2019 NBA Draft: 5 Reasons Atlanta Hawks Should Trade Up For Jarrett Culver
By Chris Guest
Defense & Defensive Fit
Where the Atlanta Hawks can employ Jarrett Culver to the team’s best benefit is on the defensive end. Culver was named the Big 12 Player of the Year in his sophomore campaign, and though much of that hype came from his increased offensive burden and production, it must be noted that he was also a terrific defender as well.
Though flawed metrics, Culver ranked 6th in the country in raw defensive rating (86.7) per Sports Reference, and he was number one in the country in defensive win shares with 3.5. Since there are no truly excellent stats that gauge a player’s defensive ability, those two will have to serve as a decent proxy for a player that is truly terrific on the less glamorous end.
Once again leaning on Red Team Scouting’s profile of Culver, he grades out as a 5.9 or higher in “on-ball defense, off-ball defense, help defense and switching.” The only category that he doesn’t hit those thresholds is “high impact plays,” though the site offers the caveat of “he is a disruptive defender who will be able to create extra possessions within the flow of the defense.”
Certainly, watching footage of Culver showcases a terrific frame who will likely be able to put on bulk as his career progresses and has a strong feel for the game and an eminently high basketball IQ.