11:40 – Chris McCullough oozing potential with a put-back dunk that makes the rim look like its made by Fisher Price.
10:55 – McCullough post-up, short range turnaround jumper.
10:12 – McCullough battling for ball, gets offensive rebound.
8:20 – McCullough doubled in traffic, loses ball, keeps fighting.
Just a junior, McCullough seems to be in a similar situation to where Noah Vonleh was at last year in regards to his development. McCullough thrives:
In transition: The long and rangy forward runs the break with the best of ’em. McCullough gets out wide, puts his hands up and the rest is history. He finishes plays with authority and is a capable, willing and improving passer when he’s in control of the break. This is where he gets most of his points; the defense is at his mercy when he’s got the ball and a full head of steam.
Mid-range pull-ups: Though he didn’t show this portion of his game off too much, he proved that it’s an improving weapon in his arsenal and over time he has the ability to become extremely dangerous with this skill. His length and quickness are elite enough that when he takes one dribble and stops on a dime, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with him as he rises for a jumper, especially at the prep school level.
Defensively: If you’ll notice above, at the 8:20 mark McCullough was doubled in traffic, lost the ball and kept fighting. It’s this fighters mentality that makes McCullough such an awesome prospect; even though he’s young, he’s a willing hustler who rarely gives up on plays defensively or on the glass. He had numerous come-from-behind, out-of-the-blue blocks in his two appearances at the showcase this weekend and he made them look simple in doing so.
Some obvious areas McCullough can improve upon as he moves forward are:
More Aggressive / Vocal: As he continues to grow as a player, McCullough will have to assert himself on the offensive end and become more vocal about getting the ball. He’s a player who doesn’t need the ball to be effective… But at the same time, good things usually happen when he’s operating. As his confidence, skill development and IQ at the offensive end catch up with his freakish athleticism, look for him to take over games on a more regular basis.
Shooting: His stroke is compact and he’s adding more repetitions in the gym (his team works extensively with form shooting) and, much like Vonleh and Iverson, as he continues to work out he should become more confident in his abilities. Hopefully this translates to the court; the result could be a Chris Bosh-esque forward.
Jeremy Bauman is a 2011 Indiana University alum who is an aspiring scout and shooting coach. After covering last June’s NBA finals for this site, he’ll be blogging for SheridanHoops.com weekday mornings during the 2012-13 basketball season. Follow him on Twitter.