NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Texas of last decade

8. Jarrett Culver – Texas Tech

When this 3-star prospect arrived on the college scene, few likely expected exactly what was to come for Culver and Texas Tech. A 6’5 guard from Lubbock, he stayed in his hometown and became one of Chris Beard’s first freshman recruits with the Red Raiders. Culver only spent two years playing college ball but he had a pretty phenomenal impact during those two seasons.

He was ready to contribute from the beginning, averaging 11.2 points and 4.8 rebounds during a freshman season where he didn’t start until late January. Culver then helped lead the Red Raiders on an Elite Eight run, but this was just the beginning. He really emerged as a sophomore, putting up 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists a game, leading the Red Raiders in all three categories. His career ended with a magnificent run, as he led Texas Tech to the national championship game for the first time, with a near double-double in that title game loss to Virginia.

That sophomore season was really impressive for Culver and his Red Raiders. He was a Second Team All-American and was named Big 12 Player of the Year. He didn’t just lead the Big 12 in points and field goals but he was vital to the Red Raiders’ defensive attack, leading the entire nation in the metric of defensive win shares. After that fantastic two-year journey under Beard, Culver was off to the next level and was drafted with the 6th pick of the 2019 NBA Draft.