Before the 2025NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for theSixers at Nos. 3 and 35. Next up in this series is Arizona’s Carter Bryant.
Carter Bryant was a five-star recruit and considered a top-30 high school player by major outlets. When he went to Arizona, there was no guarantee he’d be a one-and-done. Though he didn’t star for an excellent Wildcats team, he made a massive impact on both ends. Beyond the counting stats, Bryant showed off the skills and size to be the type of positionless player NBA teams covet.
Profile
2024-25 Stats: 37 games, 19.3 minutes, 6.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.0 blocks, 46.0% FG, 37.1% 3P, 69.5% FT
Team: Arizona
Year: Freshman
Position: F
Height & Weight: 6’6.5” (without shoes) | 214.8 lbs
Born: November 26, 2005 (19 years old)
Hometown: Riverside, California
Strengths
Bryant possesses outstanding size — a nearly 7-foot wingspan with a sturdy frame — to go along with elite athleticism, testing very well at the NBA Draft Combine. This shows up most on the defensive end of the floor, where Bryant was an absolute menace for the Wildcats. His switchability, instincts and length ruin possessions for opposing offenses. He’s dogged on-ball and an impact off-ball defender. He posted over four stocks per 40 minutes during his lone college season. At minimum, he’s going to be a defensive demon at the next level.
There are several indicators that Bryant is only scratching the surface of his game offensively. He shot the three-ball well at 37.1% and even flashed the ability to put the ball on the deck and knock down a few pull-up jumpers. His feel offensively is also intriguing. He proved to be a good rebounder (8.5 per 40 minutes) and often made excellent outlet passes to fuel easy transition buckets.
There are shades of an Aaron Gordon-like skillset (complimentary) with his size, defensive versatility, and ability to pitch in offensively when needed. He looks like a winning basketball player.
Weaknesses
While the offensive flashes are exciting, they’re just flashes. In his defense, Bryant wasn’t asked to do a ton because the team already had veteran guards like Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley and KJ Lewis sharing the offensive load. Still, I’d like to see a bit more before I believe he will be an impactful offensive player with the ball in his hands. While he shot the three ball well, he was only an OK free throw shooter at 69.5%. He also had more turnovers (37) than assists (36) — not great for a low usage player.
The only concern defensively is fouling. He averaged 4.8 fouls per 40 minutes this past season. As our old friend Brett Brown once said about Matisse Thybulle, you’d rather a guy who fouls too much because they’re too aggressive than a guy who never fouls because he’s not aggressive enough. It’s much easier to tamp down aggressiveness than it is to get it out of someone.
Potential Fit with the Sixers
Bryant’s biggest draw is that he creates turnovers and easy baskets on the other end. Combine that with his ability to rebound and knock down shots and he ticks just about every box Daryl Morey has when asked how he’s looking to build the Sixers for the future.
In a vacuum, Bryant is an incredible fit here. His size and defensive prowess would help offset those discrepancies with guys like Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. The Sixers wouldn’t need him to be a big-time creator, which could help him develop that skillset while still producing right away. He could have a similar career path (but hopefully a healthier one) to someone like OG Anunoby.
Bryant wouldn’t be an option at No. 3 but would be an intriguing player in a trade-down scenario. While some draft experts seem to have fallen in love with Bryant to the point of putting him in the top 10, I’m not there. Top 15? Absolutely. So it would likely take a pretty far trade back for Bryant to make sense.
Draft Projection
SB Nation mock draft: No. 14, San Antonio Spurs
SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell has Bryant going at pick 14. That feels about right. He’d be a tremendous fit on the Spurs for the same reasons he’d be a tremendous fit here. San Antonio is loaded with guards (especially if they take Dylan Harper at No. 2, which seems likely) so adding a player like Bryant to the mix makes a ton of sense. Bryant and Victor Wembanyama would be a super fun duo on the defensive end of the floor.