Jarrett Culver: The Missing Piece to the Puzzle
Why the Minnesota Timberwolves’ rookie guard and his impressive work ethic are meant to succeed.
College basketball fans recognize him as the stud who dominated at Texas Tech, while NBA fans know him as the seventh overall pick. But Jarrett Culver wasn’t always supposed to be this good.
When he graduated from Coronado High School he was a 3-star recruit who ranked outside the top-300, according to 247Sports. He wasn’t a big name when he joined Texas Tech, but he’s worked hard to get to where he is today. Culver’s high school coach, Layne Sheets, speaks highly of his former player.
“I think he’s going to be an elite player,” Sheets said. “For him to just go and play with so much poise it’s just crazy to me how comfortable he looks out there.”
The Scouting Report
When the 2018–2019 season started, Texas Tech wasn’t ranked. By the end, the Red Raiders were nine points away from an NCAA championship.
It wasn’t a fluke. Culver’s breakout season was the driving force behind Texas Tech’s success. He averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists as the clear-cut No. 1 option. He was the definition of consistent, scoring double-digit points in every game but one.
Culver was a two-way stud who carried Texas Tech on offense while he dominated on the defensive side night in and night out. He was the anchor for Texas Tech’s No. 1 ranked defense.
The 6-foot-7, 195-pound swingman came into the draft as an all-around shooting guard that could impact the game in a ton of ways. Culver is an excellent athlete with underrated explosiveness and strength. He’s adept at getting to the rim and scoring through contact. He’s also developed into a competent 3-point shooter despite the 30.4% he shot from beyond the arc last season.
He was asked to do a lot as the primary playmaker at Texas Tech, which gave him the chance to show off his passing skills. Sheets said that’s one of Culver’s biggest strengths.
“People underestimate how good of a passer he is,” Sheets said. “He’s always been a good passer.”
Culver is a versatile piece that’s perfect for today’s NBA. He has the size to play either wing spot and the skill set to play either guard spot. Culver’s ball-handling and passing vision allow him to take over point guard duties.
In the end, Culver’s calling card is going to be defense. His lateral quickness, solid frame and 6-foot-10 wingspan allow him to cover multiple positions. He’s a no-nonsense defender who locked down opposing wings in college.
Culver’s biggest weakness is his shooting, but even that’s been overblown. He was the sole proprietor of this Red Raiders offense. That led to consistent double teams, naturally, the shooting numbers were down. But still, Culver’s shooting form is pure, it’s fundamental. And more importantly, he has the work ethic to make those concerns moot.
The Work Ethic
It’s easy to tell how hard of a worker Culver is just by his improved numbers. You don’t go from a 3-star recruit to a Wooden Award candidate by wishing for it, it takes hard work. And Culver is a different animal when it comes to hard work.
“At Coronado, he would wake up at 4:50 in the morning and by 5 a.m., he had the shooting machine set up,” Sheets said. “He put himself through an hour workout before we even had practice. And I mean, he would put himself through a hard, hard work out. He wasn’t just up there shooting a few shots and leaving.”
Work ethic makes good players great. Development is one of the hardest things to predict. It’s a correlation, not an absolute. But when you see the dedication Culver puts in, it’s hard to bet against him.
“No one will be trying to improve Jarrett more than Jarrett,” Sheets said. “That’s what makes him so elite. I guarantee he is trying to find every angle he can find to get better, to improve.”
Culver’s work ethic is going to propel him to be great. He has the physical tools and the right mentality to develop into a star.
“When you look at his priorities, he’s not going to be out partying,” Sheets said. “He’s going to be in the gym trying to get better because he wants to be a good person and do what’s right. When he’s focused on trying to be better, when it comes to basketball, there’s not many things that are going to distract him or get in his way.”
The Fit In Minnesota
Jimmy Butler out, Jarrett Culver in.
When Culver was drafted at No. 6 overall it looked to be a perfect fit. The Butler trade left a gaping hole at the wing spot, and Culver was set to fill that. The current starting shooting guard, Josh Okogie, has been a nice little player for the Timberwolves as a defensive stalwart, but his offensive game is raw.
Culver played well during the preseason, and it looked like he would have a substantial role for Minnesota, but it’s been quite the opposite to begin the season. Still, there’s no reason to give up hope.
The Timberwolves have two established scorers in Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins, they handle most of the touches. Once Culver gets on the floor, his defensive prowess will complement Wiggins’ struggles in that department nicely. And Culver’s scoring and playmaking ability will bring the best out of this Minnesota offense.
Once he finds his niche with this team, we’re really going to see his minutes start to take off. Culver will impact the game whether he’s just a role player or the primary option. Minnesota fans are going to love seeing their prized rookie this season.
Final Thoughts
Culver is more than just a great basketball player, he’s a great human being.
“I didn’t want to bother him, but then he texted me one afternoon and said, ‘Thanks for everything,’” Sheets said. “It was super nice.”
Culver is a gem off the court and on the court, he’s got the size, the athleticism and versatility to succeed in today’s NBA. But above all else, it’s the work ethic that will carry him to greatness. He has sparingly played to begin the season, but as the game slows down for him, the breakout will come.
“It’s just a matter of him continuing to adapt to the speed of the game and playing with that caliber of great athletes, which he is one of,” Sheets said. “I think he’s going to be an elite, elite player. I think the sky is the limit for him.”
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All statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
