The end of the lottery in the 2025 [NBA Draft](https://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft) was a roller coaster ride. Teams shuffled around as three trades happened from picks 10 to 13. The San Antonio decided to stand pat and let the board fall their way. They were rewarded with one of the most exciting defensive wings in the draft.
The Spurs took [Arizona Wildcats](https://www.azdesertswarm.com) freshman wing, Carter Bryant, with the 14th pick in the NBA Draft. Bryant is a 6-foot-8, 225-pound swingman with a near 7-foot wingspan who averaged 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds off the bench in his freshman season, while shooting 46% from the field and 37.1% from three. Bryant was a big part of Arizona’s NCAA Tournament run and exploded up draft boards with his combination of defense and shooting.
Bryant is a dog defensively. He uses his high-level athleticism (39-inch vertical, 3.14-second 20-yard shuttle, 3.07-second 3⁄4 court sprint at the combine) and motor to hound on-ball defenders and get into the passing lanes for steals. Carter posted a 2.8% steal rate, which would have been the best on the Spurs this season. He averaged 1 block a game, and will be able to contest shots at the rim with his length and athleticism. He’s got the size to guard up the lineup and take on big forwards, and the quickness to keep up with speedy wings.
While he’s aggressive defensively, he is somewhat undisciplined. Bryant averaged 2.3 fouls (5 fouls to foul-out in college) in just 19.3 minutes per game. Like most young players, he will need to learn how to guard off the ball and stay disciplined off it. With time, Bryant should learn the NBA game and be an impactful defender for San Antonio. Bryant will be 19 years old when the 2025-26 NBA season begins, and will have plenty of room to grow.
Bryant has a simple, straight-forward offensive game. He’s strictly an off-ball player right now who makes his hay off timely cuts and catch-and-shoot attempts. Bryant was in the 66th percentile on catch-and-shoot jumpers, shooting 36.1% on C&S threes and hitting 45.5% of his unguarded C&S attempts. He has a smooth, replicable shot that should only improve as he develops. His release is a little slow, and we didn’t see him coming off a lot of screens. He’ll need to work on his footwork and shot prep as the game speeds up.
Bryant will give the Spurs the floor spacer on the wing that they desperately needed. He’s also someone who can attack a closeout on a straight-line drive and finish at the rim. Bryant finished 70% of his attempts at the rim in his sole season at Arizona. Bryant’s play-finishing ability makes him a great fit around the Spurs’ playmakers like Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle.
Don’t expect him to be someone who creates his own offense right away. He didn’t get a lot of reps as a primary ball-handler and isn’t someone you’d count on to go get you a bucket off the bounce, but the Spurs likely won’t ask him to do that.
Bryant is a hand-in-glove fit in San Antonio. He’s such a Brian Wright player – he gives them another versatile defender who can shoot the ball from deep and knows how to play off the ball. After selecting Harper, the Spurs have their fill of playmakers. Now they need to surround them with players who can finish at the cup and knock down threes. The Bryant pick accomplishes that.
Some may quibble with the fact that San Antonio passed on big men like Joan Beringer and Thomas Sorber, but when you can add a defensive talent like Bryant, you take it. They will be able to add a veteran big man in free agency this summer.
The rookie wing will have to earn his minutes in a crowded wing room. He’ll compete directly with Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson for minutes off the bench. Don’t expect him to play a huge role off the bat, but he could develop into a 3&D running mate alongside Wembanyama, Harper, Fox, and Castle for years to come.
**Pick Grade: A**