The Providence Friars lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year against the Kentucky Wildcats by just eight points. This year they clearly came back extremely hungry and looking to build off of what they had going for them a year ago. Their best player this season has undoubtedly been their point guard, Devin Carter, who has taken a big jump this season.
Let’s dive into what has made him a much better player and why he’s getting into first-round conversations.
As of today, he’s either first or second in every single major statistical category on this Providence squad which shows how well-rounded of a player he is. What scouts absolutely love about Carter is the toughness and grit he plays with. Despite only being 6-foot-3, Carter is top ten in the country amongst all guards in rebounds per game as he averages eight rebounds per game.
His improved shooting ability has really taken Carter’s offensive game to another level. In his freshman season at South Carolina, he shot 26.7% from three on two attempts per game, in his sophomore season at Providence he shot 29.9% from deep on three attempts per game, and this season he’s shooting six 3-pointers per game while maintaining a 38.8% 3-point percentage. He can make shots off the catch or off the dribble quite consistently now.
Throughout his college career, Carter has been known for his tenacious defensive ability and he has still been very good on the defensive end this season. He’s averaging 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game showcasing his defensive playmaking ability. His quickness, activity off and on the ball and great defensive instincts make him one of the top guard defenders in college basketball.
Carter’s scoring, efficiency and passing numbers have all improved significantly this season as he’s taking on a much bigger offensive role. The 6-foot-3 guard is averaging 16.2 points per game while shooting nearly 48% from the field and getting around three assists per game. He’s a much bigger threat at scoring on the ball compared to what we were used to seeing the previous two seasons.
Overall, Carter has really turned his game into something the NBA loves, which is an elite point-of-attack defender who can shoot it consistently and make the little plays needed to win basketball games. We have seen guys like Jose Alvarado and Patrick Beverly make a living in the NBA off of these intangibles. If these qualities translate to the NBA then Carter should undoubtedly be a rotational player in his rookie season.
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