Former NBA Lottery Pick Signs With Surprise Team

The four-year NBA veteran has found an unexpected new home this offseason

Apr 10, 2022; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Jarrett Culver (23), guard De'Anthony Melton (0), guard Kyle Anderson (1), forward Santi Aldama (7) and guard Yves Pons (5) huddle up during a timeout during the second half against the Boston Celtics at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The 2019 NBA Draft, at the time, was noted as one of the best in recent memory. The top five picks consisted of Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, RJ Barrett, De'Andre Hunter, and Darius Garland, all guys who have made a good living in the league.

The 2019 lottery was filled with productive guys, as Coby White, Rui Hachimura, Cam Johnson, PJ Washington, and Tyler Herro all rounded out a solid group of top 13 picks, but there were a few question marks in the gaps.

With the sixth overall pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Jarrett Culver. The 6-foot-6 wing out of Texas Tech had an impressive rookie campaign, averaging 9.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game, but he struggled to find consistency after that.

Culver played two seasons in Minnesota before getting traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he made 37 appearances, averaging 3.5 points per game. However, even his career in Memphis was short-lived. Culver ultimately signed with the Atlanta Hawks on a two-way contract, but his ten appearances with them were his last in the NBA.

Culver spent the entire 2024-25 season in the G League, but he is now testing out a new route. Culver recently signed a deal with the Sendai 89ers, a Japanese team, for the 2025-26 season.

✍️ Jarrett Culver @jarrettc08 signs @89ERS_Official 🇯🇵#RBAShowcase | @B_LEAGUE pic.twitter.com/MrHSX9dkit

— RBA Showcase (@RBAShowcase) June 20, 2025

Culver was a flawed prospect in some ways coming out of college, but nobody would have expected him to be signing a deal in Japan at age 26. Of course, everyone has their own path in the world of basketball, and Culver finding his way overseas could be the best thing for his career.