Knicks Get Steal at No. 56 Pick

The New York Knicks are breathing a sigh of relief the day after the 2024 NBA Draft.

They added another three players in Tyler Kolek (No. 34), Kevin McCullar Jr. (No. 56) and Ariel Hukporti (No. 58). Out of those three, McCullar may be the player that earns the Knicks the most praise.

Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley graded every draft pick over the past two days and gave the Knicks an “A” for taking McCullar.

“Kevin McCullar Jr. looks ready to fill a supporting role in the NBA—provided he brings any kind of consistency with his outside shot,” Buckley writes. “If opponents have to respect McCullar’s three-ball, that will open up his half-court game, which features everything from downhill driving and on-target diming to contact finishing and tough shotmaking.”

McCullar, 23, will have the task of having to earn minutes in Tom Thibodeau’s rotation, which isn’t easy for rookies. However, as an experienced five-year player in college, McCullar may have an easier time than most 56th overall picks.

“As long as he can keep defenses honest, McCullar has a chance to fill a fairly significant reserve role right away,” Buckley writes. “The Knicks, whose championship window is wide open, did a great job of potentially plucking a plug-and-play contributor with the third-to-last pick of the draft.”

The Knicks don’t need McCullar to be a contributor right away, but it would certainly be a plus for their roster that’s ready to contend now.

If McCullar can add to the Knicks depth and crack small spurts of minutes in Thibodeau’s rotation, he can give New York some relief going into the long season.

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