Meet Kings rookie Devin Carter, the elite athlete who's been training to go pro his entire life
Editor’s Note: This story was originally published May 28 2024.
Providence Friars guard Devin Carter is a fearless, tough-as-nails basketball prospect and many scouts believe his game translates perfectly to the next level of competition.
Carter reportedly has “significant momentum” leading into the 2024 NBA Draft, per ESPN, and it is easy to see why. After averaging 19.7 points with 8.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game as a junior, the Big East Player of the Year projects as an impactful athlete on both sides of the ball.
He told For The Win during a recent video interview that there is one thing that he wants to make clear when he meets with NBA teams during the pre-draft process.
“I’m going to always compete. I’m going to always show up on time, work hard,” Carter said. “I’m going to be a great teammate and someone who is ready to win from day one.”
One of the biggest winners from the 2024 NBA Draft Combine, the Providence guard measured with a wingspan just short of 6-foot-9 and tested with elite athleticism.
His max vertical leap (42″) and standing vertical leap (35″) were both among the best among all participants. He displayed as much during games, per Bart Torvik, recording more dunks than all but just one draft-eligible NCAA prospect listed at 6-foot-3 or shorter.
Not only was his lane agility elite, but the junior also recorded the fastest three-quarter sprint (2.87 seconds) in the history of the NBA Draft Combine.
But as the son of NBA veteran Anthony Carter — now an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies — he doesn’t just want to hear his name called on draft night.
“I don’t want to be a person who just makes it to the NBA. My dad played for 13 years. Not a lot of people can say that,” Carter explained. So I’m planning on playing as long as God lets me play and just see where it goes from there. I’m very excited to take this next step in my journey.”
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Watch Episode 1 of Prospect Park, a video series featuring future NBA players brought to you by USA TODAY Sports and For The Win: