Will Jarrett Culver leave Texas Tech for the NBA Draft?

Texas Tech star Jarrett Culver took his team to the National Championship game this season, but will he look to head to the NBA Draft after finishing up his sophomore year as a Red Raider?

The decision on whether or not to enter into the NBA Draft is almost never an easy one—affiliations with schools, the desire for a degree, or wariness of exact draft position are all things that can throw people off of the draft for early entry. Such is likely the case for Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver.

These things and more are likely weighing in the mind of Texas Tech standout Jarrett Culver, who was ranked in the top 5 of many NBA Draft projections headed into the Red Raiders’ championship-game matchup against the Virginia Cavaliers.

The game would ultimately end in a Cavaliers’ victory, but what could worry Culver the most was his performance in-which he was basically locked down in the first half by a stingy Cavalier defense.

Culver struggled in the first half, but found his footing in the second, making some nice plays to keep the Red Raiders in the game to the very end of the overtime contest. Culver shot just 5 for 22 from the field on the night, but helped with 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals.

The performance certainly can’t ease the mind of Culver as he looks ahead to his NBA Draft (or not) decision in the offseason, but despite shortcomings in his performance, Culver may have the best NBA Prospect on the court.

With plus ability in basically every aspect of the game, his NBA prospects remain incredibly high, and certainly still worthy of an early lottery pick.

Though Culver’s athleticism may not dazzle you, he has a very solid foundation to build upon at the next level, and many of his weaknesses originate in things that come along with time.

Culver stated after the championship game that he remains undecided about his status following the season, and he’ll surely have a lot on his mind headed into the NBA Draft season, but the 2019 Big 12 Player of the Year from Lubbock, Texas, will likely decide to chase his dreams on the next level, due to his stock sky-rocketing this season.

If Culver does decide to enter the NBA Draft in 2019, which I personally believe he will, look for his stock to set him up solidly in the mid-lottery range or higher, depending on how his measurables turn out during the process.

It’s been an interesting ride to national stardom for Culver, but he’s made history taking Texas Tech to the National Championship runner-up, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him look for a new challenge at the next level.