Former Wildcats Star Carter Bryant Selected In NBA Draft

Former Arizona Wildcats star Carter Bryant was the 14th selection overall in the NBA Draft Wednesday night. He was selected by the San Antonio Spurs.

Bryant was San Antonio's second pick of the first round. The Spurs had the second pick and selected Dylan Harper from Rutgers.

Bryant, adorned in a purple suit with no shirt, shook NBA commissioner Adam Silver's hand after the pick and then made his way to the ESPN telecast.

During his interview with ESPN he spoke of how a major injury in high school almost cut his career short. He worked hard and persevered to get through the injury. He had a compound fracture in his tibia and it was not certain he would be able to play basketball again.

"It shows my mental fortitude, my grit," Bryant said.

Bryant also said during the broadcast he communicates well on the floor and is the ultimate teammate. He is fluent in several different languages and can also communicate in sign language. Bryant credits his grandmother, who is the principal of a school for deaf children, with helping him with his communication skills.

This is from a scouting report from NBA Draft on SI : "When in a half-court setting, Bryant is comfortable handling the ball which makes him an ideal wing. He’s a diverse scorer at his size who can rise up and knock down shots over defenders as an oversized shooter. He still needs to improve as a movement shooter, but in spot-up situations he’s reliable from beyond the arc. When he looks to put the ball on the floor and get to the midrange or rim, Bryant has a good understanding of how to manipulate his defender."

San Antonio adds two lottery picks to its already impressive stable of young players. The Spurs have the last two NBA Rookies of the Year in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. The Spurs also added starting point guard De'Aaron Fox at the trade deadline last year.

There were rumors circulating before the draft that the Spurs might be open to trading the 14th pick as opposed to using to select a player. Those plans never came to fruition. Instead, Bryant will backup veteran Harrison Barnes at the power forward position.

The Spurs are going to be very competitive in 2025. The West will be wide open, but for the newly-crowned champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Bryant is expected to participate with Harper in the NBA Summer League, which starts July 10 in Las Vegas.

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