4/26/2021 basketball Edit

West Virginia big Culver announces plans to pursue professional career

Culver has announced that he has signed with an agent and will pursue professional opportunities.

Keenan Cummings • WVSports

Managing Editor

West Virginia junior forward Derek Culver has announced that he will forego his remaining college eligibility after signing with Athletes Sports Management.

Culver, 6-foot-10, 255-pounds, is coming off a season where he finished as a first-team all-Big 12 Conference selection averaging 14.3 points and 9.4 rebounds.

Athletes Sports Management first announced the news on social medial, but Culver initially refuted those claims on his social media account. The expectation of those around the program is that Culver would return, but that will not be the case.

Later in the night he explained why he initially refuted reports.

“I released a statement earlier today that I would now like to clarify. Some on social media have stated that I have left school, in the heat of the moment I responded on social media to refute those claims. I have taken stock of my college experience and am now undergoing the difficult decision to plan my future. I have elected to forego my senior year and am currently exploring my professional options, which was a difficult decision that I did not take lightly. It is a long process for an athlete to turn professional, for those blessed with the opportunity to play as scholarship athletes, it is difficult to leave our adoptive college family,” Culver wrote. “

"I tried to articulate earlier that I had not officially announced my intentions publicly to leave school and that reports of me doing so were unconfirmed. I refuted those claims as I felt it unfair for those who have supported me over the years to hear it from other sources before hearing it from me directly," he added.

Culver then proceeded to announce that he was declaring for the NBA Draft and has officially signed with Athletes Sports Management.

The Ohio native could have had up to two years remaining at the college level, but now the Mountaineers will have one open scholarship to fill.

Culver finished his college career with 1,036 points and 799 rebounds in three years.

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