This is why Carrington needs more seasoning ... and that's OK

After that triple-double and four more double-digit scoring performances to open the season, prognosticators were ready to send him right to the NBA. As recent as three weeks ago, Carrington drew a first-round mock -- 25th overall to the Knicks -- in a Yahoo Sports draft projection.

Maybe that was all premature, and we can pump the brakes on that lofty expectation and allow for him to develop more in a college setting.

This thought comes after his mighty struggles against one of the nation's best young backcourts. Duke posted the No. 2 overall recruiting class in the nation, and with that class came Jared McCain and Caleb Foster, the former ranked by On3 as the No. 11 prospect in the country and the latter being a four-star in his own right. Part of Duke's game plan -- much like other teams have learned to do -- involved neutralizing the one thing Carrington does well.

This is habit-forming stuff, and this trial was put on by his fellow freshmen from Durham. An NBA point guard has to be able to confidently navigate to his weak-hand with the basketball. Duke and others have forced him to make plays away from his dominant right side, and as a result, Pitt's offense as a whole goes off of sync. It's not to say he's afraid to go to his left hand; he just ... doesn't. A one-and-done prospect has an "it" factor. He doesn't, yet. (Arguably, Pitt doesn't have one this season to begin with. That's a different story for a different day.)

In ACC play -- in which Pitt is now 1-4 -- Carrington is averaging 15.2 points and has shot 38% (27-for-71) from the field with 4.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. His volume and opportunity is certainly there and Capel is drawing up plays for him to create scoring chances, but his opportunities Tuesday were squandered early and often when Pitt needed an answer in the worst way.

Carrington has potential. Don't mince words otherwise. His build and athleticism are desirable for an NBA point guard, and he should get there one day.

Not as a one-and-done, though, based on this current tape. If it's a one-and-done situation, it's because of his potential.

Take this commentary from 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein in his evaluation of the former four-star Carrington when he was a prospect:

"Carrington is a big combo-guard with terrific size and upside to his frame as he continues to fill-out and build up his body," Finkelstein wrote in June of 2022. "He is a fluid open floor playmaker with the ball and has a very good mid-range pull-up game in the half-court. He needs to keep getting more consistent as a three-point shooter, but long-term he possesses potential as both a versatile scorer and playmaker. Defensively, he moves his feet well laterally and should be able to defend multiple positions, especially as he gets stronger. Overall, he's a late-blooming talented big combo-guard with a high-ceiling."

The operative phrase there is "late-blooming," which is a fine assessment for a 17- or 18-year-old prospect. He has traits to work with, but he has to have time to work with them.

Here is what Duke coach Jon Scheyer said about his backcourt's efforts on defense against Carrington:

"I thought our guards did a really good job defending the ball, but also he missed some shots he normally makes," Scheyer said. "That can happen. So, we probably were a little fortunate but I thought that it was the best our perimeter defended the ball."

The ACC is game planning for Carrington now. Scheyer would add that Duke switched on ball screens more than they had at an other point this season. Capel concurred with that. It's a layer of Carrington's game that needs to be refined, as it clearly wasn't at least translated into production Tuesday until the final 11-plus minutes.

Carrington's potential is very much intact, but he made a negligible difference for the Panthers against the Blue Devils. McCain posted 12 points and five rebounds and Foster had eight points, all while Kyle Filipowski dominated the paint with 26 points and 10 rebounds. 

"Maybe we had some jitters because it's Duke," Panthers forward Zack Austin would say, "but we cant' play like that in the ACC."

Carrington was not made available to speak after the game, so we'll allow Austin to speak for himself on that. 

But, even then ...

Scheyer pulled his starters with 5:38 to go in the game. After that point and against some thinner competition, Carrington went to his left for a layup. The next time Pitt controlled the ball, Carrington made a 3-pointer. The next possession after that, he took two dribbles to his left, stopped, and flew an errant pass out of bounds for a turnover.

Interesting timing, isn't that?

That's what this is all about. Timing.