The 2019 NBA Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. The Game Haus will be doing scouting reports on some of the top prospects in the 2019 NBA Draft. Texas Tech wing Jarrett Culver helped lead the Red Raiders to their first Final Four in school history and is now looking to take his talents to the next level.

Background

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRhEvWUJ-aY

Position: Guard/Forward

Class: Sophomore

2018-2019 stats: 18.5 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game, 1.4 steals per game, 0.6 blocks per game, 46% field goal, 30% 3 point

Size: 6-foot-5, 195 pounds

Culver was one of the most improved players in the country this season, even though he had a solid freshman season for the Red Raiders. As a sophomore, he took his game to a whole other level and will now be in consideration to be selected early in the 2019 NBA Draft.

He arrived in Lubbock as a three-star prospect (according to 247sports.com), but made an impact for Chris Beard as a first-year player with 11.2 points per game. In his second season, Culver was the team leader and elevated his game immensely, as he averaged 18.5 points per game and was a consensus All-American. His play helped Texas Tech get all the way to the National Championship Game, but they lost to Virginia in overtime.

Even though they came up short against Virginia, Culver proved he was one of the best players in college basketball. Heading into the draft, Culver is projected to be selected within the top 10 picks.

Strengths

Culver is a great defender, as he has the necessary foot quickness to stay in front and some solid length for an off-ball guard. He was a part of a great team defense at Texas Tech, so he understands how to best help his teammates. Culver is a threat to get steals as he can step into passing lanes well.

While he isn’t a point guard, Culver runs the pick and roll well. This will make him a good fit for today’s NBA, as pick and rolls are used very often. In the pick and roll, he can read the defense well to set his teammates up for an easy basket or he can force his way to the basket for two points.

Culver is great inside the perimeter on offense. He can drive to the basket and finishes well. His mid-range game is also good, even if it is coming in an era that doesn’t utilize that shot often. He can create his own shot and doing so puts a lot of pressure on a defense, as a lot of his damage comes from 15-feet and in.

Weaknesses

He doesn’t shoot the ball well for a wing, especially with how important spacing the floor is in today’s NBA. Culver shot just 30% from deep last season and took plenty of shots from deep. He’ll need to develop his shot to be a real offensive threat. There is some hope though, as he shot 38% from three-point range as a freshman, so if he isn’t the focal point of the offense, he may be able to knock down open looks.

Culver’s style of play can lead to a lot of fouls, but he isn’t the greatest free throw shooter for a wing. He hit 70 percent of his shots from the charity stripe this season, which was an improvement, but if he wants to capitalize on his offensive opportunities he needs to knock down a higher percentage.

On offense, he can be prone to taking bad shots. A lot of times he took contested shots, whether it was from deep or near the basket. That is a big factor in why he hit less than half of his field goals this past season. With improved shot selection, he will be a much more efficient player.

Projected Draft Range: Top 10 pick

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