In a draft class filled with tantalizing prospects, Arizona freshman Carter Bryant stands out as perhaps the most intriguing gamble for NBA front offices.
Standing 6’8″ with a 7’0″ wingspan, the 19-year-old forward boasts defensive versatility and shooting touch that has evaluators projecting lottery status despite modest college statistics of 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
With the NBA increasingly valuing wings who can defend multiple positions and knock down threes, Bryant represents the archetype teams covet. His 37.1% three-point shooting and impressive defensive metrics, including a 2.8% steal rate and 5.8% block rate, have scouts reconsidering his ceiling despite his limited offensive role at Arizona.
Carter Bryant Following the OG Anunoby Blueprint
“To me the single biggest swing guy in the draft right now with where we know where he would come back to is Carter Bryant at Arizona,” noted one analyst in recent draft discussions. “I think this dude coming back to school would be out of his mind. To me, he is a lottery pick.”
The Anunoby comparison stems from Bryant’s defensive upside and offensive efficiency.
“The comp that I would give him when you watch him because I think the tools that he has physically translate to being a potentially really elite defender at the NBA level… he reminds me a lot of Indiana OG Anunoby,” the analyst continued.
Bryant’s catch and shoot prowess offers immediate NBA value.
“His catch and shoot numbers unguarded was 46% this year,” pointed out the analyst, highlighting Bryant’s potential as a floor spacer who doesn’t need the ball to contribute effectively.
What makes Bryant particularly enticing is his trajectory. His development throughout the season suggests there’s more untapped potential.
“It’s very clear that like your projection is still going this direction… you get better throughout the year,” noted another draft observer.
The comparison to Anunoby, who averaged 18.0 points with the Knicks this season while drawing the toughest defensive assignments nightly, offers a tantalizing glimpse of Bryant’s ceiling. Like Anunoby, Bryant possesses the physical tools and defensive instincts to potentially guard all five positions at the next level.
“Those are the guys that NBA teams salivate over,” explained one analyst. “I don’t know if he’s going to end up being an all-star caliber player.”
Instead, experts envision Bryant as “a 15-16 point per game guy that’s guarding all over the floor, that’s switching everything, that’s starting, that’s making 40% of his threes, that is like the perfect third or fourth option for a playoff team.”
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Born in Nov. 2005, Bryant’s youth and supporting role at Arizona make him a classic developmental bet with substantial upside. His advanced metrics tell a more compelling story than his raw stats, his true shooting percentage (60.9%), offensive rating (115.3), and defensive rating (99.0) all suggest a player whose impact exceeds the box score.
While some prospects offer safer floors, Bryant represents the high-risk, high-reward selection that could dramatically alter a franchise’s trajectory. As one expert noted “Bryant to me feels like a sure thing as a 10-year veteran… Even a bad outcome for Bryant feels like a good 3-and-D wing.”
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