Derek Culver may be one of the most dynamic basketball players in the Class of 2017, but it hasn’t always been that way for the 6’8”, 225 lb, Power Forward from Warren G. Harding High School (Warren, OH). Culver didn’t begin playing basketball as young as you’d expect, saying, “I started playing basketball around the age of nine. Football was actually my first sport, but once you wake up six-foot, whatever, you have to throw that out the window.”

His decision to move from football to basketball was a transition that has elevated him towards becoming one of high school basketball’s most talented big men.

 

     Hailing from Warren, Ohio, Derek Culver has been influenced greatly by his family. With almost 20 scholarship offers in total, Culver has to stay focused. He makes sure to give credit to his family for keeping him zeroed in on his goal of making it to the NBA. “They’ve always been there for me. They always tell me that, ‘It’s just basketball.’ They always have my back and when things get tough, I can call on them,” Culver explained. “Ultimately, a kid’s favorite dream is to make it to the NBA, but I have to take everything a step at a time. I have to enjoy the process, and if God has that planned for me, it would just be a blessing.”

Culver’s college decision should have a strong impact on whether he will be able to make it to the NBA, but don’t expect a decision soon: “I have no timetable as of right now. I’m just waiting until the day comes. My family will come together, and I’ll make my decision then.”

 

     Whichever school Culver decides to attend will be receiving one of the best big men in the 2017 Class. While Culver has a unique ability to dominate in the post, it’s actually his playmaking ability that, he feels, separates his game from other players his height: “I feel that my greatest strengths are my passing and rebounding. There are many big men who can’t pass like I can, on the fly and on point.” he said.

Much of this can be attributed to Culver’s previous experience as a football player. Playing football in elementary school was a major factor in Culver’s ability to play a strong post game. “In football, you have to have good footwork and in basketball, for a big man, footwork is key. So, I believe that gives me the edge of my other big men opponents because usually big men have slow feet, but I have fast feet and fast hands, and I got that from the coordination of football. That’s given me the extra edge.”

 

    Despite being heralded as a top ten power forward in his class, Culver looks to improve. Modeling his game after players like Jabari Parker and Karl-Anthony Towns, he has been able to distinguish himself among the star-studded cast of Power Forwards in the Class of 2017. This has led him to set high expectations for the rest of this season, saying, “My goal for the rest of the season is to average 26 or 27 points per game and 15 rebounds per game, but that’s second to winning a state championship. I really want to win a state championship. I would like to have one of those before I finish high school.”

 

     While it is clear that playing at Warren G. Harding High School is very important to Culver, playing AAU with Ohio Basketball Club has been just as beneficial to his game.  Last year, Culver’s stock ascended, as he showed that he could compete with the best. “It’s helped me improve because people say that the AAU circuit is all guard and that taught me guard-like skills. Being a guard appeals to me.” explained the Ohio Basketball Club star.

 

    Derek Culver hasn’t made his college decision yet, but there is no doubt that whichever school lands the coveted forward will be getting a star in the making. The way that Culver has dealt with the added pressure of being one of the top prospects in the Class of 2017 has shown that Culver is ready for the pressures of college basketball. As Culver explained it best: “I honestly just have to roll with the punches. I can’t really do anything about it now, so I just have to see what it reveals. As of right now, I’m just taking it day by day and staying humble.”