Jevon Carter Scouting Report

Tip: To play clips, you may need to disable AdBlock

Jevon Carter (Ball handler, 22, 6'2", 196 lbs)

Statistical Profile

Strengths

Jevon Carter is the best point of attack defender in the draft. He is a fantastic lateral mover in space and has unmatched aggressiveness defensively, allowing no space whatsoever for opposing ball handlers.

He is incredibly instinctual and has elite anticipation skills. He is extremely strong for his size and plays intense pressure defense on the ball without getting called for fouls.

He has elite stamina and effort on both ends. He’s an excellent rebounder for his size and a superb decision maker with the ball in his hands. As a shooter, he has improved significantly over the course of his college career and has blossomed into an efficient three point shooter and excellent from the foul line. He can spot up and catch-and-shoot, but he can also shoot reasonably well off the dribble and was relied upon in his last two seasons to score unassisted showing some of his creation chops. His catch-and-shoot ability is legitimate and has improved mightily over the course of his college career. There is no longer doubt that he can knock down an open three. This season, he finished in the 91st percentile on unguarded catch-and-shoot opportunities, scoring 1.538 ppp.

Weaknesses

Carter’s biggest weaknesses are his age and size. He has Trae Young-type dimensions, limiting him to a one-position defender in the NBA. He is also almost 23 years old, capping any potential growth or future upside, making him a low-ceiling but high-floor prospect. His ball handling is adequate, but his average handle, passing ability and creation skills make him more of an off ball point guard, limiting his ideal destinations to teams with wings as their primary ball handlers or ones with playmakers with more size than Carter.

Summary

Carter is reminiscent of Patrick Beverley in the sense that he is an extremely intense on-ball defender but lacks the size, creation chops or playmaking ability to be a consistent on-ball point guard. If his point guard skills continue to develop, he could expand his role at the next level, but for now, he will fill a much needed role as a backup point guard who spends 20 minutes a night harassing the opponent’s primary ball handler. Carter is one of the best pressing guards to come out of the Draft in years and is a nuisance to play against. His ideal fit is one with a team with a bigger primary initiator. However, regardless where he lands, Carter will find a role in the NBA as a high effort, aggressive, instinctual defender who can stick an open three. Those skills are hard to find and it is likely that they will allow him to overcome his physical and development limitations.