Carter Bryant didn’t play much in his only season with the Arizona Wildcats. Although this affected his college basketball statistical averages, it didn’t stop him from clearly demonstrating his NBA potential.
In fact, he’s projected as a first-round pick in the upcoming draft and has officially declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, ending any speculation about a return to college.
Bryant’s Path from Bench Player to NBA Prospect
Bryant stood out not only for his skills on the court but also for his modesty and discipline as a team player. This caught the attention of renowned college basketball analyst Andy Katz, who asked Bryant about it during a recent interview for his YouTube show, The Sideline.
According to the 6-foot-6.5 forward (as measured at the NBA Draft Combine), his demeanor was largely shaped by Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd:
“I think it started from day one, as soon as I got to campus,” Bryant said.
“Coach Lloyd was like ‘Everybody here has a rule, whether you score the ball for us that’s a rule, we need you to score the basketball, if you have to switch one through five and be our best defender, that’s a rule, you have to defend multiple positions, if we need you to come in for two minutes and give us a spark engine you had to do it.'”
“So, I think coach Lloyd and staff did a good job of allowing me to really take the time and be like ‘Okay, this is what it is, I need to do this, I have to stay on the floor, I need to rebound the ball, I need to defend, I need to be able to switch multiple positions’. So, just things like that.”
Combine Performance Boosts Draft Stock
ESPN’s latest mock draft projects Bryant to the Phoenix Suns with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Suns acquired this pick in a recent trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston.
In his scouting report, ESPN’s analyst Jonathan Givony highlighted the player’s potential for growth:
“Bryant wasn’t consistently productive for Arizona coming off the bench, averaging 6.5 points per game, as he’s not much of a shot creator, and has plenty of room for growth on both ends of the floor.”
Bryant’s freshman campaign saw him average 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while playing 19.3 minutes per contest. He shot an efficient 46% from the field and 37.1% from three-point range, showcasing the shooting ability that has NBA teams intrigued.
The versatile forward, who has a 6-foot-11.75 wingspan, impressed with his athleticism at the NBA Draft Combine, recording the fourth-best vertical leap at 39.5 inches. His combination of size, length, and defensive versatility has drawn comparisons to successful NBA wings.
Bryant was invited to the NBA Draft green room, typically reserved for players expected to be selected in the lottery or early first round. Multiple mock drafts project him to be picked between the 9th and 15th selections.
Statistically speaking, Bryant’s production per minute was strong, and it’s reasonable to project that he could have doubled his scoring output with increased playing time. The freshman worked his way into a more prominent role as the season progressed, becoming especially valuable during conference play.
The truth is that he is a highly rated NBA prospect who has officially committed to the draft process. Bryant told ESPN’s Jeff Borzello that he’s “completely in” on the NBA Draft, eliminating any possibility of a return to Arizona for his sophomore season.
