Denver, CO

Denver Nuggets Draft Preview: Kevin McCullar Jr.

Published

2 years ago

June 20, 2024

Denver Nuggets Draft Preview: Kevin McCullar Jr.

For our next preview of potential first-round Denver Nuggets targets in the NBA Draft, we’ll check out Kansas forward Kevin McCullar Jr. If you’re looking for another Christian Braun type player then look no further than McCullar, who had two years at Kansas under coach Bill Self to turn himself into another iteration of a two-way wing that Self loves to have. Is Denver looking for one of those? Don’t the Nuggets have enough defensive guys who are iffy shooters? That definitely depends on what the trade situations and free agency look like for the Nuggets, and McCullar is one option for going back to the well that both GM Calvin Booth and Coach Michael Malone like to dip into.

Kevin McCullar Jr., Forward, Kansas

Vitals

Height (w/o shoes): 6 feet, 5.25 inches

Weight: 206 pounds

Wingspan: 6 feet, 9 inches

Age: 23 (03/15/2021)

McCullar comes in right between Christian Braun (6′ 5.5″ with a 6′ 6.5″ wingspan) and Peyton Watson (6′ 6.75″ with a 7′ 0.50″ wingspan) on the “rangy wing defender” spectrum. He’s got longer arms than Braun but not the pterodactyl wingspan that Watson possesses, while having a strong frame to defend the grown men he’ll see in the Association. He doesn’t have the extra muscle of a Wilson Chandler to see heavy duty at the 4, but as a 2/3 swingman more like Braun there’s a lot to like.

College Statistics

2023/2024 Season Stats

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	FG%	3PT%	FT%	BPM
34.2	18.3	6.0	4.1	1.5	45.4%	33.3%	80.5%	7.4

Highlights

Strengths

Offensive Acumen

McCullar isn’t a sniper – that’s the one thing he’s still working on. But he’s a great cutter and slasher either down the paint or the baseline, and a good free throw shooter (81% this season) who was willing to take three pointers in the flow of the offense even if he wasn’t great at making them just yet (33% on 4.5 attempts per game). He can be a passing hub – his 4 assists a game this year were off of DHOs, pick-and-rolls, pocket passes, everything you would think a point guard would be doing. His ball-handling both in transition and in traffic is pretty advanced. He’s got the Andre Iguodala Starter Pack as far as offense, and while “spot-up shooter” is not his claim to fame yet, he’s got some time to work on it and a shooting stroke that shows he should improve to be a league-average capable shooter. He knows his strengths on offense involve going to the rack, though, and he is fearless about doing just that.

Defensive versatility

McCullar can legitimately defend multiple positions as a strong wing with fast feet and hands. He can crowd guards and take away their ability to turn the corner, or body up a forward to prevent an easy turn to the bucket. He has good hands for both steals and boards, and stays attached through screens. He was a Naismith DPOY semi-finalist two years running, and can make life very difficult for even very good opposing wings. If Dalton Knecht, almost certainly top-10 pick this year, is a no-doubt NBA-level player then the guy who made him look like a high schooler when they played this year should be too.

Improvement Areas

Injury concerns

McCullar wasn’t able to participate in the NBA combine for the same reason his season ended early: the bone bruise in his left knee. It’s the same injury that took a chunk of Julian Strawther’s season for the Nuggets. There has been a lot of talk about whether this means he’s soft because he missed the NCAA tournament, whether he’s a bad teammate – a lot of smoke that may be taking his draft stock down. Even more serious smoke got MPJ to fall to Denver, so if this gets McCullar out of the range of the bad teams and onto a squad that can use his playstyle, it may still work out in his favor (even while it costs him money in the short-term). This is a strange one for me because until this year I can’t remember anyone questioning his heart or integrity, and missing the combine in May should be extra weight on the side of serious injury rather than a lack of desire to gut it out. That said, any injury that takes you out for several months has to be a concern.

Deep Shooting

McCullar can handle scoring around the basket just fine. As a 23 year old who shot 30.1% from deep for his career, though, there are concerns about whether he’ll ever be league-average from behind the arc. His free throw percentage is perfectly reasonable at 75.6% for his career and 80.5% this year, and usually players with a decent free throw shot can be coached into gains from deep. To go back to the Wilson Chandler well, he shot 30.3% from deep in his two years at DePaul, while shooting 65.9% from the line. In the NBA, Ill Will shot 34.1% from 3 and 77% from the free throw line. Is 34% enough for McCuller to make an impact? League-average is around 36% right now – can he get to that? He showed this year for Kansas that he was willing to take the necessary threes for them to keep the floor spaced, and that’s all Denver would be asking him to do – that, and make open ones if he’s left alone. With Denver’s shooting woes on the bench, it’s hard to see another wing defender join the squad who cannot take and make those.

Mock Outcome (Nuggets draft 28th)

The Athletic: 51st

The Ringer: 46th

Yahoo! Sports: 37th

Verdict

McCullar has so many things going for him to be an effective NBA player that seeing him out of the first round in mocks makes me doubt my eyes. There are not thirty better pros in this draft than McCullar. He compares himself to Jalen Williams from the Thunder, and Jaime Jaquez Jr, the breakout forward last season. Some players have very optimistic self-comps, but in this case it’s easy to see how McCullar views himself in that vein with his on-ball skills complemented by his scoring burst and finishing touch and backed up by his plus defense.

His age is working against him. Not being able to roll these 19 and 20 year olds in workouts isn’t doing him any favors. But if you asked me if I would accept a Will Barton swingman who had an extra 25 pounds of muscle and lived and breathed defense I would say yes, absolutely. How much more could I possibly ask for? But the problem for him specifically in Denver is that they have 2 guys on the bench in Braun and Watson who are already filling the wing defender role and have shooting questions. From a Best Player Available standpoint though, if McCullar is there and some interior options are not, turning down good players because you don’t currently have a rotation spot for them is a good way to mess up a draft pick. Trades and injuries happen all the time. McCullar’s biggest fit problem honestly would be picking a new number – sorry Kevin, but 15 is already taken.

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Denver, CO

Sean Payton Clarifies Evan Engram’s Role Entering the Draft

Published

10 hours ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Sean Payton Clarifies Evan Engram’s Role Entering the Draft

So far, the Denver Broncos have signaled a willingness — nay, an eagerness — to run it back at tight end this offseason. It’s a curious strategy, considering how weak the tight end group was for Denver in 2025.

Evan Engram was signed last year to be the “Joker” tight end — a big slot receiving weapon to help open things up for Bo Nix in the middle of the field and down the seam. That didn’t happen.

Engram still finished third on the team in receiving behind wideouts Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin, but it was a far cry from what fans expected to see from the two-time Pro Bowl tight end. Then there’s Adam Trautman — Denver’s in-line Y tight end — who was woefully inadequate as a blocker and offered little to Nix in the passing game.

Trautman was re-signed to a three-year deal with a raise that’ll pay him just short of $6 million per year, while both Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull were also brought back. Denver is running it back, but the draft could bring another set of hands into the mix.

Meanwhile, for those Broncos fans wondering whether Engram still fits into the Broncos’ offensive picture entering a contract year, head coach Sean Payton sure made it sound like it during his pre-draft press conference alongside GM George Paton.

“We definitely view him as a key piece,” Payton said of Engram. “Relative to Evan, he’s someone that gave us a lot of big plays a year ago, and we will continue to find ways to keep him and add to his workload.”

The Broncos didn’t have much incentive to move on from Engram after one year, considering the salary-cap ramifications of such a decision. He remains on the roster for a reason, and while Payton made Engram’s contributions sound much grander than they perhaps were, it sounds like Denver’s head coach has some unfinished business with his tight end weapon.

Payton’s Read On the 2026 Draft Class

Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp (4) runs the ball in the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Sanford Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

As for what the draft could hold, Payton extolled the virtues of the tight end class. It sounds like tight end is front-of-brain for Denver, but Payton’s words could be a smoke screen.

“I would say this about this class in my opinion, if you are looking for a blocking ‘Y’, there are a handful available that would be targeted,” Payton said. “If you are looking for a ‘move,’ maybe a little bit undersized ‘F’, they are out there. To each his own, the different type of tight ends are available. It’s always a challenge with that position because sometimes you are projecting maybe in an offense that is playing them differently.”

The Broncos have one of the better ‘F’ tight ends in Engram, even if he’s well on the wrong side of 30. Payton and Nix can still make a lot of hay with Engram, especially with new offensive coordinator Davis Webb now calling the plays.

However, the Broncos could really (and I mean really) use an upgrade at the Y. Trautman gives them a plausible option if they had to go to war tomorrow, but he’s not a true asset, and some would argue that he’s, in fact, a blocking liability, no matter how much the Broncos try to gaslight everyone on the subject.

Potential Y TE Candidates

This draft class features some very intriguing Y candidates, including Georgia’s Oscar Delp — who could be so, so much more — Texas A&M’s Nate Boerkircher, and Ohio State’s Will Kacmarek, to name a few. After the foot injury that was discovered at the Combine back in February, Delp’s draft stock took a hit, but he resurrected it during the Georgia pro day with how he performed.

I could see Delp going in Round 2. He could be in play for Denver at No. 62 overall. The Broncos say they have “six players” they’re targeting in Round 2, but there’s no way to know if Delp is one of them.

Another guy who could grow into a Y tight end but is, for now, an F is Ohio State’s Max Klare, who’s widely viewed as the third-best player at the position in this class behind Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq and Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers. I would rank Delp as the No. 2 behind Sadiq, but because he didn’t test at the Combine, he won’t be viewed that way until perhaps a few years down the road.

Delp could be one of the biggest steals in the 2026 NFL draft. If the Broncos were to target him, he could not only offer them long-term viability to replace Trautman inside, but he’s also one heck of a receiver, which would make him a great ‘move’ tight end, like Engram.

The Takeaway

The possibilities are endless, which is part of what makes the run-up to the draft so fascinating, but also maddening. Time will tell whether the Broncos prioritize tight end in this draft, but we can all say for sure now that Engram is part of the 2026 offensive vision.

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Denver, CO

A French Dining Destination in Cherry Creek – 303 Magazine

Published

22 hours ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

A French Dining Destination in Cherry Creek – 303 Magazine

In the heart of Cherry Creek North, Le Bilboquet Denver has become one of the city’s most
sought-after dining destinations, where timeless Parisian elegance meets the energy of Denver’s
evolving social scene. From the moment you arrive, the experience is intentional.

The dining room hums with conversation, the bar is lively yet refined, and the patio offers one of the most coveted settings in the neighborhood, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor dining. It is a place where long lunches turn into late afternoons, and evenings unfold with a sense of effortless sophistication.
At the center of it all is the culinary program, led by Chef Sosthene Kabore.

Rooted in classic French technique, his approach brings a modern sensibility to each dish, creating a menu that feels both elevated and approachable. Signature favorites are complemented by seasonal
offerings, each thoughtfully prepared and consistently executed. The result is a dining experience
that is as much about atmosphere as it is about the food itself.

Le Bilboquet is more than a restaurant, it is a destination. A place where Denver’s business,
creative, and social communities naturally come together. Whether for a celebratory dinner, a
casual afternoon on the patio, or an evening that extends well beyond the final course, the
experience is always dynamic, always memorable.

As the city continues to grow as a hub for culture and creativity, Le Bilboquet remains at the
center of it all. Its recent partnership with Denver Fashion Week is a natural extension of that
role, reflecting the restaurant’s connection to style, energy, and the moments that bring people
together.

Located in one of Denver’s most vibrant districts, Le Bilboquet continues to define
what elevated dining looks like in the city today.

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Denver, CO

Denver police release details in deadly shooting of man with BB gun

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Denver police release details in deadly shooting of man with BB gun

Investigators with the Denver Police Department are releasing more information about last week’s deadly shooting when a SWAT officer shot a man with a BB gun earlier this month.

On Wednesday, police shared drone and body-worn camera video from the shooting that happened in the area of South Quitman Street and West Tennessee Avenue at approximately 5 p.m. on April 7.

Denver Police

According to investigators, officers were called to a home in that area after a relative called 911 about Joseph Martinez, 58, who was allegedly walking around outside with a gun. Investigators said officers thought his weapon looked like a hunting rifle and Martinez pointed it at SWAT officers.

“There was a communication that was provided, they thought the weapon may not be a functioning or real weapon, but there was no more information, and officers were left with a weapon that looked very similar to a rifle that was pointed directly at them,” said Denver Police Cmdr. Matt Clark.

An officer fired at Martinez after investigators said he failed to comply with orders to drop his weapon. Martinez was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

The officer who shot and killed Martinez was taken off patrol per department policy.