To say what Chris Beard and his staff have done on the recruiting trail for Texas Tech in less than six months has been impressive would be a gross understatement. They've been flat out turning heads with the way they've pulled in talented prospect after talented prospect since arriving on campus, putting Red Raider basketball on the fast track back to relevance in college basketball.
That theme kept rolling on Thursday night, as Lubbock native and Coronado shooting guard Jarrett Culver committed to Tech over TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Illinois, and Texas, who some considered to be the favorite to land the West Texas hooper.
Beard offered Culver his first day as head coach, and the Red Raiders continued to make up ground with the local guard over the last few months. The shooting guard certainly took notice, telling RedRaiderSports.com's Drew Kohnle that Beard had made him a clear priority to shape the future of the program last week.
“He’s been trying to sell me on how I could come in and help the program win and be in a winning program,” Culver said. “I’m all about winning, too, so we have that connection. He thinks I can help them win and this and that.
“He tells me that I’m a top priority for Texas Tech, and I definitely feel the love on that. He tells me that a lot, and I can definitely see that, especially with the way they have been recruiting me.”
Culver is also undoubtedly the most talented basketball prospect to come out of Lubbock in over a decade. An as it turns out, staying home to be an athlete at Texas Tech runs in the Culver family.
Jarrett's older brother Trey Culver is a high jumper for Wes Kittley's Red Raider track and field team team, and not just any run of the mill high jumper, either. Culver won the NCAA Indoor high jump national championship last spring, making him already one of the most decorated student athletes at Texas Tech in recent memory.
Now, the youngest Culver will try and make his own legacy on the hard court for Chris Beard's Red Raiders.
Culver averaged 20 points per game last season at Coronado, adding 9.3 points per game and 4.2 rebounds per game in AAU competition this year.
