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MINNEAPOLIS – Lost in the middle of an epic Saturday night at the Final Four and rumors about what should be a match for the low-scoring national title is a clash between two of the top 10 hopes of the NBA Draft that remained under the radar throughout the championship on Monday.
Tony Bennett against Chris Beard is the main focus, absolutely, as two brilliant tacticians meet at US Bank Stadium in their first game for the title. But the duel between De & Andre Hunter of Virginia and Jarrett Culver of Texas Tech could last until late June. Even though they are not as complimentary as Zion Williamson and Duke's RJ Barrett, Culver and Hunter will not have to wait long for their names to be named in the NBA 2019 project.
At a time when prospects were simple, Culver and Hunter were lower-level graduates from high school. Culver was No. 312 in the 247Sports Composite ranking; Hunter was No. 91. Yet in the second year, they blossomed into stars.
"The hype has always been around Duke guys all year, but some of the guys who have always been brilliant, like De 'Andre Hunter, like Jarrett Culver, are not getting as much praise from him. ", told CBS Sports, the Virginia star, Jayden Nixon. "But they know that the fruits of their work are producing results, both teams have their two best players and the top two teams are in the league."
Enter the role
The history of Jarrett Culver was informed at length. A discreet rookie, Culver was a surprising first-year co-star in the Beard system. When Texas Tech suddenly lost Zhaire Smith to the NBA after one season, the question of how good the Red Raiders could be could depend on Culver's quality.
Culver heard the noise, the skepticism. He went to work.
"His work ethic is unmatched," said teammate and roommate Malik Ondigo, who came to Texas Tech with Culver in the same recruiting class. "He works harder at the gym than anyone I've been to, and I think his work ethic and his love of the game separate him."
The Culver game is classic. He is a playmaker, with a solid handle and great vision, and he combines that with the elite defense that Beard expects from all his players. His analyzes are solid, especially on the defensive side, where he led the country in terms of defensive winning actions, according to the sportsman.
More than anything, it is adaptable. His role has changed dramatically since last season – when Keenan Evans and Smith brought Tech – to this one.
"[Jarrett] completely changed his jump shot [last offseason], "Ondigo said." So, his willingness to change things in his game that he's had all his life, I mean, he's constantly working on his balloon management. For him to be able to do that, once he started putting everything together, I thought to myself, "It's over." He already has the kick jumped, he can play without a ball, he can cut, he is athletic, he is long, he defends, he can bounce at a high pace. Becoming a game maker has really expanded its game.
"His cap is very high, I think it's one of the highest in the repechage, because his work ethic, his ability to see the game." He's a scorer, he wants to score – Jarrett loves getting his buckets – but he's also cool to be a smuggler who plays outside the ball – his ability to play is outstanding. "
The maestro 3-D
While Culver polished his game for a more important role as a sophomore, Hunter did the same. Hunter had a great second year in 2017-18, but Virginia's infamous loss against UMBC, seeded 16th with a broken left wrist. He could have become professional and probably would have been drafted, perhaps in the first round, but the decision to come back – unfinished business, redemption, all these warm and fuzzy reasons – was validated and then, thanks to his steady rise this season.
"His work ethic is crazy," said Braxton Key of Virginia Junior. "From Andre, this summer, he was shooting extra shots, he was working on 3 shots and goals, on the road, on his dribble, he was just working on his game every day, he's doing everything."
The archetype of a 3-D perspective in the dictionary shows Hunter smiling with a basketball in hand (probably). We know that wing 6-7 can defend and shoot – it was the CAC's defensive player of the year, away from light – but it can also create shots for itself and for others in addition to bounce back. His attraction as an NBA player is his ability to change screens, be an elite defenseman and extend the field.
Unlocking the top of Hunter's game will come with time, as he develops his game and handshake and grabs the concepts of the NBA, but the flashes of stars blended between high-end production are there.
"He's really good at his teammates, he's an outstanding defenseman at the ball, and his halfway match is phenomenal," Nixon said. "Basically, he's like another Kawhi Leonard."
Projection forward
Kawhi Leonard? Hyperbola? Perhaps. Although the figures are convincing ….
- Kawhi Leonard, second season at SDSU: 15.5 points per game, 10.6 rpg, 2.5 hours per game, 29.1% from 3
- From Andre Hunter, junior season in Virginia: 14.9 games per game, 5.0 games per game, 2.0 hours per game, 42.0% from 3
Hunter has a little Leonard to his game, but he's his own perspective, still largely untapped and flourishing. "He's still scratching the surface of what he's going to become," Bennett said.
With the trajectory of Hunter, it is impossible to predict its ceiling. What is possible, even probable: that a team recognizes its potential and its production and make it a good choice. He could be the best player in Virginia since Ralph Sampson was ranked first in 1983.
"He worked extremely hard during the off season," said Nixon. "He and Ty [Jerome] worked two, three times a day each day. He just took his place, really. From this summer [to now]He has grown so much as a player, so I can not wait to see what he will look like when he gets that NBA training experience. "
The peculiarities of Culver and Hunter go beyond their soft-spoken attitudes and their unusual journey to become university basketball stars. The untapped potential is shouting, and when it comes up, when there really are things that click, look.
Culver has its own nuances of comparison with the NBA. "It's not obvious, of course," says Parker, "but his playing style is very much like Mr.J., just with his style."
Yes, that's Michael Jordan.
"He studies M.J. a lot," added Ondigo. "He's studying Kobe a lot, his favorite player is Jamal Crawford, I feel like he's playing and with his footwork, a bigger wing, maybe a sportier Ryan Anderson, a Paul George type guy he's just using. his skills to beat you. "
Aside from the hyperbolic comparisons, Culver and Hunter are the most appealing individual match of the game for Monday's national title. And with a combined total of 33.5 points per game this season in between, the unique talents at opposite ends of the field will have a giant say on who wins everything – and who goes home empty.
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