Pitt Duo Ranked Top 75 NBA Draft Prospects

The Pitt Panthers have a duo who made the Bleacher Report's Top 75 NBA Draft Prospects list, as they look to their future.

Feb 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward Blake Hinson (2) and guard Carlton Carrington (7) celebrate after Hinson hit a three point basket to break the forty point mark against the Louisville Cardinals during the second half at the Petersen Events Center. Pittsburgh won 86-59. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have two players in guard Carlton "Bub" Carrington and forward Blake Hinson who are awaiting their future with the 2024 NBA Draft this week.

Jonathan Wasserman of the Bleacher Report released his "Expert Big Board" where he ranked the top 75 NBA Draft prospects and both Carrington and Hinson made the list. Carrington came in at No, 25 and Hinson at No. 69.

Wasserman likes Carrington's pull-up game, as well as his passing and confidence with the ball in his hands for a young guard. He does think that he doesn't have a quick step to blow past opponents and that he doesn't block many shots or create steals, which is why he isn't rated as highly as others put him in, like their top 10 or at a lottery pick.

"Bub Carrington has generated a lot of praise during this predraft process, with teams falling for his positional size, shotmaking skill, passing flashes and age," Wasserman wrote.

"The differentiator skill for Carrington is his pull-up—he made 102 on 40.8 percent as an 18-year-old freshman in the ACC. He also proved to be an effective pick-and-roll passer. The combination of vision and shooting off the dribble bodes well for his ability to make plays in ball-screen situations. On the downside, lacks burst to put pressure on the rim or draw fouls.

"His 1.0 steal rate and 0.9 block percentage are red-flag low historically when looking at previous prospects. And he wasn't overly efficient off the ball in catch-and-shoot situations."

Wasserman wrote a small blurb on Hinson, crediting his 3-point shooting ability and that it will serve as his best chance to make it as a professional.

"Hinson hit 207 threes during his two seasons at Pittsburgh," Wasserman wrote. "At 24 years old, he'll earn looks as a shotmaking specialist, though he has showcased some bonus self-creation for scoring in other ways."

Pitt has not had a player receive an NBA Draft selection since the Atlanta Hawks took forward Lamar Patterson with the No. 48 overall pick in the Second Round in 2014.

Panthers star freshman guard Bub Carrington received an NBA Draft green room invite, where his family will join him at the Barclays Center for the First Round, as he is likely to go in the top 20 overall picks.

Hinson hopes to try and get one of the last of the 58 picks in the NBA Draft, but if he doesn't, he'll hope to get a spot on a G-League roster with a chance to make it on an NBA roster in the future. 

If both Carrington and Hinson earn NBA Draft selections, it would serve as the first time since 2009 that Pitt had two players do so. Forwards Sam Young and DeJuan Blair went back-to-back, No. 36 and No. 37 to the Memphis Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs, respectively, in the Second Round.

The last time it happened for Pitt prior was in the 1998 NBA Draft, Forward Charles Smith went No. 3 overall to the Philadelphia 76ers who traded the pick to the Los Angeles Clippers, while fellow forward Jerome Lane went No. 23 overall to the Denver Nuggets.

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