[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2024 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Carlton “Bub” Carrington
Frame: 6’4″, 190 lbs
Position: Guard
School: Pittsburgh
2024 Draft Age: 18
Stats via sports-reference.com

Offense

Carrington’s scoring ability is still very raw, but the flashes he showed in his freshman year and his feel for the game suggest he’ll grow significantly on offense.

His primary source of scoring comes from the pull-up jump shot, specifically in the midrange. According to Barttorvik, Carrington shot about 2.5 times more “far two’s” than “close two’s.” He shot precisely 50 percent on the further ones, many of his makes coming at a high degree of difficulty. His high release point and knack for creating space with the ball allow him to get shots off over defenders at will.  

While he shot well from the midrange, Carrington struggled to score consistently from the other areas of the court. He only shot 32.2 percent on 6.1 attempts per game from the three-point line. He tended to interpret his three-point makes as potential “heat up” moments and would follow them up with one or two more ill-advised three-point attempts. 

He is an underdeveloped finisher at the rim. Carrington’s combination of shying away from the defense and being unable to finish at tough angles often forced him to kick the ball out or throw up a low-percentage attempt. However, with a 6’8″ wingspan, he could learn how to use his length to his advantage at the rim and improve his touch. He also displayed flashes of a reliable floater that helped keep defenders on their toes in the paint. 

Carrington’s playmaking is a big reason he will likely hear his name called in the first round of this draft. He has an excellent feel for where his teammates are/will be, which allows him to make passes that nobody else on the floor knew were available. Out of a pick-and-roll, he can create a shot from anywhere on the floor. He did a great job of anticipating what the defense would do, which was typically to deny a potential shot attempt or pass inside and do something completely different, such as find an open shooter or wait for a cutter. 

Carrington does not offer much without the ball. His high passing IQ makes him an excellent secondary playmaker and connecting piece in an offense, but he is only a scoring threat with the ball in his hands. He is not an effective cutter because he lacks a big first step, and he leaves a lot to be desired as a catch-and-shooter from deep. Carrington will need to grow in at least one of these areas to see a lot of minutes on an NBA court early in his career.

Defense

Carrington’s defense is fundamentally sound. While he does not do much to stand out, he also does not make many mistakes. His most positive tendency on this side of the ball is his commitment to sticking with his matchup. Many young guards get caught up in ball-watching and trying to get a steal, but he is very disciplined in this aspect.  

Guarding on-ball, he does a good job at consistently keeping himself squared between the ball and the basket and using his long arms to take away space. However, he lacks versatility here as his thin frame makes it hard to guard those bigger and stronger than him.  

When he does get blown by, he has a bad habit of giving away easy fouls. He has the instincts to try and go for the block or the strip, but he is not yet skilled enough to pull it off, so he racks up 2.4 fouls per game. 

For his position, Carrington was one of the better rebounders in NCAA basketball this year. He averaged 5.2 per game, most coming on the defensive end. He has a nose for the ball and does an excellent job jumping up and getting it at the highest point possible. It was common for a defensive possession to end with Carrington pulling down an energetic rebound and initiating the fastbreak for a quick two points. 

Looking Ahead

Although Carrington displayed the typical tendencies that freshman guards show, such as poor shot selection, risky passes, and weak fouls, he was given a lot of responsibilities this season as an 18-year-old with him and his freshman backcourt running mate Jaland Lowe was asked to run the show for Pitt.

Focusing on Carrington’s signs of maturity, there is a lot to like about him as a playmaker and defender. While his midrange shooting was effective at the college level, there are only so many players in the NBA with the freedom to shoot them at a high volume, so he will need to expand his range in consistency to get his opportunity. 

Carrington displays shades of Spencer Dinwiddie as a relatively tall, shot-creating point guard with quality playmaking instincts. He will likely spend a lot of time in the G League to start his career developing himself as a more versatile and consistent scorer. After a standout performance at the NBA draft combine shooting-wise, it became apparent that shot selection caused his unimpressive shooting percentages instead of skill. Carrington could carve out a long career as a reliable two-way guard if he can clean this up and become that versatile scorer.