Jeff Borzello of ESPN spoke to a Big XII coach who analyzed Carter Bryant in his article "2025 NBA draft reactions from college basketball coaches." Bryant was selected 14th overall in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
The consensus on Bryant from analysts and scouts is that he is the ideal three-and-D player and his athleticism, size and versatility are why he was the 14th pick in the draft. There has often been criticism of the lack of production Bryant had in his only college season.
Playing 19.8 minutes per game, which was seventh in the Arizona rotation in 2024-25, Bryant has a lot of room to develop with San Antonio. Bryant was drafted because of his physical attributes and potential, not his college production. With a young San Antonio corps, Bryant should fit in well.
San Antonio has only four players who have completed more than five years in the NBA. Bryant should be able to contribute offensively at both forward spots and guard two through four. Expect San Antonio to bring Bryant along slowly and have to earn his way into the rotation.
"He's got the positional size, the athleticism, the shooting, the defensive versatility, with potential to get better...In small doses, he showed some things offensively, that maybe he can be a little bit of a playmaker, he can make some passes. It wasn't showcased a ton, but he did it enough. Whether it was guarded or unguarded, he's able to get his shot off. He has room to grow in that area, he needs to continue to speed up his shot, but the NBA loves big wings that can shoot it."Jeff Boir
Bryant averaged 8.3 points per game, 4.7 rebounds and shot 41.7 percent from the field in the NCAA Tournament while averaging 24.0 minutes per game. All of those numbers were up from the regular season. Bryant will likely get a chance to be featured offensively during the NBA Summer League that begins July 10 in Las Vegas.
Bryant scored in double figures four times with Arizona, with a high of 14 points in wins at Cincinnati and versus Iowa State and 11 rebounds in a loss at Kansas State. San Antonio will not need Bryant to score to impact the game. The best path for Bryant to earn playing time will be with his defense.
Bryant finished the season shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 37.1 percent on three-point attempts during the 2024-25 season. On a team full of playmakers led by point guard DeAaron Fox and center Victor Wembanyana, Bryant's ability to catch and shoot will be an asset.
San Antonio has shown the ability to develop young players for decades. More recently, Wembanyana in 2024 and Stephon Castle in 2025 won the NBA Rookie of the Year. San Antonio is the perfect franchise for Bryant to be drafted by.