Rising NBA Draft star's Jalen Brunson revelation sparked improvement
06/20/2024 10:48 AM
Devin Carter is becoming a big name in the 2024 NBA Draft. The 22-year-old guard is a two-way stud and is increasingly expected to go somewhere in the lottery range or perhaps even in the top 10.
For an older, smaller (or at least not super big) guard like Carter to generate so much buzz is rare. His defense and hustle stand out in a major way, providing tough resistance at the point of attack while also making himself a strong presence on the boards. On offense, he has greatly improved his three-point shooting. But he still has to prove that he can be reliable on the ball, too. Although he has great skills for a wing, he’s still in a guard’s body. To some degree, being a facilitator and leader of the offense will have to be something he can do.
In an interview with The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, Carter explained how he has tried to grow as a scorer. He said that he noticed that finishing off one foot wasn't working out for him. He watched a montage of New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson’s two-foot finishes to get an idea of how he can score in the paint with balance and shifty, unpredictable moves.
Devin Carter watched Jalen Brunson when learning how to improve scoring in the paint.
At-rim finishing (half court)
Soph: 42.2 FG%
Junior: 62.3 FG%Stats via @SynergySST. A major improvement after becoming a two-foot finisher. pic.twitter.com/v3iFKgo604
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 19, 2024
"Just watching Jalen Brunson, everything that he was doing this year — even just in Dallas — the things that he was doing off two feet, being undersized, it really shows you that it really works," Devin Carter said. "I mean, what's the worst that you can do? Get there, pump fake, don't have a shot, kick it out, get another possession, get a better shot? At that point, if it's working, keep doing it."
Devin Carter could be drafted in top 10 of 2024 NBA Draft
Brunson is a great player for Carter to study. The Knicks point guard is an expert at getting defenders off balance and using his strength and craftiness to open up scoring opportunities. He shows precisely how players who lack high-end explosiveness can be explosive scorers. And Carter is even more athletic and a little longer/taller. He most likely won't be the scoring machine that Big Body Brunson is but if he can take some elements from his game, Carter can be a spectacular player in the pros.
Every year, some teams get hooked on young talent and the potential of what they could be, skipping over the older, more finished products. While taking swings on young players can often pay off, it leaves players like Carter falling down in the draft beyond points where they should reasonably be taken. After a season at South Carolina and two at Providence, where he won the Big East Player of the Year, Devin Carter is a talented hooper and is only going to get better from here.
Carter said previously that he sees himself fitting nicely with a lead guard like Tyrese Maxey. His versatility and intensity on the court will make whoever picks him very happy. Especially given his immense desire to get better, Carter could become a very well-rounded player at the NBA level.
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