2015 NBA Draft picks: Brooklyn Nets select Chris McCullough

It was surprising to see McCullough declare after playing just 16 games his freshman year before an ACL tear in January sidelined him for the season. He didn’t put particularly impressive numbers either, averaging a solid but uninspiring nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game on 28 minutes. Once considered an elite prospect, the production has not been there for the 20-year-old so far.

Despite not being dominant in his time in Syracuse, McCullough has prototypical size for a power forward, standing at 6’9, and has the raw talent to develop into a stretch four with time. Selecting someone with such a limited track record is definitely a gamble, but nimble big men who can do a little bit of everything like McCullough proved he could in his limited time in college are not easy to find this low in the draft.

Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily sees the pick as Brooklyn buying low on someone who could’ve been picked much higher next year.

McCullough is an interesting choice. He played only 16 games in his Freshman year at Syracuse due to a torn ACL, which dropped his draft stock dramatically. No matter. Draft experts believe if he hadn’t torn his ACL, he could’ve been a potential lottery pick.

In McCullough the Nets get a talented forward, but one who’s a couple years away from contributing on the court. McCullough is long and athletic and can shoot the ball from the mid range area. He needs to recover from his injury but he gives Brooklyn a nice young piece to potentially inset into the starting lineup in a year or two.