Syracuse basketball 2014-15: Syracuse vs. Holy Cross, Friday, Nov. 28, 2014.

Syracuse forward Chris McCullough drives the lane in the second half of the Orange's game against Holy Cross on Nov. 28, 2014, at the Carrier Dome.

( Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com)

Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim did his best to tamp down the NBA talk surrounding freshman Chris McCullough after the Orange's 72-48 win over Holy Cross on Friday night.

• Box score

ESPN draft expert Chad Ford wrote on Wednesday that most NBA scouts he'd spoken with during the 2K Classic considered McCullough a likely lottery pick.



"I've talked to 10 pro scouts," Boeheim said. "Not one of them thought that Chris McCullough was a first-round pick. So who he's talking to? I have no idea. When you print that stuff, people read it. Parents read that."

Ford labeled McCullough one of the eight fastest-rising prospects in the country and currently has him as the No. 11 prospect in the country. He did not consider McCullough a first-round pick before the season.

Ford's projections on Syracuse players were notably off last year. He projected Tyler Ennis as a lottery pick for much of the year, while labeling Jerami Grant a middle-of-the-first round talent.

Ennis fell into the bottom half of the first round. Grant fared worse, falling out of the first-round entirely.

"You keep looking at what Chris (SIC) Ford says," Boeheim said. "He's a smart guy. He knows exactly who is going to get drafted. This is what parents do. Parents quote to me all the time, 'He's in the top 10 of the draft board.' Oh yeah? 'He's the 14th pick in the draft.' Yeah?"

"Quote (from) last year," Boeheim said. "Well, he's in the top 10 in the draft board, that's why he's going to go. I said, 'On whose draft board? ESPN?' They do not have a team. They do not have a team at ESPN. That's the kind of misinformation that gets kids thinking about things and parents thinking about things that make no sense, whatsoever."

Whether or not McCullough is a first-round talent, he was impressive on offense once again against Holy Cross, continuing to shoot a high percentage and showcase an excellent mid-range jump shot for a 6-foot-10 forward.

He scored 14 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, blocked two shots and made two steals, combining with Rakeem Christmas to form a dominant post tandem.

Over the course of the season, McCullough has scored in double-figures every game, averaging 15.3 points. He's been the team's most efficient offensive player, shooting 59.3 percent, and has shown good passing abilities from the high post.

It's these skills, Ford said, that have scouts dreaming on the freshman. Boeheim believes it's too early for that.

"I'm 6-10, I'm playing against 6-3 guys, I think I should be able to get 14 points," Boeheim said. "I think. I think that should be something I can accomplish. Maybe I couldn't now. Maybe I could only get 10. Just let the kids play. Let them play."

Boeheim also said McCullough surrendered 15 points by himself on defense in the second half, while contributing just four on offense.

That McCullough would contemplate the NBA shouldn't come as a surprise. He said this summer that he'd like to join the league as quickly as possible. He wore socks with the NBA logo while doing post-game interviews on Friday.

While McCullough said he received a text message about Ford's article by one person, he insisted his professional career is not something he's currently thinking about.

"Somebody sent me a text on it," McCullough said. "I'm not thinking about it. I'm just trying to go out, play my game and win some games."

"I just found out that from you," Christmas said. "We don't talk about it. We just let it happen. He'll be fine. He's not the type of person to let that go to his head."

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