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NBA Draft 2019: 10 players most likely to overachieve their draft position

By Brian Rauf

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 19: Nassir Little #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels hangs on the rim after dunking against against the St. Francis Red Flash during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 19, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 19: Nassir Little #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels hangs on the rim after dunking against against the St. Francis Red Flash during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 19, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 28: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates after making a basket and drawing a foul against the Michigan Wolverines during the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 28, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 28: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates after making a basket and drawing a foul against the Michigan Wolverines during the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 28, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Jarrett Culver

Cam Reddish, Barrett’s teammate at Duke, is the player in this draft class that gets most compared to Paul George, but Culver fits that billing much more accurately.

He was the best defender on the best defensive team in the country (Texas Tech ranked ahead of Virginia in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom) and excels both on and off the ball. At 6-7, Culver has the size, strength and quickness to defend any position on the perimeter, something that has become invaluable in the NBA. It’s also a skill that made George a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year this season.

Culver is also a polished offensive player. He’s not the most explosive athlete but has no problem getting to the rim and finishing around the basket. Add in a reliable three-point jumper, toughness, rebounding, good passing, and quality ball-handling, and you have an extremely versatile offensive threat. Again, that do-it-all offensive game made George an MVP finalist as well.

So where can you get this player who has already shown he can affect a game in every way at the highest level? Remember, he was Texas Tech’s best everything and nearly led them to a national championship.

Culver is projected to go anywhere from No. 5 to the Cleveland Cavaliers to No. 8 to the Atlanta Hawks. No matter where he falls in that range, he will be a steal.

Like George, it’s easy to see Culver as a No. 2 option on a championship-caliber team, and that may be why teams don’t view him in the same light as players projected to go ahead of him. But, because of the multitude of things that he does well, he projects to make an immediate impact and be a long-term starter in the league.

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