With injuries striking, the New York Knicks’ depth and next-man-up mentality have been a big part of their 22-9 start. That mantra was on full display last night with seldom-used sophomore Kevin McCullar Jr playing the best game of his young career with the team missing Josh Hart, Miles McBride and Landry Shamet.
In 23 minutes off the bench, McCullar did a little bit of everything. He scored 13 points—4 more than his career total entering the night—snagged eight rebounds, snatched two steals and dished out two assists in the 128-125 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
His improving jumper was on display with three makes from three. So were his defensive chops, which earned him defensive player of the game from head coach Mike Brown.
“Kevin was huge for us. We threw him out there, put him on different guys,” said Brown, who isn’t afraid to go deep into his bench. “Had to guard Trae Young after playing in the G-League all year. He’s our defensive player of the game. If you go to Webster’s, you’d see a couple of his plays under ‘verticality.’ He was awesome.”
McCullar Seized The Opportunity
In recent days, we have seen the emergence of sophomore guard Tyler Kolek. Fellow 2024 draftee Ariel Hukporti has filled in nicely when needed. Even rookie Mohammed Diawara has shown flashes of potential when thrown into the fire. Brown’s willingness to trust his young players is paying dividends for the apron-strapped team’s future outlook.
“That’s what having a team’s about. I feel confident in all of our guys,” Brown told reporters last night. “Deuce & Landry out, got to go next man. Josh out, got to go next man. We just want guys to give us what they’re capable of…hard minutes. All of our guys did.”
Against the Hawks, nine different Knicks logged more than 15 minutes. With the most impressive and surprising ones coming from McCullar, who had totaled 35 minutes and nine points in his career going into the contest.
Oct 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (9) goes to the basket against Washington Wizards forward Cam Whitmore (1) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
As A Rookie, McCullar Barely Saw The Floor
The 56th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has been an unknown despite getting into four games a season ago and being an older prospect—he turns 25 on March 15. The Knicks acquired his rights on draft night as a cheap lottery ticket.
Heading into the draft, McCullar was viewed as a first-round prospect and NBA ready contributor. As a senior with the Kansas Jayhawks, the hard-nosed wing put up a career best 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 26 games. He was on his way to being an All-American but missed the last few weeks of the year and the NCAA tournament due to a bone bruise in his right knee.
The injury caused him to slide in the draft and derailed his rookie campaign. The six-foot-six swingman didn’t play in summer league, missed all of training camp and there was no update on his status for months until he popped up in the G-League in late January. In 13 games for Westchester, McCullar averaged 11.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 27.8 minutes. He recorded two triple-doubles, but shot just 22.2% from long range.
After scoring his first NBA points in a win over Dallas in March, Josh Hart, who set a franchise record for most triple-doubles in a season during the game, gave the youngster the game ball.
“That’s my big bro on the team for sure,” McCullar told MSG after Alan Hahn mentioned their similarities.
Over the summer, the Knicks could’ve signed him to a standard contract but opted to bring him back on another two-way deal. He was a bright spot in summer league before his time in Vegas was cut short due to a nasal contusion suffered while diving for a loose ball during a 30-point effort against Boston.
That type of fearlessness is why many have compared McCullar to a Dollar Tree Josh Hart. You can see it with the willingness to dive for a loose ball, nose for rebounds, pride in getting stops and lunch pail mentality. He is the exact type of player Knicks fans fall in love with.
New York is leaning into their next-man-up mentality. McCullar is just the latest example.