Kansas Professional Athletes

Kansas alumni had a busy week across the NBA, with storylines ranging from a roster bubble battle in New York to a preseason soap opera in Philadelphia.

McCullar Fights for His Knicks Life

Kevin McCullar Jr. enters the final stretch of Knicks training camp with his roster spot far from guaranteed. According to Sports Illustrated, head coach Mike Brown has turned up the intensity at camp — and that pressure lands squarely on players on the roster fringe. McCullar, a former Kansas standout, is firmly in that category. With the Knicks carrying a deep wing rotation and competition stiff at his position, the former Jayhawk will need a strong showing before opening night to stick on the final roster.

Embiid Navigates a Chaotic Preseason in Philly

Joel Embiid's week in Philadelphia was equal parts drama and disappointment. The Kansas big man made his preseason debut alongside new teammate LeBron James in a 114-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets — and by most accounts, Embiid struggled. ESPN analysts sounded the alarm on his performance, and a frightening first-quarter collision with Jaylen Brown briefly raised injury concerns for both stars, though Brown continued playing without serious issue.

Off the court, Embiid found himself at the center of a media firestorm not of his own making. Longtime NBA broadcaster Mike Breen shared a story during the Sixers' preseason opener suggesting James had called out Embiid for arriving late to practice. James quickly and publicly denied the account, calling it "lies." Breen subsequently apologized. Embiid, for his part, addressed the report directly — calling it "unfortunate" and pushing back on what he described as being made an easy target for unfounded rumors. Head coach Nick Nurse also weighed in, dismissing the narrative as a misinterpretation.

The chaos around Embiid isn't limited to off-court noise. Philadelphia's depth behind him took a significant hit when backup center Ariel Hukporti tore his Achilles in the preseason opener against the Knicks, leaving the Sixers dangerously thin at center. That injury puts even more pressure on Embiid to stay healthy — a concern that has followed him throughout his career and one that ESPN analysts highlighted pointedly after his rough debut.

Despite the turbulence, Philadelphia's headline-grabbing starting five of Embiid, James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe shared the floor together for the first time, giving Sixers fans a glimpse of the team's sky-high ceiling — even if the first look was uneven.

Two Jayhawks, two very different kinds of pressure. McCullar is fighting to make a team; Embiid is trying to hold one together.

Joel Embiid's Best Shot at a Ring — and He Knows It

For Kansas fans who've watched Joel Embiid's career oscillate between brilliance and the injury report, the early returns from Philadelphia's training camp are genuinely encouraging. Embiid opened 76ers camp without restrictions — a detail head coach Nick Nurse made a point of highlighting — and his physical transformation drew its own headlines at Media Day, where NBA insider Chris Haynes circulated video of a visibly leaner Embiid after a notable offseason weight-loss effort.

The stakes couldn't be higher. Philly remade its roster around the 32-year-old, trading for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James to complete a starting five that, on paper, can go punch-for-punch with anyone in the East. LeBron, who played alongside Embiid on the 2024 U.S. Olympic team, has already flagged the most important change: Embiid is significantly healthier now than he was in Paris.

"Probably the best dunk of my career," Embiid said after throwing down a left-handed driving slam during the Blue x White scrimmage — a disarming admission that doubled as proof of concept. LeBron described Embiid with a single word after camp opened and called himself the "final little piece" the big man needs to win his first NBA title. Embiid, for his part, reacted to that framing with characteristic humor at Media Day, cracking jokes about LeBron and his own weight loss while making clear he's dead serious about what this season means.

The alpha question — inevitable given the roster's star wattage — has hovered over camp all week. Brown deflected it with a two-word answer. Embiid poked fun at Brown for having "no chance" guarding him during last year's Celtics-Sixers playoff series. LeBron called building chemistry "great." The playful tone is either a sign of genuine comfort or the best possible PR strategy. Either way, the Jayhawk at the center of it all enters 2026-27 with a healthier body, a loaded supporting cast, and a championship chase that feels more credible than any in his career.

One note of caution: the Sixers received a concerning injury update on depth behind Embiid in the weeks leading up to the season, a reminder that their ceiling still hinges almost entirely on the big man staying on the floor.

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McCullar Locks Down a Knicks Spot

While Embiid commands the marquee, fellow Jayhawk Kevin McCullar Jr. quietly secured his footing in New York. The Knicks re-signed McCullar to a two-way contract — a move Sports Illustrated broke down as a sensible fit for a team that values his defensive versatility and familiarity with the system. Two-way deals don't come with the security of a standard NBA contract, but earning one on a contending Knicks roster is a meaningful step for the Kansas product.

McCullar joins fellow Jayhawk Ochai Agbaji in New York, giving Lawrence a quiet foothold on a team with legitimate postseason ambitions.

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Around the League

Elsewhere in the Jayhawk diaspora: Christian Braun offered a health update after an injury-riddled season with the Nuggets, signaling optimism heading into the new year. Kelly Oubre Jr. appeared in a Day 3 training camp report from the Pacers. And Andrew Wiggins, now in Miami, spoke exclusively about embracing a new-look Heat roster built around Giannis Antetokounmpo and reuniting with Klay Thompson.

Kansas alumni are scattered across the league — but right now, all eyes point to Philadelphia, where Embiid's window is open, the roster is loaded, and the excuses have run out.

Gradey Dick's Make-or-Break Move to the Clippers

The biggest Kansas alumni story of the week has nothing to do with a box score — it's a transaction that could define Gradey Dick's NBA career. The former Jayhawk guard was shipped from Toronto to Los Angeles as part of the long-delayed, league-investigation-stalled blockbuster that finally sent Kawhi Leonard back to the Raptors. Toronto surrendered Dick, Brandon Ingram, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), an unprotected 2027 pick swap, and two second-round selections to pry Leonard out of Clipper Land.

The trade had been agreed upon back in June but sat in limbo for more than two months while the NBA investigated the Clippers for salary cap circumvention. When the league finally cleared the deal on Monday, Dick found himself with a new address and a new narrative.

The stakes couldn't be higher for the 2023 lottery pick. Now entering his fourth NBA season, Dick is running out of runway to prove he belongs. As Sports Illustrated framed it bluntly: this is his last real chance. In Toronto, he was a promising but inconsistent piece on a rebuilding team. In Los Angeles, he lands in a more fluid situation — the Clippers are retooling around the Ingram acquisition, and Dick will have genuine opportunity to carve out a role if he can translate his shooting talent into reliable production.

The 6-foot-6 wing out of Lawrence showed flashes during his tenure with the Raptors — his three-point stroke was never in question — but consistency and defensive engagement held him back from ascending to a dependable rotation spot. A change of scenery, and a new coaching staff with fresh eyes, is exactly the kind of reset a young player in his position needs. Whether he seizes it is another matter entirely.

Embiid's Supporting Cast Takes a Hit

In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid's offseason got a little more complicated. The 76ers spent the summer building what looks like a genuine contender — landing LeBron James in free agency and acquiring Jaylen Brown to form a star-studded trio — but depth concerns are already emerging before training camp opens. Backup center Adem Bona suffered a foot injury that could bleed into the preseason, leaving questions about who adequately spells Embiid in the frontcourt. For a franchise that has watched its franchise center miss significant time in recent seasons, roster depth behind Embiid isn't a footnote — it's a recurring anxiety.

Wiggins Staying Put in Miami — For Now

Andrew Wiggins re-upped with the Miami Heat earlier this offseason, committing to a team that made arguably the most aggressive roster overhaul of the summer by landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, Klay Thompson, and Bobby Portis. The former Kansas star figures to slot alongside that newly assembled core as the Heat position themselves as Eastern Conference contenders. That said, his name has already surfaced in trade speculation — Heavy Sports reported the Heat could explore moving Wiggins for an elite wing upgrade — so even a signed deal doesn't guarantee his role is set in stone.

Braun Navigating Nugget Uncertainty

Christian Braun enters 2026-27 in an unsettled Denver situation. The Nuggets had a turbulent offseason — losing Peyton Watson, fielding trade inquiries on multiple roster pieces including Braun, and facing questions about Nikola Jokic's long-term future. Braun was among those linked to trade rumors, per Heavy Sports, though he remains on the roster. If Denver's retooling continues, the Kansas wing could find himself at the center of more deadline-season conversations.