NBA Draft Stock Watch: Fab freshmen McCullough rising

[Whitey23]

INSIDER

Chris McCullough, , Syracuse
No one has seen his stock rise more in the first two weeks of the season than McCullough. He is averaging 15.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 2.6 BPG in his first five games for Syracuse, including two very strong games against Cal (12 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks) and Iowa (20 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks). Those are impressive numbers for a freshman. But what intrigues scouts is what's behind the numbers. McCullough has a 7-foot-3 wingspan, is an explosive leaper and is the rare big who can protect the rim on defense and stretch the floor on offense. He needs to add a lot of strength, but virtually every scout I spoke to who saw him play last week in New York came away feeling he'd be a lottery pick.

 

[longislandcuse]

Faaaaaantastic

 

[AlaskaSU]

He gone

 

[jekelish]

Hold on, let me count all of the people who are surprised by this...

Well, that was fast.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

He gone

Yup. He's not just the starting power forward of the He Gone All-Stars, he was just named Captain.

 

[HOFCeluck]

There's really no debate here.

 

[texascpa]

I'm sure he's explosive, but I think I've seen all of one dunk from him this year. I wish when he gets the ball down low he would go to the rim stronger.

 

[jordoo]

I'm sure he's explosive, but I think I've seen all of one dunk from him this year. I wish when he gets the ball down low he would go to the rim stronger.

Its interesting that we all talk about this and yet he's taken 1 three pointer, a handful of jumpers and the rest of his shots have all been at the rim or in the lane. He's 28-49 shooting it at a 57% clip even with his lack of muscle.

 

[jekelish]

I'm sure he's explosive, but I think I've seen all of one dunk from him this year. I wish when he gets the ball down low he would go to the rim stronger.

"Stronger" is the key word there. You can leap, but if your upper body isn't strong enough you're not going to be able to explode to the rim through contact.

 

[CaptainJ]

I feel misled. The title said Fab in it, yet I could find nothing about him in the article.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'm sure he's explosive, but I think I've seen all of one dunk from him this year. I wish when he gets the ball down low he would go to the rim stronger.

He had like 3 dunks last night.

 

[ClamOtto]

If he's going to leave regardless, I'd rather see him be a high lottery pick than second round.

 

[Whitey23]

ESPN report: Chris McCullough viewed nearly unanimously as a lottery pick by NBA scouts

 

[teamco]

Do freshman of McCullugh's abilities even upack their bags when they get to campus, or do they just live out of their suitcase until the draft and then just zip it up and go.

I think I've been around too long to ever get used to the new mercenary system of 'one and done.' Listen, I fully understand the arguments for kids, or any athlete, going after the money, but I don't have to like it. My main point is that the mercenary system born out of the 'free agency era' of sports probably has its most profound impact on Division 1 college basketball. At least in the pros players typically sign multiple year contracts so they are around for a while. In CBB, the elite talent is here and gone in one year- period. It has fundamentally and profoundly effected the game- and definitely not for the better, in my opinion. No longer do you get to see teams grow and gel over three or four years as talent comes in, plays together, and has time to knit into a high-functioning unit. And is it me or does it seem like a disproportionate number of the kids jumping to the Association after one year are suffering more severe injuries than the athlete's of previous eras. You have kids still growing, trying to play a grinding schedule against competition that is sculpted and almost cast-iron strong- what could possibly go wrong?

Maybe I'm suffering from Seasonal Affect Disorder today, or perhaps I'm just an old coot being asked to handle too much change at one time- but I really do miss the old days of the Big East when kids came to school to play for three or four years. Give me an arch rival like a Patrick Ewing, or Chris Mullin to go up against for a few seasons. That's what college basketball is (was) about for me. One and done- an unsatisfying, dismal reality. Just saying.

 

[Full_Rebar]

People should understand that you don't land a top 10 recruiting class if those kids have to plan to come off the bench as freshmen. Producing NBA lottery picks is going to keep that level of talent coming to the Dome.

 

[AlaskaSU]

People should understand that you don't land a top 10 recruiting class if those kids have to plan to come off the bench as freshmen. Producing NBA lottery picks is going to keep that level of talent coming to the Dome.

Platoon

 

[AlaskaSU]

When you are auditioning it becomes more like an all-star game than a team sport.

 

[CaptainJ]

When you are auditioning it becomes more like an all-star game than a team sport.

Sometimes that's how I feel when I'm in a stare down with that "write your reply..." demand in the box at the bottom of the thread. The pressure to live up to expectations can take it's toll on a person.

 

[kirbivore]

making room for Bryant