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Chris McCullough to Represent Brooklyn Nets in D-League All-Star Game

By Sandy Mui

Feb 10, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets power forward Chris McCullough (1) shoots against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 10, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets power forward Chris McCullough (1) shoots against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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While the Brooklyn Nets won’t have any players representing them in New Orleans for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, Chris McCullough was recently named a D-League All-Star.

Chris McCullough has not played all that much for the Brooklyn Nets this season, but he’s sure killing it down in the D-League.

Through 28 Long Island Nets matchups, the 6-foot-9 power forward out of Syracuse is averaging 18.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per game. These are undoubtedly All-Star worthy numbers, and the D-League expressed the same sentiments just one day ago.

Yesterday, the D-League unveiled its 2017 All-Star Game rosters, and McCullough was among the six current NBA players chosen to participate. McCullough is in his second year with Brooklyn and has spent a majority of it with the Long Island Nets. At the beginning of the season, Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson announced his plans to develop McCullough and rookie Isaiah Whitehead in the D-League, though only the former has happened due to Brooklyn’s long string of injuries this year.

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McCullough has only appeared in 13 games in the big league this season. Many of them have been the back end of a “double shift.” With the Long Island Nets training and playing in the same facilities as Brooklyn this year, McCullough has been able to play during the day for Long Island, while still be available for Brooklyn at night if called upon (assuming Long Island isn’t on the road the same day Brooklyn is in action, and vice versa). However, even then, his minutes for Brooklyn have been quite scarce. He’s posting just 2.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 5.5 minutes per game.

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Of course, that’s because a majority of his production comes during the day for Long Island. McCullough is the third-highest scorer for Long Island, behind the Atlanta Hawks‘ Taurean Prince (who has only played five Long Island Nets games on assignment) and former Net Yogi Ferrell.

Ferrell, who was recently picked up by the Dallas Mavericks, will join McCullough as an Eastern Conference D-League All-Star. The other current NBA players featured are Ray McCallum (Grand City Rapids/Charlotte Hornets), Johnny O’Bryant III (Northern Arizona Suns/Denver Nuggets), Briante Weber (Sioux Falls Skyforce/Golden State Warriors), and Okaro White (Sioux Falls Skyforce/Miami Heat).

Two other names Nets fans may be familiar with are Justin Harper (Los Angeles D-Fenders) and Cory Jefferson (Austin Spurs). Last season, Harper appeared in six preseason games with the Nets before being waived. Jefferson was part of the 2014-15 Nets team and participated in the NBA’s 2015 Summer League for the Nets before being released as well.

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With the Nets still struggling to get their tenth win this season, McCullough’s selection as a D-League All-Star serves as a silver lining in a rather disappointing year. Hey, at least someone besides Team Hype will represent the Nets in New Orleans.