Carter Bryant - NBA Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

Bryant has been a fast riser throughout the draft process. The Arizona star could still return for his sophomore season, but it's likely he ends up as a mid-to-late first-round pick next month. Bryant started just five games for Arizona this season, but he has the perfect size to be a wing at the next level. It wouldn't be surprising if he ends up in the lottery.

Bryant played in a sixth man role for much of the season but had a productive year, shooting 37.1% from 3-point range. He can do a little bit of everything on the court and emerged as a versatile defender last season with a near 7-foot wingspan. He is said to be testing the predraft process, so team interviews and workouts will be crucial for him as he weighs his options for next season.

Bryant didn't start many games this year at Arizona, but he was a monster defensive player when he was on the court, showcasing serious playmaking chops as well as great on-ball play. He also knocks down a solid percentage of his 3s. Bryant is the guy in this class who seems to have a ton of juice when you talk to front offices, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him land in the top 10. I think I'd park his range in the No. 7 to No. 16 area.

The Bulls desperately need to find answers on the defensive end, especially if they're going to go all-in on the Josh Giddey and Coby White backcourt this summer when Giddey hits restricted free agency. Bryant would give Giddey a potential transition running mate and would give them a real perimeter defender to attack opposing ballhandlers and wings with.

Pro Comparison: Marcus Morris

Despite Carter Bryant's limited role, production and creation, there will be first-round interest in an athletic, 6'8" wing with clear shotmaking ability and defensive quickness/tools.

Teams may have to use their imaginations to picture serious upside, but Bryant has an NBA foundation and coveted archetype.

Team Fit: With the Spurs adding Harper to pair alongside De'Aaron Fox, they could target positional wing size, athleticism, shotmaking and defense at No. 14. Carter has become a hot name during the predraft process.

Scouting report: Bryant is the type of player who could help his standing in the predraft process as teams get a better look at him in workout settings, and he ticks several boxes NBA teams actively seek at his position. He's an easy fit with his desirable combination of size, length, perimeter shooting, passing and defensive versatility, sliding all over the floor for the Wildcats this season and seeing time at both forward positions.

Bryant wasn't consistently productive for Arizona coming off the bench and averaging just 6.5 points per game, as he's not much of a shot creator and has room to grow on both ends of the floor. But he has significant upside to tap into long term. -- Givony

NBA intel and fit: With its second lottery pick in this draft, it will be interesting to see what San Antonio's appetite is for adding another rookie to an already young roster as the team likely hopes to gear up for a postseason run, nine years removed from its last playoff series win. Which direction the Spurs go with their first selection will likely play a role in what they do here, but the idea of moving one of these picks for more immediate help might appeal to the front office, depending on how the draft unfolds.

If the Spurs keep the pick, a young combo forward such as Bryant who can space the floor and guard multiple positions makes a lot of sense. -- Givony

There's a lot to like about Bryant: he has ideal size for an NBA wing (6'8, 7-foot wingspan), he's an explosive athlete, he forced a ton of turnovers on the defensive end, and he proved he can hit a spot-up three. The Arizona freshman is pretty limited with the ball in his hands to this point both in terms of creating his own shot off the dribble or finding teammates as a passer. He has to continue to be a catch-and-shoot threat to impact the game offensively. While his 37.1 percent mark from three is impressive, it came on under three attempts per game, which leads to legitimate questions about how much utility his shot will have against bigger and faster pro defenses. Bryant's own defense should get him on the floor early in his NBA career, and if he can knock down shots, he should have a role as a combo forward for a long time.

I remain skeptical that Houston keeps this pick, but Carter is someone who would have value both to any team the Rockets might do business with, and to the Rockets in support of any star they might land. Bryant played a limited role on an experienced team this past season at Arizona, where the touches and shots were spoken for more often than not. That locked him into a spacing-and-finishing role, which is likely what he'll be doing in the near future in the NBA. That role allows him to showcase his greatest skill: defense. Bryant is the kind of bendy, long, and strong athlete who can run the gamut of defensive assignments.

Bryant looks the part of a winning two-way wing who can defend and knock down shots. He hit 37.1% from 3-point range and rated in the 80th percentile as a jump shooter in his freshman season at Arizona. Teams are growing increasingly intrigued by his skill set and potential.

The Thunder have a habit of selecting raw forwards, whether it's Ousmane Dieng or Aleksej Pokuševski. Bryant would be a similar type of risk. Beyond his cutting, he needs to improve as a shooter to earn minutes in high-leverage games. And that's exactly what he did to close his freshman year at Arizona, making 45.5% of his 3s in the conference tournament and NCAA tournament. Beyond scoring, Bryant is a rangy, athletic forward who projects as a highly versatile defender.