[OhCanada-Participant]

This initially was a response to ghettosermon’s reply in the Virginia NCAA Champs thread. I thought it deserved its own topic.

Culver ended the season with a tough performance against Virginia but Culver didnt really get exposed. He’s already done this plenty of times this season, including the game against Michigan State. I’ve personally seen it in 3 games which is about more or less half the games I watched him play. Good thing is at this point it doesnt seem to be a mental issue.

He just kinda has a high/telagraphed dribble and it seems easy for good defenders to read his next move. He has good enough handles but his moves are very robotic and he doesnt have much of a counter to his game. He makes his decisions and lives or dies by them. He still continues to try to beat the offense and doesnt shy away but I see him trying other thngs throughout the games he struggles. 

I think from watching him over the course of the season this proves that he is probably not a guy you want to expect to be your 1st option. Kinda like Butler, Jimmy could probably drop 25 points 5 assists a game but you dont want to have to rely on him to carry your offense and theres alot of other ways he would be able to effect the game if less effort was applied on that end.

Thats not a big issue for his draft stock though. Culver has shown he is a very versatile player . I think he’s worked himself into the top six and is probably the fourth best prospect in the draft.

[kobyzParticipant]

 He just not a finished product yet and need to polish his game, but still impressive prospect with great feel for the game, I’m high on him and think he should be a top 6 pick, I compare him to Jalen Rose type player but with upside of Gordon Hayward

[ChewyParticipant]

 I’m not surprised by this since I watch a lot of the B12 and I’ve seen him dissapear for stretches before. To me, I don’t think this changes his draft stock. I hope people weren’t projecting him to be a #1 scorer for any NBA team at any point in his career. That won’t happen.

But, he can and is willing to play lockdown defense. His jumpshot is good enough that it should get better with NBA reps and he is strong with the ball on drives to the hoop. I don’t see him as a player who creates his own drives. Rather, I see him getting a kickout from a teammate after the teammate draws 2 defenders and then Culver can use that space to make a strong move to the basket.

He is a good building block for a team and in a few years can be a top 3 player on a playoff team.

 

 

[cominup7Participant]

 how does he compare to KCP? Honestly I haven’t seen a lot of him but that sounds a lot like Caldwell Pope

[kobyzParticipant]

 Not at all, kcp is a 3 and D player more or less, Culver is a playmaker wing type player or even pg, his style of play is a lot like Duncic quite honestly…

[ChewyParticipant]

 something always doesn’t match up and then people jump down your throat about it. But if I did do a comp, KCP isn’t a great one to me.

Someone said Josh Howard at Wake Forest and I really liked that one. Kris Middleton a bit in terms of driving and defense (Culver doesn’t have Kris’ jumpshot yet). Ohio State Evan Turner isn’t a bad comp, not a great one either.

For me: I HOPE he has a career like Bruce Bowen or Doug Christie. Knock down spot up shots, play great D, and pump fake and drive every now and then.

For that reason, I think he is suited to be more of a player #3 on a playoff team, and player #5 on a championship team.

[weballin.netParticipant]

Culver’s prototypical size for the NBA has made people forget how much he has  been inconsistent and lacks a real strength.

He’s a good but not elite athlete, has not displayed efficient ball handling or shooting and has been awfully bad on offense in the F4 (combined 8/34 fg including 1/9 3pt…).

What will be important below the top three will be to focus on strengths and weaknesses rather than hype, which will not be made easier by the fact than most prospects outside the top three have been average or bad during the tournament (it was the case for Hunter until the Final Four). 

I’d rather pick in the 20s and see who slips (KPJ? )  or gamble on a prospect like Horton Tucker or Elleby rather than in the 5-15 range and be afraid to regret my pick

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 It was a rough game for him. Virginia was determined not to let him beat them. They put their best defender on him (hunter) and sent help when he drove. He missed a few shots you would normally expect him to make but for the most part he just wasn’t getting any good looks at the basket. He started to press and forced up some contested 3s (not really his strength right now). He did a decent job getting his teammates involved but also struggled at times to make the correct read out of the trap or double and had some silly turnovers. You could tell he was pressing out there for most of the game. 

Still like him as a prospect overall and I don’t think one or 2 bad games will suddenly kill his draft stock. He is versatile and can guard two to three positions on the floor and serve as both a lead ball handler and a guy who can play off the ball. I see some similarities to caris levert in his game (although not a perfect comparison). Outside shooting needs to improve for sure and could probably stand to tighten his handle and improve his decision making a bit. If he had a chance of going top 5, that may be out the window now but there’s no way he makes it out of the lottery imo.

[SubZeroParticipant]

Culver won’t (or shouldn’t) be asked to be a team’s #1 scorer or creator. I don’t think this changes anything

[The GoatParticipant]

 Late lotto 

[treytalkssports.comParticipant]

 Remember Josh Howard for the Mavs back in the day? Culver’s game is exactly like his. 

Before his career was derailed, people were starting to recognize him as a top 5 wing player. I think Culver can be really special. 

[Sewok15Participant]

 He reminds me of Evan Turner a bit. If he becomes a consistent shooter he will be a threat if not I worry about his future as a starter on a good team. 

[Arc12345Participant]

He doesn’t seem to have that IT factor. All the tools are there though.

Wouldnt be shocked if he put the work in and became a Kawhi Leonard type, but I see him as a more athletic Trevor Ariza. Not what I’m looking for at the top of the lottery. 

[CoachWyersParticipant]

 I think Culver will fill a Khris Middleton type role in the NBA, which is be a good 2nd or 3rd best player on a good team.  I think his draft range is Top 5-Top 10.

[MelParticipant]

 I wouldn’t put too much stock into one game… if he had 40, we shouldn’t be talking about him as a potential 1st pick.

I think in an actual offense with actual talent, no offense TTech, but he will have more space to operate and hopefully more catch-and-go instead of iso ball.

[sweaterflexParticipant]

I see shades of Caris LaVert and Jimmy Jackson. I think he needs good spacing to be effective and could see him settling in as more of a solid starter than an all star. 

[holefillers1Participant]

Lavert is a great comp.  look how his offense has developed since his time at Michigan.   Even lost in the Championship bame 

[HeroescantdieParticipant]

and Championship game I think it will affect his stock a little bit, just a little bit only. But to me it wont change, I think he isn’t afraid to shoot or take over even though he is struggling. Actually it impressed me aliitle bit about him when his team needed a big basket late he hit it except in overtime, as I watch the F4, he is struggling in that game but he scored waht? 6 or 7 pts in the clutch, hitting abig 3, and a floater that keeps MSU away. In the championship game he hit a layup via spin to take the lead but hunter had other plans though. He won’t be a number 1 option IMO. But we cannot tell exactly until that time comes, there are draft prospects who defy assumptions and projections before the draft.

[llperez]

 i watched his final 4 games starting with the oregon game in the sweet 16. He defenitely struggled for numerous stretches and was far from dominant but at the same time, I really like his game a lot. I wouldnt hold it against him too much. 

[Author]

Posts