After helping Texas Tech reach the NCAA championship game this spring, sophomore swingman Jarrett Culver has opted to enter the 2019 NBA draft, he announced today at a press conference (Twitter link). While Culver can withdraw his name anytime up until May 29, it would be a surprise if he does so.
Culver, who turned 20 in February, is currently the No. 6 prospect on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, and looks like a lock to be a lottery pick. In his latest mock draft, Givony wrote that despite Culver’s up-and-down play during the NCAA tournament, there’s plenty to like about his game on both ends of the floor.
Givony describes Culver as a player who has the versatility to guard three positions, as well as an active defender and rebounder. The young wing has also shown an improved ability as an on-ball creator and is a reliable shot-maker, though his release is somewhat slow, according to Givony, who has Culver coming off the board at No. 6 to the Wizards in that aforementioned mock.
For the 2018/19 season, Culver averaged 18.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 3.7 APG with a .461/.304/.707 shooting line. He shot just 3-and-12 from the floor in the Final Four versus Michigan State and 5-of-22 against Virginia in the NCAA championship. However, he had some stronger performances earlier in March Madness, including 29 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in round one against Northern Kentucky.
Man this is such an interesting draft class.
Feel like his Final 4/Championship performance would kill his stock in some other years
His shot had too much arc, but that is fixable.
It’s hard to score when you don’t have a good jumper but he had a lot of good defensive plays and offensive boards for a guard. Reminds me of Emmanuel Mudiay but bigger.