Chris McCullough’s basketball career was thrown in a blender by an awkward fall on the Carrier Dome baseline, which tore the ACL in his right knee and ended his college basketball career on the spot.

Due to the injury, McCullough played just 16 games for Syracuse and declared for the NBA Draft at season’s end. The 20-year-old from the Bronx, New York, measured 6 feet 9 inches and 199 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine in May. He is being projected as a late first-round pick by a majority of mock drafts, while some have him slipping into the second round.

Based on research and conversations with a small handful of NBA Draft analysts, here are three reasons why teams should draft McCullough on Thursday night.

Click here for three reasons why a team shouldn’t draft the wiry forward.

A team should draft McCullough because of his…

1. Unknown potential

It may seem strange for a team to be attracted to the fact that there’s little to look at with McCullough. But he was projected in and around the lottery at the beginning of the season, much to the dismay of SU head coach Jim Boeheim, and a franchise could see him as a potential steal at the end of the first round for that reason.

If his knee heals well and he returns to the raw but exciting player who averaged 9.3 points and 2.1 blocks in 16 college games, he’ll be worth more than a late first-round pick.

It’s certainly a risk, but could be one worth taking given his age and height, and the right timing on the draft board.

2. Ability to stretch the floor

McCullough was offensively inconsistent at Syracuse, scoring in double-digits in the first eight games of his college career before failing to score more than seven in his last eight.

A few things factored into his dip in production: he fouled out in back-to-back nonconference games, started to get pushed around a little against tougher competition, and therefore didn’t have as many chances for second-chance points.

But when he was scoring well, he showed an ability to knock down a 16- to 18-foot jump shot and score with his back to the basket in the paint. The problem with the latter is that he’ll have trouble getting position inside at the next level, but his smooth jump shot should create space for him going toward the rim.

He also was a reliable passer out of the high post — a very useful quality for a stretch-four in the NBA — and was able to locate and deliver to Rakeem Christmas in the post and open shooters on the perimeter.

McCullough needs work on consistency in his shooting, but there is a foundation for him to be an effective pro forward.

3. Athleticism and shot-blocking ability 

McCullough’s slim frame makes it seem likely that he’ll struggle defensively at the professional level. The counter to that is that he is long and athletic — rangy is a perfect adjective to describe his size and mobility — and can start to compensate for his lack of strength.

At Syracuse, McCullough blocked more than two shots a game and also collected 1.7 steals per game. On top of that, he used his length and athleticism to grab 6.9 rebounds per game.

It will be a challenge for McCullough to translate this formula to the next level and there’s also the possibility that his ACL tear will dampen his athleticism. But with his skinniness a perceived weakness, it’s worth noting that McCullough’s other tools can help him make up for lost physical  ground.

Published on June 24, 2015 at 10:20 am

Contact Jesse: jcdoug01@syr.edu | @dougherty_jesse