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Texas Tech basketball: Jarrett Culver’s five best games as a Red Raider

By Matthew Conner

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates late in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates late in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

As the basketball world turns their attention to the NBA Draft, let’s look back at the top five games of Jarrett Culver’s Red Raider career before he begins his professional career.

Tonight, Jarrett Culver will be the first player in the Chris Beard era of Texas Tech basketball and second in program history to become an NBA Lottery pick.  And this marks the second-consecutive season that Beard’s program has produced a first round pick after Zhaire Smith was taken No. 16 by Phoenix last season before being traded to Philadelphia.

Overall, 24 Red Raiders have been taken in the NBA Draft with Garland Head being the first back in 1947.  Tony Battie remains the highest draft pick in program history being taken at No. 5 overall in 1997 by the Denver Nuggets.  And tonight, many expect Culver to he taken right around that same spot.

Our friends over at Busting Brackets have Culver headed to Cleveland at No. 5 in their final mock draft.  The Cavilers are in the middle of a massive rebuild in the second year after LeBron James bolted for L.A. and need to surround last year’s first round pick, PG Collin Sexton, with playmakers and Culver could fit that bill.

USA Today, 247Sports, NBC Sports, all have Culver heading to New Orleans at No. 4.  Most believe that the Pelicans are highly interested in Culver after trading All-NBA forward Anthony Davis to the Lakers for the No. 4 pick.  Also holding the No. 1 overall pick, the Pelicans will add Zion Williamson and another elite college prospect to begin a new era in the Crescent City.

CBS Sports and a few other mock draft sites have Culver falling to Phoenix at No. 6.  And virtually no one has the Big 12 Player of the Year getting past the Chicago Bulls at No. 7.

Whenever the Lubbock native is drafted, it will mark the end of the an improbable journey from the No. 312 high school player in the nation in  2017 to the top of the 2019 NBA rookie class. Let’s commemorate Culver’s accomplishment by taking a look at his five best games as a Red Raider.

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