t good, and his defense over these first two games has not stood out.”
Kevin McCullar Jr. looks really, really good.
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) July 13, 2025
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What happened in Kevin McCullar Jr’s NBA debut season
Some fans might assume that McCullar Jr was selected in the 2025 NBA Draft and will be entering his rookie season with the Knicks.
Instead, the 24-year-old was actually drafted by the Phoenix Suns with the 56th pick in the 2024 draft. He was then immediately traded to New York.
McCullar Jr probably would have gone earlier if not for the knee injury he suffered while playing for the Kansas Jayhawks.
The knee issue also kept him out for most of the 2024-25 NBA season before he eventually made his Knicks debut against the Dallas Mavericks on March 25.
McCullar Jr played three more times for the Knicks last season, finishing with averages of 1.5 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.5 assists.