On January 3rd, everything changed for Devin Carter.
He was having a good season, but at that point there was no choice but to go from good to sensational.
That same day, co-star Bryce Hopkins died after undergoing season-ending knee surgery, but Carter was undeterred.
“When Bryce got hurt, I was the only one that wanted to take on the responsibility that was supposed to be mine,” he recalled on Tuesday before the NBA draft. “I just wanted to take on the responsibility and try to get this team going for the rest of the season. That was my mindset. … It came from wanting to win. That’s just the way I am.”
The 6-foot-3 Carter was named the Big East Conference Player of the Year after averaging career-best numbers of 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 37.7 percent from the 3-point line.
Now, after a strong showing at the draft combine and eight workouts, the Providence College star is poised to be a potential top-10 pick.
That’s pretty good for a guy who probably wouldn’t have been drafted a year ago if he hadn’t returned to college.
A lot has changed for Carter over the past year.
The Miami native has gone from being known as a slasher and defender to being seen as much more than that.
He has made great strides as both a playmaker and a shooter.
“I never expected him to score 20 points multiple times in a game, much less come close to averaging 20 points per game this year,” said an NBA scout who knows Carter well. “He was the best development story in college and continues to grow and get better. I wouldn’t bet on the kid. … At worst, he’s going to be a junkyard dog defender, but that helps win basketball games.”
Carter has NBA blood in him: His father, Anthony, played 13 seasons in the NBA.
Anthony didn’t force his son to play basketball, but Devin shared his love for the game with his father.
On Wednesday night, he’ll look to outdo his undrafted father.
“My dad always said no matter what sport I played, he was there for me, helping me achieve my dreams,” said Carter, who has had private training sessions with the Raptors, Lakers, Bulls, Spurs, Jazz, Kings, Heat and Grizzlies. “Just the fact that it was basketball, and that’s what he did. [will] It will definitely be a special moment for him and for me.
“He’s been my trainer my whole life. If I was a 10-year-old kid and I talked back, he’d kick me out of training and call me back 20 minutes later. We have a lot of special memories.”
The other one comes on Wednesday night.
