Arizona's Carter Bryant averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals per game in his freshman season, which is not a stat line that screams lottery pick. Bryant had his moments in Tucson, but he largely struggled to carve out a consistent role on Tommy Lloyd's team.
However, Bryant is a 6-foot-8 wing with a 7-foot wingspan who flirted with a 40-inch max vertical leap at the NBA Draft Combine. So while his counting stats don't jump off the page, his size and athleticism certainly do. Bryant also put a lot of good material on tape this year, making it easy to see why he shot up draft boards after the conclusion of the college basketball season.
Offensive Profile
What Bryant offers offensively is rather straightforward. He's a spot-up shooter with good timing as a cutter and the ability to finish above the rim.
Bryant shot 37.1% from deep at Arizona last year, and nothing about his mechanics suggests that number was fluky. Some have concerns about the small sample size, as Bryant only played 19.3 minutes per game and attempted 2.8 triples per contest. But everything about the shot looks good, and the 19-year-old was a reliable catch-and-shoot option in high school.
Beyond shooting, Bryant will have his fair share of highlight-reel dunks in the NBA and should be a terror in transition. He's also a player who should feed well off good playmakers, as he excels at catching defenders napping and making himself available at the basket. He's also a solid decision-maker when it comes to finding teammates.
The issue with Bryant is that he offers next to nothing on the ball. He has an awkward handle, hasn't shown he can drive by defenders, and isn't comfortable shooting off the bounce. That makes it hard to believe he'll develop into anything other than a high-level role player. But that's not necessarily a huge issue. If he shoots in the high 30s from three in the NBA, he's going to make substantial money in the pros and help his team win games.
Defensive Impact
The reason Bryant's jumper and leaping ability will be enough is his defense. Bryant has the potential to be one of the better wing defenders in the league. The 19-year-old excels at keeping all kinds of players in front of him, including speedier guards. Even when he can't, he has great footwork for recovery and uses his long limbs effectively to disrupt offensive players. There's a chance he ends up comfortably guarding positions one through four in the NBA.
Bryant is also an excellent shot blocker, whether he's meeting players at the rim or launching himself to get a finger on jump shots. Additionally, Bryant is a menace in passing lanes.
Throughout the pre-draft process, Bryant drew comparisons to players like OG Anunoby, Matisse Thybulle and Toumani Camara—good company when discussing lengthy wing disruptors. The only issue is that Bryant can be overly aggressive both on and off the ball. Part of the reason Lloyd couldn't consistently give him 30 minutes is that Bryant simply wasn't available that often due to foul trouble. That overzealousness will need to be corrected at the professional level.
But here's the thing: at least he wants to defend. Many prospects care too much about their offensive contributions. That's not Bryant. He wants to be great defensively, and if he can channel his aggression more effectively, nothing should stop him from being superb as a stopper.
Draft Outlook
All things considered, Bryant will be an interesting player to track on draft night. Selecting a player without legitimate on-ball upside can be tough for a front office to accept, as every NBA decision-maker wants to find the next franchise player. But Bryant has an exceptionally high floor—being able to shoot and defend at his size is rare.
While nobody wants to pass on a future All-Star, you also don't want to pass on a player who has the chance to be highly impactful in meaningful games down the line.