 McCullough in 2014 | |
| No. 7 – Taoyuan Taiwan Beer Leopards | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward |
| League | Taiwan Professional Basketball League |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1995-02-05)February 5, 1995 (age 30) The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (206 cm) |
| Listed weight | 201 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College | Syracuse (2014–2015) |
| NBA draft | 2015: 1st round, 29th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Brooklyn Nets |
| Playing career | 2015–present |
| Career history | |
| 2015–2017 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2016–2017 | →Long Island Nets |
| 2017–2018 | Washington Wizards |
| 2017–2018 | →Northern Arizona Suns |
| 2018 | →Wisconsin Herd |
| 2018 | →Erie BayHawks |
| 2018 | Shanxi Brave Dragons |
| 2019 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| 2019 | Brujos de Guayama |
| 2019 | San Miguel Beermen |
| 2019–2020 | Anyang KGC |
| 2020 | Rytas Vilnius |
| 2020–2021 | Anyang KGC |
| 2021 | Gigantes de Carolina |
| 2021–2022 | New Taipei Kings |
| 2023–2024 | Formosa Dreamers |
| 2025 | Pelita Jaya |
| 2025–present | Taoyuan Taiwan Beer Leopards |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Christopher Albert McCullough (born February 5, 1995[1]) is an American professionalbasketball player for theTaoyuan Taiwan Beer Leopards of theTaiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL). He playedcollege basketball for theSyracuse Orange.
McCullough attendedSalisbury School for his freshman and sophomore years. During his sophomore season, he led the Salisbury varsity basketball team to its first ever NEPSAC Class A championship. In the championship game, McCullough scored 26 points, while also adding eight rebounds and two blocked shots.[2] At Salisbury, McCullough was coached by Jeff Ruskin. Following his sophomore year at Salisbury, McCullough transferred toBrewster Academy and then, later on, toIMG Academy.
As a freshman atSyracuse in 2014–15, McCullough started in the team's first 16 games of the season before a knee injury suffered againstFlorida State on January 11 required surgery and ended his campaign.[3] In those 16 games, he averaged 9.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.1 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game.[4][5]
In April 2015, McCullough declared for the2015 NBA draft, while still recovering from anACL injury.[6][7] Despite that, on June 25, he was selected with the 29th overall pick by theBrooklyn Nets.[8] On July 1, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Nets.[9] He missed the first half of the2015–16 season with the ACL injury he sustained as a freshman at Syracuse.[10] On February 5, 2016, he was activated for the first time, but did not play for the Nets against theSacramento Kings.[11] Four days later, he made his NBA debut, recording 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block in just under 11 minutes off the bench in the Nets' 105–104 win over theDenver Nuggets.[12]
On April 6, 2016, McCullough scored 10 points against theWashington Wizards, reaching double-digits for the first time in his career. He was subsequently elevated to the starting line-up the following game, scoring 12 points on April 8 against theCharlotte Hornets.[13] In his third straight start for the Nets on April 11, he had another 12-point game in a loss to the Wizards.[14]
During his second season with Brooklyn, McCullough had multiple assignments with theLong Island Nets of theNBA Development League.[15]
On February 22, 2017, McCullough was traded, along withBojan Bogdanović, to theWashington Wizards in exchange forAndrew Nicholson,Marcus Thornton and a2017 protected first-round draft pick.[16] On March 1, 2017, he made his debut for the Wizards, making just one free throw in 1:39 of action during a win over theToronto Raptors.[17] Two days later, he was assigned to theNorthern Arizona Suns of theNBA Development League, pursuant to the flexible assignment rule.[18] He remained with Northern Arizona until the end of the 2016–17 D-League season.
McCullough signed with theDetroit Pistons to a training camp contract but was waived on October 7, 2018.[19]
On October 8, 2018, McCullough signed withShanxi Brave Dragons of theChinese Basketball Association.[20] On October 21, 2018, he made his debut for Shanxi, contributed twenty six points and eight rebounds in a win over theSichuan Blue Whales.[21]
On January 28, 2019, theRio Grande Valley Vipers welcomed McCullough viaTwitter.[22]
On May 14, 2019, McCullough joined theBrujos de Guayama of theBaloncesto Superior Nacional in Puerto Rico.[23]
On July 2, 2019, McCullough signed with theSan Miguel Beermen as a replacement forCharles Rhodes as the team's import for the2019 PBA Commissioner's Cup.[24][25] On his PBA debut, McCullough exploded for a professional then-career-high 47 points to go along with 10 rebounds and 6 3-pointers made to lead the Beermen towards the win against the NLEX Road Warriors.[26] On July 10, McCullough recorded 37 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists in a 128–108 win over the Phoenix Fuel Masters.[27] Two days after, McCullough again led the Beermen towards a win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 89–87. In that game, McCullough recorded 24 points, 17 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 blocks.[28] Four days after, McCullough recorded 27 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks but in a 91–95 loss to the Meralco Bolts, in the last game of the elimination round.[29] On July 31, 2019, McCullough again put on a show for a new career-high 51 points in a loss against Rain or Shine. He ended the series 2 days later with 35 points.
McCullough and the Beermen eventually won the2019 PBA Commissioner's Cup championship, his first as a professional, in six games of a best-of-seven series. McCullough scored the team high of 35 points, 19 rebounds, and 4 assists against theTNT KaTropa.
In July 2019, McCullough signed with theAnyang KGC of theKorean Basketball League.[30]
On August 28, 2020, McCullough signed withRytas Vilnius.[31] On October 3, McCullough was suspended by Rytas Vilnius because he was suspected of escaping from a car accident after theLithuanian Police found abandoned and damagedJeep Renegade, which was given to McCullough by the club, in a parking lot and launched an investigation.[32] The Rytas allowed McCullough to return to the team on October 12 as he deeply regretted the incident of violating the club's internal rules and convinced head coachDonaldas Kairys that he is motivated to play.[33] He played his first game after the suspension on October 17 and scored 13 points, while the Rytas achieved a 60–98 victory versus theNeptūnas Klaipėda.[34] On November 10, it was reported that Rytas was parting ways with McCullough.[35]
On November 30, 2020, McCullough signed with Anyang KGC, replacingEarl Clark.[36] On March 9, 2021, he was replaced byJared Sullinger.[37]
On June 2, 2021, McCullough was reported to have signed withAl-Ahli of theBahraini Premier League,[38] he didn't play any games for the team.
On August 27, 2021, McCullough signed withGigantes de Carolina of theBaloncesto Superior Nacional.[39]
On November 17, 2021, McCullough signed with theNew Taipei Kings of theP. League+.[40] On March 8, 2022, McCullough tore his left ACL duringNew Taipei Kings’s game againstTaoyuan Pauian Pilots in the 2021-22 P.League+ tournament held atTaoyuan Arena.[41]
On February 27, 2023, McCullough signed with theFormosa Taishin Dreamers of theP. League+.[42] He had a brief stint with Philippine teamStrong Group Athletics (SGA) at the2024 William Jones Cup tournament in Taiwan.[43][44]
After his stint with SGA, McCullough received an offer to play for a team in Indonesia. A potential return to the PBA in the Philippines was averted with negotiations ofConverge FiberXers to sign him as an import for the2024–25 Commissioner's Cup reportedly failed.[45]
In December 2024, McCullough joined thePelita Jaya for the 2025Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia).[46][47]
On August 15, 2025, McCullough signed with theTaoyuan Taiwan Beer Leopards of theTaiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL).[48]
McCullough has expressed interest to play for thePhilippine national team in 2019, but as a non-Filipino citizen he has to be given citizenship throughnaturalization to be eligible.[49][50][51] By 2024, McCullough has lost hope but after his performance at the2024 William Jones Cup withStrong Group Athletics he has received offers for Taiwanese citizenship to be able to play for theChinese Taipei national team.[44]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Brooklyn | 24 | 4 | 15.1 | .404 | .382 | .478 | 2.8 | .4 | 1.2 | .5 | 4.7 |
| 2016–17 | Brooklyn | 14 | 0 | 5.1 | .516 | .167 | .667 | 1.2 | .1 | .1 | .1 | 2.5 |
| 2016–17 | Washington | 2 | 0 | 4.0 | .000 | .000 | .500 | 1.0 | .0 | .5 | .0 | .5 |
| 2017–18 | Washington | 19 | 0 | 4.7 | .429 | .125 | .643 | 1.3 | .2 | .0 | .3 | 2.4 |
| Career | 59 | 4 | 9.0 | .426 | .306 | .548 | 1.9 | .3 | .5 | .3 | 3.3 | |
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | MPG | Minutes per game | FG% | Field goal percentage |
| 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game |
| PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high | Led the league | |
As of the end of the 2023 PLG regular season.[52][53]
| Year | Team | League | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Brujos de Guayama | BSN | 8 | 27.1 | 46.1% | 25.0% | 81.6% | 9.0 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 16.3 |
| 2018–19 | Shanxi Zhongyu | CBA | 3 | 26.2 | 47.2% | 37.5% | 83.3% | 8.0 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 15.7 |
| 2019 | San Miguel Beermen | PBA | 16 | 43.0 | 46.6% | 33.6% | 74.8% | 15.1 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 32.4 |
| 2021–22 | New Taipei Kings | PLG | 7 | 32.19 | 35.53% | 42.11% | 58.82% | 8.57 | 1.71 | 0.86 | 1.14 | 20.86 |
| 2022–23 | Formosa Taishin Dreamers | PLG | 8 | 30.49 | 44.66% | 15.38% | 63.64% | 12.5 | 1.88 | 2.38 | 0.75 | 18.88 |
McCullough confirmed the development to ESPN5, saying that he signed in July but assured that he will not let go of his duties with the Grand Slam-seeking Beermen.