Jarrett Culver

[Coolbreeze44]

Isn't this thread about Culver? I wish we could see him play some more ball. I'm keeping my expectations tempered. Hopefully he can hit the 3 at a decent rate. I am not expecting him to be a PG at all.

I agree with Doper

[Lipoli390]

Back to the topic. Here's an interesting comparison between last season's college stats of two players drafted in the first round this year. One of them is Jarrett Culver. Can you guess the name of the other player and can you guess which one is Culver? (Note: Don't read the comments underneath the comparison. It will spoil the fun because someone gave the answer in their comments).

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/ammx0q/second_blind_nba_draft_player_comparison_stats/

[Porckchop]

This team is desperate for 3pt shooting and pg potential. You don't draft a guy that doesn't do either one well in the lottery. Let alone trade up for him. IMO he has Wes Johnson written all over him. Our hopes that he fulfills our needs is based on nothing more than him just being a new toy that gives us unsubstantiated hope.

[Monster]

This team is desperate for 3pt shooting and pg potential. You don't draft a guy that doesn't do either one well in the lottery. Let alone trade up for him. IMO he has Wes Johnson written all over him. Our hopes that he fulfills our needs is based on nothing more than him just being a new toy that gives us unsubstantiated hope.

It's fair to temper expectations on Culver but comparing him to Wes Johnson isn't fair either. Wes turned 23 years old before his rookie season and played for a good Syracuse team (in a zone defense). Meanwhile Culver led his team to the national Championship game a few weeks after turning 20. Wes Johnson had 150 assists his entire 3 year college career. Culver had 142 last season.

[bleedspeed]

This team is desperate for 3pt shooting and pg potential. You don't draft a guy that doesn't do either one well in the lottery. Let alone trade up for him. IMO he has Wes Johnson written all over him. Our hopes that he fulfills our needs is based on nothing more than him just being a new toy that gives us unsubstantiated hope.

It's fair to temper expectations on Culver but comparing him to Wes Johnson isn't fair either. Wes turned 23 years old before his rookie season and played for a good Syracuse team (in a zone defense). Meanwhile Culver led his team to the national Championship game a few weeks after turning 20. Wes Johnson had 150 assists his entire 3 year college career. Culver had 142 last season.

And Wes Johnson also smiled alot more.

Realistically though I think he will have a Wes Johnson, Corey Brewer, Randy Foye, and Rashad McCants type career.

[Lipoli390]

This team is desperate for 3pt shooting and pg potential. You don't draft a guy that doesn't do either one well in the lottery. Let alone trade up for him. IMO he has Wes Johnson written all over him. Our hopes that he fulfills our needs is based on nothing more than him just being a new toy that gives us unsubstantiated hope.

It's fair to temper expectations on Culver but comparing him to Wes Johnson isn't fair either. Wes turned 23 years old before his rookie season and played for a good Syracuse team (in a zone defense). Meanwhile Culver led his team to the national Championship game a few weeks after turning 20. Wes Johnson had 150 assists his entire 3 year college career. Culver had 142 last season.

I'm not happy with the Culver pick compared to other alternatives. But he's not Wes Johnson. In fact, he's the anti-WJ. Smiling Wes had no competitive drive or passion for the game. Culver is just the opposite. He's all drive and passion. Because of that, I have little doubt he'll work and compete his way to becoming a decent player.

My problem is that I don't see him having the talent/upside worthy of the 6th pick. It's worse that one of his weaknesses, shooting, is one of the skills we need the most. And I don't see a guy who shot 30% from behind the arc and 70% from the free throw line his last year in college becoming a good perimeter shooter at the NBA level. We also need a ball-on-the-string ballhandler in our pool of young guards; right now we don't have any and Culver clearly isn't in that mold based on what I've seen of him.

But thankfully, I don't see Culver or anyone else on this roster as the next smiling Wes. :)

[bleedspeed]

I think he most closely fits the Randy Foye model. We needed a Brandon Roy though.

[Monster]

I think he most closely fits the Randy Foye model. We needed a Brandon Roy though.

How about we compare Culver to a guy he more closely resembles in Evan Turner? Randy Foye played 4 years of college and for most of it was much less efficient than Culver. Culver may not reach it but he does have age and potential on his side and I'm not even that high on Culver.

Much like When Evan Turner was touted as the next Roy I was skeptical because Roy was more the exception to the rule but...who would have thought after Roy's sophomore or even Junior year he would become a pseudo nba star guard?

I choose to have some optimism about Culver (to be more than a meh NBA rotation player while also being very realistic. I do think his ability to play with the ball in his hands is better than I initially realized which certainly adds to his value.

[bleedspeed]

Evan Turner is a good comparison. I just am very tempered with my expectations.

[kekgeek]

I don't get why Culver gets his shooting shit on so much. Dude was a good shooter his freshman year when he was not the focal point of the offense. He was a good catch and shoot 3pt shooter, what he will be with the Wolves assuming we run offense through Kat.

At best in my opinion Culver is Jimmy Butler or Kris Middleton, a guy who can't lead you team to greatness as your best player but can be a great 2nd fiddle in ball handling. If he can switch 1-3 defensively he will be fine, feel like he will be an above average NBA role player with the chance to be a in the borderline all star category.

He was able to make a ton of difficult tough mid range 2s in college, if those contested long 2s become contested long 3s we have a damn good player.