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After an NBA Draft Lottery night that went the best the San Antonio Spurs could've realistically expected as they beat odds to climb all the way to number two, NBA Draft Night proved the best they could've realistically expected because of Carter Bryant.
The Silver and Black knew they were taking Dylan Harper with the second overall pick because there was no doubt Cooper Flagg was going to the Dallas Mavericks. Their second selection of the first round, at 14 overall, was the mystery.
In need of a big man who could help and complement Victor Wembanyama, Khaman Maluach proved a tantalizing want. But the chances that he'd still be there for the last pick of the lottery represented, at best, a dream scenario. Of the players who could be there at 14, Bryant stood out. Yet, like Maluach, the chance that he'd still be around seemed slim. Many mock drafts had him at 10 or 11.
And yet, he fell to 14 and right into the lap of a Spurs team that could use every one of his emerging talents and abilities.
The Carter Bryant player profile
What is Carter Bryant's game? At the risk of exaggeration, think of the modern NBA. Now think of the type of player who typically stands out in today's game. That's Carter Bryant.
Extremely athletic, the former Arizona Wildcat stands 6-foot-8 with a wingspan that reaches seven feet. He can run. He can jump. He's a defensive menace. Offensively, he can move without the ball. He can shoot. He put it up at 37% from 3-point range and 46% from the field in college. And he can leap. Often, he finds creases and makes his way to the basket for easy buckets, often dunks.
Perhaps, most importantly, he's just 19 years old and came off the bench as a freshman. A projected 3-and-D wing, he has plenty of room to grow.
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How Carter Bryant fits with the Spurs
Leading up to the draft, analysts wondered how Harper would fit with the Spurs given that they already had guard De'Aaron Fox and reigning Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle, on the roster. No need to wonder how Bryant fits: The Spurs don't have anyone on the roster like him.
Devin Vassell's focus is on offense. While athletic, Jeremy Sochan is still finding his stroke. In different ways, Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson find ways to score, but neither is a defensive dynamo nor possesses physical traits that jump off the page in the NBA. Blake Wesley isn't a big point guard, while Malaki Branham fell out of the rotation this past season.
The lack of another big may be San Antonio's biggest weakness. Their lack of athleticism, mainly for defensive purposes, on the wing is an area that comes in a close second. Bryant begins the path to repairing that. In the meantime, Wemby's presence as a defensive anchor isn't a bad consolation as the Silver and Black will look to free agency or possibly a trade to fill that need.
Add that Bryant can shoot, and he helps to plug another gap for a team that struggled from behind the arc.
All in all, he fits. And the Spurs fit the tag of the team that drafts well annually.
