The San Antonio Spurs got their first taste of Carter Bryant on Saturday, as the 14th overall pick made his Summer League debut in an 82-69 point loss to the Miami Heat.
He admitted that his opponents were "smarter, faster, and stronger" than he was, and he knows that it will take time to adjust to the NBA pace.
He finished with seven points, five rebounds, and an assist while going one-for-six from deep. He added three turnovers and seven fouls. In the Summer League, players are allowed up to ten before being removed from the game.
Bryant looked like a player who had not suited up since March. He was slow, indecisive, and largely ineffective, although that doesn't mean that it's time to panic.
Immediately after the draft, Brian Wright revealed that the Spurs were in talks to trade up from the 14th pick to make sure that they would be able to draft Bryant. It ended up not mattering, as he was still available. The Spurs are very high on him, although his first appearance solidified what the team already knows.
At Arizona, he averaged only 19.3 minutes per game and started in only five contests. The Spurs are well aware that he is a raw project and is far from being ready for NBA minutes.
Hopefully, he can add to his game this offseason, but expect him to be buried behind Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson, and Julian Champagnie for much of his rookie season.
For the most part, he looked like a boy amongst men, but fans will have to keep in mind that he is exactly that.
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