Revitalized sharpshooter
Gunner Wayne McCullough re-signs with Island Storm for 2017-18 NBL season
Wayne McCullough is searching for redemption and after inking a new deal with the Island Storm he’ll get every opportunity to do so.
The six-foot-five shooting guard had a tough stint in his first season as a member of the National Basketball League of Canada club as he dealt with injuries that limited him to just 15 games.
“It was a difficult year, but I always try to stay positive about it. I look back on it and I learned a lot and it helped me look forward to this season. This is definitely the hardest I’ve worked for something I’ve wanted this bad,” said McCullough, a native of Hockley, Texas.
“This is a big season for me, both mentally and physically. I had a bitter taste in my mouth about the way last season ended, but after talking with my mentors they helped me understand it was a learning experience.”
Last season’s numbers with the Storm — 3.7 points per game and 1.7 rebounds per game — don’t reflect the 23-year-old’s skills.
In college, McCullough improved his stats each year and in 2015-16 put together his best campaign for the Colorado Christian University Cougars, averaging 13.8 points per game on 49 per cent shooting.
But where he makes the biggest impact is beyond the arc, where he shot 38.7 per cent, while draining 1.5 threes a night.
Injuries aside, it’s difficult to question the guard’s talent and it’s a big reason why the Storm and head coach Tim Kendrick gave him another chance.
In Kendrick’s free-flowing, aggressive offence, McCullough could figure as a reliable sharpshooter in run-outs and driveand-kick scenarios, something he was familiar with in college.
“One thing we like is shooters and this kid can definitely shoot,” Kendrick said.
With training camp on the horizon, a healthy McCullough has been working on his game and is eager to earn a spot on the opening day roster.
“I love being called a shooter. I put up thousands and thousands of shots this summer and I’ve become a lot more consistent and a lot more deadly. If you put the mixture of me in transition, me in the half court, with my size and athleticism, I think I’m a pretty hard person to guard,” said McCullough, who added he’s excited to be returning to P.E.I. for the new season.
“The Island has been a home away from home for me. I felt wanted here and I have some unfinished business to take care of.”