Getty Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drives to the basket against Adrio Bailey #2 of the Arkansas Razorbacks during the first half of the game on January 26, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.
What Jarrett Culver has done for Texas Tech hasn’t gone unnoticed by NBA teams and looking at mock drafts he’s projected to go anywhere from No. 3 to No. 14.
Coming off a solid freshman season where he averaged 11.2 points and 4.8 rebounds while helping Texas Tech advance to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament, he took on a leadership role and his team helped end Kansas’ Big 12 title streak. Culver has started climbing up draft boards, as NBA teams are always looking for impact two-way wing players.
Heading into today’s regular season finale at Iowa State, Texas Tech is tied with Kansas State for first place in the Big 12 standings at 13-4, and the sophomore guard has been the biggest reason for their success. Culver is averaging 17.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals on 48.0 percent shooting from the field and 32.8 percent from 3-point range in 31.8 minutes over 30 games.
Comparing Culver to Current NBA Stars
Jarrett Culver is an athletic swingman with superb potential and he’s not afraid of the moment, as seen in Texas Tech’s 69-58 loss against Duke on December 20 at Madison Square Garden, when he finished with 25 points, six rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes
Culver scores with ease and his shot-making ability has improved in his sophomore season. He’s not afraid to shoot from anywhere on the court and that level of confidence is key in the NBA. Another impressive aspect of his game is his skills off-ball.
His sense of awareness to continue to move and find weaknesses in the defense is remarkable considering his age and he plays taller than his listed height of 6’5. Given the way he plays and how he disrupts offenses with his length and timing, some scouts compare him to Jimmy Butler. Jarrett Culver has impacted games at both ends of the court and I can see him having the same career arc as Butler, turning from a defensive specialist into a 4-time All-Star.
Offensively Culver also displays some of the traits of Spurs shooting guard DeMar DeRozan. He gets most of his points with mid-range jumpers or by attacking the basket. His 3-point shot is still inconsistent but it has improved, he made 32.8 percent of this 3-pointers last season and this year he’s shooting 38.2 from beyond the arc. The form is there, he just needs to keep practicing so he can turn that part of his game into a serious weapon.
Areas of Improvement
Although he’s an above average defender, Culver has to improve his man to man coverage in open space. Another concern is his weight, he can lack strength against bigger defenders so he has to continue to bulk up his body or NBA players like James Harden, Jrue Holiday and Victor Oladipo can take advantage of his frail frame.
Dribbling through traffic has been another weakness, sometimes he forces his next move and his shots when his teammates are not open and it has led to turnovers. Culver has to be more patient and improve his shot selection as he gets ready for the next chapter of his career.
I have no doubt that Culver will be a lottery pick with the potential to become a solid 3-and-D player. Youth and talent are on his side, he just has to keep improving his strength, dribbling and shot selection and his draft stock will rise if he keeps playing like he has.
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