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

Devin Carter
Frame: 6’3”, 195 lbs
Position: Guard
School: Providence
2024 Draft Age: 22
Stats via sports-reference.com

Offense

Carter excels offensively inside the paint and behind the arc. He is a fearless attacker, taking on anyone who gets in his way at the rim. At 5.2 free throws per game, Carter shot the third-most in the Big East.

He is also an elite finisher, converting 65.2 percent of his attempts around the rim (via Barttorvik). Combined with his ability to throw down powerful dunks, he is a high-quality transition player. Where he can improve here is with his left hand, as he is less effective at finishing and making plays when forced off of his dominant hand.

While not a standout ballhandler, Carter uses his physicality and craftiness to get to the rim. He is very calculated about when and where he changes speed and direction and has an impressive hesitation move that consistently throws off the defense. Carter is also a strong post player, typically outsizing his guard matchups. His patience in the post allows him to create plenty of opportunities to score.

Carter is fearless around the rim and not afraid to test his range from beyond the arc. Although he can be susceptible to unwarranted heat checks, he can get hot and is a capable deep-range shooter off the dribble in the face of the defense. He converted 37.7 percent of his three-point attempts on 6.8 per game this season. These numbers shine a light on his confidence and ability to shake off missed shots and move on to the next one. 

But Carter could be more effective from the midrange. On 59 attempts last season, Carter only knocked down 17. His low-shot release is a concern, especially at the next level, where he’ll get chased off the three-point line. If he cannot convert on midrange pullups or get his jumper off over NBA-level closeouts, he may struggle to take a jump as a shot creator.

As a playmaker, Carter can run an offense, but he is a natural scorer. He will thrive more as a secondary playmaker, where his primary focus is putting the ball in the basket. When given the keys to the offense, Carter tends to throw riskier passes and force the play. With another playmaker on the floor, he plays much more freely, with less pressure on his back.

 

Defense

His rebounding abilities immediately stand out about Carter on the defensive end. At only 6’3″, he averaged 8.7 rebounds per game, third in the Big East. He also finished the season at first in the Big East in defensive rebounding percentage. Carter has a high-level defensive-rebounding instinct with heart and hustle. He has a nose for where the ball will fall and puts his all into winning the battle.

Aside from rebounding, while Carter plays defense with a lot of heart, his IQ holds him back from consistent effectiveness. Rather than reading the offense and playing based on their schemes, he focuses too much on what is right in front of him, which can cause him to rotate slowly, miss a help assignment or struggle to navigate through screens.  

However, again, Carter does put a lot of heart and effort into his defense. He works hard to stick to his matchup, hustles back in transition, and is overall very pesky. Carter makes his presence known by being a passing lane hunter and having active hands when guarding on the ball. He plays with a lot of energy on this end, and while he struggles to bring strategy to his approach, this energy is infectious and brings the best out of his teammates.

Carter’s athleticism also makes him an impressive rim protector for his size. Averaging one block per game, Carter is a threat to pin the ball against the glass in transition, and it is also not rare to see him block a jumper from behind. 

Looking Ahead

Carter surprised a lot of people with the jump he made this season, improving in almost every stat category, most notably being points per game (+6.7), rebounds per game (+3.8), three-point percentage (+7.8), all with only a 3.3 minutes per game increase. This improvement has seen him gain a lot of noise as a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. 

His passion for the game and vast offensive skillset will likely see him making an immediate impact off the bench. He would be a great addition to a contender as he displays a plethora of winning qualities, like playing with heart and energy for the betterment of the team.