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It doesn't take a basketball guru to determine Summer League concerns pertaining to San Antonio Spurs 2025 lottery pick Carter Bryant. The Silver and Black head into the rest of the NBA offseason having seen their 14th overall draft pick terrorize on defense, but also struggle mightily offensively.
The 19-year-old seemed to take his shooting woes in stride. For instance, in a highly scrutinized game against Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks, Bryant didn't make a shot from the field, missing all of his seven attempts, including five from 3-point range.
“This shot's gonna fall, this shot's not gonna fall. At the end of the day, I've been shooting a basketball the same exact way since I've been four or five years old. Like, it's gonna fall. I believe that I'm gonna be one of the best shooters in this league,” Bryant said. “0-for-7 from the 3-point line, I need a shot, I've gone 0-for-6 with nice damage. That's not gonna define what I am as a basketball player.”
Though he scored only two points that afternoon in Las Vegas, Bryant did make the highlight reel by hounding Flagg into a turnover off the dribble. It represented a bigger defensive effort that symbolized his performance on that side of the ball through the early summer competition.
“Being able to have the D to fall back on, to be able to affect the game positively, that's when you're not making shots or scoring the basketball,” Carter noted. “This is my main focus.”
Spurs put Carter Bryant's offense in perspective
The Spurs Summer League head coach Mike Noyes also serves as their franchise's director of player development. He had strong opinions about Bryant's offense during his time in San Francisco and Vegas.
“I couldn't be less worried about it,” Noyes said. “He's gonna make shots. He is an NBA player. His defense has overshadowed his offense because he's been so good at times defensively.”
Bryant commented on his performance against the Mavs too, noting that he isn't worried about his shots, only about competing at a high level.
“You're gonna look back and enjoy your career much more than you would have if you're like, ‘D**n, I only made two shots,'” Bryant said following that performance vs. the Mavs.
“Who cares? I got another one, I get to go and compete. So I'm just grateful to compete.”
Two other outings in Nevada featured Bryant scoring five points in each while shooting 2-for-11, including 0-for-3 from beyond the arc. vs. the Utah Jazz and 1-for-6, including 1-for-4 from 3-point range, vs. the Philadelphia 76ers.
“Carter has a great offensive game. The nerves out of the way, he understands his role,” Noyes added.
A game in the California Classic, prior to Las Vegas, also saw Bryant struggle. In scoring seven points, the forward went 3-for-8 from the field, including 1-for-6 on 3-pointers in a matchup with the Miami Heat.
Bryant did rebound well, though, in most of those outings while flashing the defense that put him on the Summer League radar.
“With our roster, we hope he competes for playing time. He brings a lot to the table and it's not just on the defensive end,” Noyes concluded.
The rest of the off-season and fall camp will determine just how much of a role Bryant will play for the Spurs this season.
