The post Spurs’ Carter Bryant unleashes on defense with one-man block party vs. 76ers appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Just imagine if the San Antonio Spurs added another young player with a long wingspan, athleticism, and rim-protecting abilities to pair with their unicorn star Victor Wembanyama.
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Oh, yeah, that’s right. That’s exactly what the Spurs have done.
The Spurs landed the rookie they were targeting after drafting Carter Bryant as the 14th overall pick last month. The team was high on the former Arizona standout for his ability to impact the game on the defensive end.
On Thursday, the Spurs battled the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Summer League, and the 19-year-old Bryant showed why he could be a key weapon for the Silver and Black. In just 30 seconds—heating up leftover rice would take longer—he swatted away three shots of the 76ers in the second quarter.
If you squint hard enough, it looks like it’s a smaller version of Wembanyama defending the paint.
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Before some of you roll your eyes and blurt the familiar refrain, “It’s just the Summer League,” it’s still a strong indicator of Bryant’s defensive instincts. For sure, the Spurs saw that during his one-year stint with the Wildcats. Now, if there’s one lesson history has taught us, it’s this: Don’t bet against the Spurs’ scouting.
Prior to the game against Philadelphia, San Antonio was 1-2 in the NBA Summer League. In the two games Carter played in, he put up 8.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 22.7 minutes.
In his lone year at Arizona, he averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks. But many of his contributions didn’t show up in the statistics, including energy plays and two-way activity.
While the 6-foot-8 Bryant will have to earn his minutes behind Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, and Julian Champagnie, it’s not implausible to see him carve out a role with the Spurs under the first full year of coach Mitch Johnson.
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