KU basketball’s Kevin McCullar to miss NBA Summer League while rehabbing, per report

Former University of Kansas guard Kevin McCullar, whose knee injury prevented him from playing in the 2024 college basketball postseason, will not compete in the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas, various news sources reported Friday and Saturday.

McCullar, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound 23-year-old, was a second-round draft pick of the New York Knicks. According to Steve Popper of Newsday, he “stayed back in New York to continue rehab on the same injury suffered during his time in college that made him miss the NCAA Tournament. He will not be in Vegas with the team.”

SNY’s Ian Begley wrote on social media site X: “NYKnicks draft pick Kevin McCullar stayed back in NY to continue his rehab on injury suffered while at Kansas, per league sources. He will not be in Vegas for summer league.”

A source close to the situation confirmed to The Star on Saturday that McCullar indeed is rehabbing his knee in New York.

McCullar, who had an offseason surgical procedure on his left knee, was taken by the Knicks with the 56th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Knicks have not yet announced signing McCullar to a contract.

McCullar missed six of the final 12 games of the 2023-24 regular season, including the Big 12 tournament, because of a bone bruise on his knee. He also missed the entire NCAA Tournament. The San Antonio native initially was listed as a member of the Knicks’ summer league squad. New York lost its opener to Charlotte on Saturday 94-90.

McCullar averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game last season for the Jayhawks.