Future in NBA uncertain for several former KU basketball standouts
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kevin McCullar, 25, is a restricted free agent after playing 21 games in 2025-26.
- Kelly Oubre, 30, becomes an unrestricted free agent; he averaged 14.1 PPG and 5.0 RPG.
- Andrew Wiggins has until June 29 to decide on a $30 million player option.
Former Kansas guard Kevin McCullar wore goggles in the New York Knicks locker room to protect his eyes from stinging during a champagne-spraying celebration after NY’s 94-90 NBA title-clinching victory over San Antonio on June 13 in Texas.
The partying continued several days — through Thursday as a matter of fact — as an estimated 2 million fans lined Broadway from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan through Canyon of Heroes to City Hall to honor second-year Knicks guard McCullar, his teammates and coaches in a ticker-tape parade celebrating the franchise’s first NBA championship since 1973.
At a post-parade rally, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani presented each of the Knicks players, including 25-year-old McCullar, a symbolic key to New York City.
As the city has quieted down, the Knicks now have joined the other 29 teams in the league in beginning to work on a roster for the 2026-27 season.
It all starts with the NBA Draft on Tuesday and Wednesday in which New York has one first-round pick (No. 24) and two seconds (31, 55).
Making room for those three players may not be easy.
The Knicks must deal with the restricted free agency of McCullar, Ariel Hukporti and Mohamed Diawara and unrestricted free agency of Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, Jeremy Sochan and Jordan Clarkson.
If the team brings back former 2024 second-round draft pick McCullar, who reportedly has been tendered a qualifying offer, it presumably will be a two-way contract for a third straight season. Others who could return on new two-way deals with the Knicks are Dillon Jones and Trey Jemison. What’s more, Jose Alvarado holds a player option for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.
One could envision a scenario in which McCullar, as a restricted free agent, elects to stay in New York where he played sparingly in 21 games with the Knicks in 2025-26 while also putting up some big numbers in the G League with the Westchester Knicks. Or sensing limited options for playing time, the third-year pro could seek a deal with another team while risking the possibility of getting cut during training camp.
Here’s a look at some other former KU players who, like McCullar, are free agents as Tuesday’s day one of the draft (7 p.m. Central, ESPN, ABC) nears.
Kelly Oubre
• Kelly Oubre, a 6-foot-8, 30-year-old small forward, is an unrestricted free agent after averaging 14.1 points and 5.0 boards this past season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
According to published reports, up to eight teams may be interested in signing 11-year-NBA veteran Oubre. It’s speculated he could land a three-year deal for up to $40.5 million total value with either Philly, Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis, Milwaukee, Utah.
“Oubre isn’t a star, but he continues to prove he’s a useful player, particularly at the offensive end of the floor,” wrote Bobby Marks of ESPN.
“Oubre signed a one-year, $2.9 million contract with Philadelphia in 2023 and then a two-year, $12 million deal the following year,” Marks wrote. “In those three seasons, Oubre started 80% of the games he played, averaging at least 14 points in each season. After shooting 29.3% on 3-pointers in 2024-25, Oubre shot 36% from deep this season.
“A $13 million average salary is still below starter level, but Oubre would double his earnings from last season,” Marks added. “The final season of the deal would have a player option.”
Jalen Wilson
• Jalen Wilson, a 6-8, 25-year-old wing who has completed three years in the league with the Brooklyn Nets, went from playing in 79 games in 2024-25 to 54 contests last season. His production fell from 9.5 points and 3.4 rebounds a game in 2024-25 to 6.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 2025-26.
He is a restricted free agent, meaning his contract has expired but his current team retains the right of first refusal. He could sign with another franchise with the Nets having the ability to match that offer.
“Whether Marks (Sean, Nets GM) and his staff plan to retain Wilson will heavily depend on which depth pieces they think they can take a swing at in free agency,” wrote Tyler Carmona of netsdaily.com “On one hand, Brooklyn’s coaching staff and much of the roster are already familiar with Wilson, who has no reported character concerns. However, moving on from him could also be part of letting go of a previous era of Nets basketball and welcoming in the new wave.”
Ochai Agbaji
• Ochai Agbaji, a 6-5, 26-year-old guard who was traded from Toronto to Brooklyn in February, also is a restricted free agent. He is about to enter his fifth NBA campaign. His four-year, $18.7 million rookie deal has expired.
He averaged 6.7 points and 2.3 assists per game while playing in 20 games with the Nets (no starts).
His best NBA season came during the 2024-25 campaign in Toronto, when he averaged a career-high 10.4 points and 3.8 assists per game while appearing in 64 games and making 45 starts.
“With the current roster construction, Agbaji is competing with players like Terance Mann, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf for minutes. Powell and Saraf are going to take priority as rookies in need of development, but it’s unclear how long Mann will be a part of Brooklyn,” wrote Colin Simmons of SI.com. “This also doesn’t account for any wings/guards who will be added to the team through the 2026 NBA Draft and free agency. Agbaji is a hustle player with more room to grow, but it will be up to the front office’s preferences if he gets re-signed.”
Andrew Wiggins
• Andrew Wiggins, a 6-6, 31-year-old, 12th-year pro who has been with the Miami Heat two of his 12 NBA seasons, according to published reports will likely accept the player option on his current five-year contract by the June 29 deadline.
It would pay him $30 million for the 2026-27 season. If he opts out he would be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Wiggins averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the Heat this past season.
The Heat landed Wiggins in a multi-team trade during the 2024-25 campaign. Wiggins came in and played 17 games for Miami. He posted averages of 19.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. During the 2025-2026 NBA season, Wiggins played in 68 games with the Heat. He hit 41.4% of his 3s, averaging 15.4 points, 2.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds.
Other Jayhawks in the NBA
Here’s a quick look at Jayhawks with time remaining on their current contracts.
• Svi Mykhailiuk, a 6-7, 205-pound, 29-year-old shooting guard on the Utah Jazz, is halfway through a four-year contract that runs through the 2027-28 season. He will earn $3,850,000 in 2026-27, his ninth season in the NBA. The club has an option in 2027-28. Mykhailiuk averaged 9.4 points and 2.9 rebounds a game a year ago.
• Christian Braun, a 6-6, 220-pound, 25-year-old shooting guard who has played four seasons with the Denver Nuggets, is in the first year of a five-year, $125 million rookie contract extension. That keeps him with the franchise through the 2030-31 season. He averaged 12.0 points and 4.8 rebounds while playing in 44 games during an injury-riddled 2025-26 season.
• Gradey Dick, a 6-7, 200-pound, 22-year-old member of the Toronto Raptors, will earn $7,131,511 during the 2026-27 season, the final year of his four-year rookie contract. He’ll be a restricted free agent following the upcoming season.
• Philadelphia 76ers oft-injured center Joel Embiid is currently signed to a 3-year, $192.9 million maximum contract extension that starts this season. This fully guaranteed deal runs through the 2028-29 season and features a player option for the final year. He’s ticketed to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2028-29 campaign.
The 7-0, 280-pound, 32-year-old Embiid will earn $57,985,752 in 2026-27. He averaged 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds in 38 games last season.
• Johnny Furphy, a 6-8, 200-pound, 21-year-old shooting guard with the Indiana Pacers, is halfway through his four-year rookie contract.
He averaged 5.1 points a game in 35 games last season — one that ended when he tore his ACL on Feb. 8 in a game against Toronto. He’s slated to make $2,296,271 during the 2026-27 season. The team has a club option for the 2027-28 campaign.
• Three KU players competed in the G League last year and are free agents. They are: Hunter Dickinson (Laketown Squadron), Zeke Mayo (Cleveland Charge) and Dajuan Harris (Iowa Wolves). They are free to sign with any team.
Also, former KU forward KJ Adams, who rehabbed a torn achilles last season as a member of Bill Self’s KU support staff, is expected to land a free agent contract with an NBA team that is non-guaranteed.
