Jarrett Culver May Very Well Be A Top-3 Pick In The NBA Draft
The NCAA Tournament belonged to Jarrett Culver. He took a monumental leap forward. The NBA is calling his name. Ask some scouts. They’ll say Culver is a top-three player in this year’s NBA Draft.
Going into March, many hadn’t heard of Jarrett Culver. He was known by dedicated college basketball fans, not the casuals. Soon enough, the Texas Tech forward will be a multi-millionaire in the NBA. Culver will be worth every penny. And he’ll have the attention of the basketball world.
It’s bold to say Culver could be a top-three pick. Assuming the players who are projected at 1 and 2 (Zion Williamson and Ja Morant) go in that order, there’s no questioning he’s just as good as RJ Barrett, Darius Garland, and Cam Reddish. In fact, he might be better.
Culver’s stats jump off the page. He lead Texas Tech in points (18.5), rebounds (6.7), assists (3.7), 3-point attempts (4.2), and free throw attempts (5.5). Nobody expects Culver to lead his NBA team in all of these categories. Although, to know he’s capable of picking up the slack in different areas of the game helps his value.
One area that has scouts salivating, his ability to slash to the basket. Culver has a Giannis-like attack. He gets to the rim with ease. With that comes a lot of foul calls. Again, he averages 5.4 per game. That number will likely increase if Culver continues to be aggressive on offense at the pro level.
If Jarrett Culver is putting on the flash for NBA scouts, he’s doing so the right way. Similar to how Steph Curry and Dwayne Wade made their ascent up the NBA Draft boards in the NCAA Tournament, the same can be said for Culver.
In March, the 6’5 forward has averaged 21.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.6 steals. He also had a fantastic two games in April during the Red Raiders Final Four and National Championship contests.
Culver isn’t shy of shooting the ball. He’s averaged 5.2 three-point attempts in March. Of course, he’s only shooting those at a .262 rate. That’s one aspect of his game he needs to improve upon. Culver didn’t trust his shot in the National Title game. He’s still got a ton of confidence, though.
Jarrett Culver has taken more shots in March (and the 2 games in April) than any other month this season. This proves he has the star potential. Culver can carry a heavy load for his NBA team. The shots will fall for him, just some refining and practice will give him an edge in the shooting department.
If you’re one of the team’s that doesn’t get Zion or Morant, you’ll find Jarrett Culver to be a great consolation prize. By adding a more consistent jump shot and 3-point shot to his arsenal, Culver is an NBA All-Star. If he starts as a rookie, he’s good for around 15+ points, 6+ rebounds, and 4 assists (projected) right now. That’s enough to warrant a top pick. No telling how good he’ll be in 2-3 years.
Image Source: USA Today
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
