Jarrett Culver’s basketball journey has taken him far from the NBA spotlight-but he’s finally found his rhythm, and it’s happening halfway across the globe. Once a lottery pick with high expectations in Minnesota, Culver is now putting up star-caliber numbers in Japan’s B.League, reminding everyone that sometimes the path to success isn’t linear-it’s just different.
Drafted sixth overall by the Timberwolves in 2019, Culver entered the league with promise. He had the physical tools, the college pedigree, and the defensive upside teams covet in a wing.
But after two underwhelming seasons in Minnesota, he was shipped to Memphis in a deal that brought Patrick Beverley to the Wolves. From there, it was a short stint with the Grizzlies, followed by a season with the Atlanta Hawks-though that year was more G League than NBA.
Culver was on a two-way deal, saw action in just 10 NBA games, and was waived by January. He spent most of that season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Houston Rockets’ G League affiliate.
For a player once viewed as a franchise cornerstone, it was a humbling stretch. But Culver didn’t fold-he kept working.
Fast forward to the 2025-26 season, and Culver has reinvented himself with the Sendai 89ers in Japan’s B.League. It’s his first overseas stop, and it’s safe to say he’s making the most of it. Through 24 games, he’s started every one, leading the team in minutes (30.2 per game) and establishing himself as one of the league’s elite.
Culver is averaging 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He’s shooting a solid 48.2% from the field and hitting 34.1% of his threes on over seven attempts per contest.
That scoring average? It leads the entire league.
Only five players are putting up 20 or more points per game in the B.League this season, and three of them-Culver, Stanley Johnson (21.3), and David Nwaba (20.2)-are former NBA players. That’s good company, and Culver’s at the top of the list.
What’s clear is that Culver has found a system and a role that fits. He’s not just surviving in Japan-he’s thriving. He’s the go-to guy, the focal point, and he’s delivering night in and night out.
Before making the jump to Japan, Culver spent a season in the G League with the Osceola Magic, Orlando’s affiliate. He joined via a training camp deal and carved out a solid role, appearing in 34 games and starting six.
In 27.6 minutes per game, he posted 13.9 points, 4.9 boards, 1.9 assists, and a steal, shooting 45.3% from the floor and 33.5% from beyond the arc on 5.3 three-point attempts. It wasn’t eye-popping, but it was steady-enough to show he still had something in the tank.
Now, in Japan, he’s proving it on a bigger stage. Culver’s story is a reminder that development doesn’t stop at the NBA level.
Sometimes, players need a new environment, a fresh opportunity, and the right role to unlock their full potential. That’s exactly what’s happening in Sendai.
He may not be in the NBA anymore, but Jarrett Culver is still writing his basketball story-and right now, he’s doing it as one of the brightest stars in Japan.