It’s been nearly two decades since the Texas Tech basketball program produced an impactful NBA player. But with the rise in Red Raider hoops under Chris Beard, players like Zhaire Smith and Jarrett Culver have ended this program’s drought when it came to producing first-round talent, which dated back to 1997 and Tony Battie.
But while Smith has seen his NBA career get off to a slow start with most of his last two seasons being spent in the G-League because of a broken foot and a food allergy attack that was nearly fatal, Culver’s professional basketball baptism has been under the bright lights of the NBA.