Golden State Warriors 2015 NBA Draft Preview

Chris McCullough

Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Age: 20

Height: 6’9

Weight: 199 lbs.

Wingspan: 7’3

2014-15 Stats: 16 GP, 28.1 MPG, 9.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.7 SPG, 2.1 BPG, 2.2 TOV, 2.5 FPG, 47.8 FG%, 47.3 2FG%, 100 3FG%, 56.3 FT%, 19.3 PER

First of all, don’t let that 100 percent from three fool you — he was 1-for-1 in the regular season. Second of all, if he wasn’t coming off a torn ACL, McCullough would be going much higher than where he’s at right now in all the mocks. Like, much, much higher.

Other than having a great wingspan, McCullough’s best attribute is his athleticism. He runs the floor extremely well, which is exactly what scouts look for first when it comes to big men (or at least it should be). He’s quick in both transition and in the half court set, and he’s shown to have good leaping ability.

He’s also not afraid to take contact, leaping into other players with reckless abandon. His finishing ability isn’t too shabby, and despite not displaying much of an outside stroke in college, his shooting mechanics can definitely serve as a solid foundation for which to extend his range.

He also has a nice feel for the game on the defensive end, instinctually using his length to bother passers and contest shots. It wouldn’t be too farfetched to say McCullough could possibly become like Draymond Green and develop the ability to guard three-to-four positions effectively.

The base is there, but he’ll have to build upon his raw skills if he wants to stand a chance of staying in the league. The fact that he’s coming off an ACL injury and had only 16 games of experience going into the draft also draws concerns, in addition to some question marks regarding his discipline.

Next: J. Holmes