2025 NBA Draft: Carter Bryant Showing Explosive Upside with Arizona

Arizona freshman forward Carter Bryant was a high four-star recruit coming out of Centennial High School in Riverside, California, ranked 21st overall in the country according to On3. A highly athletic combo forward prospect, Bryant's stats have never popped off the page during his time at Arizona, but that does not fully illustrate the impact he has had for the Wildcats, especially over the second half of the year.

For one thing, he has been a very efficient scorer on limited attempts, sporting a usage rate of just 16.1% but a solid player efficiency rating of 17.0. He has a 58.7% effective field goal rate and averages 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He is a rangy forward with the ability to move laterally on defense, making him a very good option as a potential three-and-D wing or forward who has shot 40% from beyond the arc over his last 17 games.

The ubiquity of the defensive wing that can hit the deep ball in the NBA is obvious in the success of the archetype – look at this past draft class at someone like Memphis' Jaylen Wells, who has succeeded despite being a second-round selection in 2024. Bryant has drawn early comparisons to players like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, but those are, of course, lofty expectations and projections that assume a best-case scenario.

The major flashes so far, outside of the ability to hit the occasional contested three, are on the defensive end, where Bryant has made a name for himself with his footwork and mobility. He stays in a good defensive stance and is very active with his hands. He serves as a disruptive force that can make plays and push the ball into transition, as evidenced by his 1.9 stocks per game. He can also serve as a play finisher in transition due to his elite leaping ability and great ability to complete alley-oops; to use a football term, he has a great "catch radius" on lobs.

The knocks on Bryant come from his lack of usage, as previously mentioned. His stats are not particularly impressive on the surface, but when adjusted for more time on the floor, his numbers look more impressive. Per 30 minutes, he averages 10.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 3.1 stocks, which would be a pro-worthy stat line for anyone playing in a crowded Big 12 Conference, especially as a young player.

Whether these numbers will scale up is obviously up to Bryant, but the extrapolations are promising. Should he be drafted into the right environment, he could have a very effective role on a good team quickly in his career. He has climbed boards throughout the season and is now being mocked firmly in the first round, with many having him near the lottery. If he can continue to shoot well, and Arizona can make a run in the tournament, he may hear his name called even closer to the top come draft day.

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