ESPN NBA Draft guru Jonathan Givony reported on Sunday Arizona freshman forward Carter Bryant is entering the NBA Draft as expected. Bryant is leaving open the possiblity of returning to Arizona. The deadline for early entrees to submit their names for the 2025 NBA Draft was at 11:59 Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday night.
Bryant averaged 6.5 points per game, 4.1 rebound and 1.0 assist while shooting 46.0 percent from the field, 37.1 percent on three-point attempts and 69.5 percent from the free throw line with a 59.2 eFG percentage. NBADraft.Net observed Bryant is a "Skilled and athletic wing with ideal physical tools for the modern NBA wing."
Bryant "Has much room to expand half-court offensive game. Can improve technique as a finisher and scoring efficiency" per NBADraft.Net. A consensus five-star signee in the 2024 class, Bryant was seventh on Arizona averaging 19.3 minutes per game.
Bryant played nearly the same amount of minutes as the other Arizona front court players. Trey Townsend led Arizona frontcourt players averaging 21.0 MPG followed by Henri Veesaar at 20.8 MPG Tobe Awaka a 19.5 MPG. Awaka is the only one of the four who has stated he is returning next season.
I think everyone thought Carter Bryant would do this, which only makes sense. If he feels ready for the NBA afterward, more power to him. If he doesn't, he can be part of a national title contender at Arizona and still get NIL benefits before going to the NBA next year. https://t.co/whJmyoeUPq
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) April 27, 2025
Arizona is likely to be consensus top 15 team without Bryant. If Bryant returns to Arizona for the 2025-26 season, the Wildcats could be a top five team. Awaka will be joined in the frontcourt by center Motijus Krivas who is returning from a injury that caused him to miss most of the 2024-25 season and 2025 signees Koa Peat and Dwayne Aristode.
The Bleacher Report/NBA.Com projects Bryant as the 16th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft as recently as Tuesday. Bryant entering the NBA Draft gives Tommy Lloyd more clarity to add frontcourt depth to the 2025-26 roster if he chooses to do so. The rotation should be strong without Bryant if Arizona stays healthy.