76ers Select Pitt Star in ESPN Mock Draft

The Philadelphia 76ers will take a chance on a young, star guard from the Pitt Panthers in the First Round in the latest ESPN mock Draft

Feb 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Carlton Carrington (7) warms up before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers star freshman guard Bub Carrington is readying for the next phase of his life, with the NBA Draft two weeks away on June 26-27.

ESPN released their latest mock draft, with both Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo picking where players might or should end up at. Givony looked at what player an NBA team would need and Woo looked at teams that would draft players based on their value.

Woo picked Carrington to go to the Philadelphia 76ers in the First Round with the No. 16 overall pick.

He compared Carrington to Tyrese Maxey, who fell to the 76ers with the No. 21 overall pick in 2020. Maxey is now one of the best guards in the league, earning himself an All-Star nod and the NBA's Most Improved Player this past season.

Woo sees Carrington, who turns 19 in July, growing as a player and doing so alongside Maxey would make for a great guard duo for years to come for the 76ers.

"The Sixers hit big on Tyrese Maxey in 2020 when he fell to them at No. 21," Woo wrote. "And in much the same way, Carrington has a chance to deliver pretty exciting value outside the lottery. Whether Philadelphia would go this route is fair to ask -- they could use more immediate help -- but a Carrington-Maxey backcourt pairing would be exciting for the future."

Carrington had an excellent performance at the NBA Draft Combine, which put him on the radar for a number of draft experts and scouts.

He ran his 3/4 court sprint in 3.28 seconds, ranking sixth best. He also finished ranked tied 12th best with a maximum veritcal jump of 36.5 inches

Carrington showed off his shooting prowess throughout those drills as well. He shot 21-for-30, 70%, off the dribble, 19-for-25, 76.0%, side-by-side and 20-for-25, 80%, on spot up shooting, all best marks at the combine. He also shot 13-for-25, 52.0%, in the 3-point star drill, tied for eighth best. 

He starred for the Panthers last season, earning All-ACC Rookie Team honors, the first Panther to do so. 

Carrington started all 33 games for Pitt, averaging 33.2 minutes, 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, respectively, while shooting 41.2% from the field, 32.2% from 3-point range and 78.5% from the foul line.

One of his best games came in the season opener, as he scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in the win over North Carolina A&T, becoming to first Panther to have a triple-double in their debut in program history.

If he does go in the First Round, Carrington would serve as the first Pitt player to go that early since Steven Adams did so when the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him with the 12th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Carrington would also become the first Panther to earn an NBA Draft selection since the Atlanta Hawks took Lamar Patterson in the Second Round in 2014.

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