Devin Carter Takes Defense Personally and is Ready for the Next Step

Devin Carter discusses his journey to the league ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.

In partnership with Overtime, Carter will be part of the Draft House presented by Visible, the first-all digital wireless service in the US, powered by Verizon, giving viewers an inside look at who he is, his pre-draft process and his game.

“[Overtime] can expect some funny moments,” Carter told Draft Digest of the series. “They can expect a lot of basketball workouts. Just everyday life, like shopping, me talking to my dad, back on my college campus.”

“[Overtime] does a really good job of keeping it very authentic, the stories behind every athlete. I thought it would be a really good opportunity to share my story with fans across the world.” As the Providence guard’s stock continues to climb, he already has a unique understanding of what life is like in the NBA before stepping across that Barclays Center stage.

“Watching my pops play — he played for 13 years — I think I learned a lot from him on the defensive end, how hard he played and how much he wanted to win. That is what I took from him the most,” Carter explained to Draft Digest when asked who impacted his basketball life the most.

His connection to his dad has already helped him prepare for the NBA Draft, “he has definitely helped me out. With things to expect from these workouts, questions maybe [teams will ask],” Carter said.

As he sat just hours away from being selected into the NBA, the 6-foot-2 guard reflected on the pre-draft process that includes plenty of travel and competition.

“Nobody understands the flying aspect. You might be in LA one day, and you might go to Chicago the next day, you might have a back-to-back workout and your flights get delayed, connecting flights. The hardest part throughout this whole process is having enough time to recover with the flying and everything,” Carter explained.

Though in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the month leading into selection day, Carter chuckles thinking about the chaotic airport scenes — finding the positive in a rugged process, “For me, I know it’s tiring for a lot of people, but the way I look at it you only have to do this one time in your career, so this is to set up your friends and family. What is one month of just flying around going to do?”

Despite how exhausting chasing down the next terminal, checking into yet another hotel and preparing your mind for a life altering job interview was, Carter found comfort in the competition.

“The vast majority [of NBA workouts with teams] is the same. Everybody shoots, everybody plays one-on-one…It is a lot of hungry kids trying to make a roster and get drafted. It is a lot of hard work and competitive people you are playing against every workout,” Carter detailed to Draft Digest.

Those dreams will become a reality soon for the 22-year-old who has seen the NBA vision his entire life. 

While some could be nervous for a jump to the best league in the world, the style of play in the big leagues plays right into the hands of the tenacious defender with a productive stroke from the outside.

“The five out, I think playing in transition and five out offense is really how I play, the way I like to play. A lot of space, let the ball breath. Side pick-and-rolls, double drags, then people are spaced out in the corners giving me enough space to attack if I get in the paint I can drive, help kick it out for three or something.” Carter said. “If nobody helps I can finish over somebody. The five out and pace is what I am most looking forward to [in the NBA].” 

If the Providence guard comes off as a basketball sicko with such detail of the inter-workings of the modern NBA before stepping foot on the professional hardwood, he should.

To be the caliber of defender Carter is, you have to be consumed with the sport.

On off days, the Friar was stowed away, breaking down Big East games to earn a leg up on the competition.

When Providence came together for film study, the 6-foot-2 guard was not staring into space when head coach Kim English discussed how the team would handle the opposing big man. Carter was likely the most locked-in audience member for English. 

“I watched a lot of the games that my opponents played in the off day, just me getting a familiar feel with them and by the time it is our time to scout them, I am paying attention to whenever [the coaches] are talking about the four-man, the five-man, the three- man not just the matchup I am guarding,” Carter spoke to his preparation defensively. “Just knowing everybody’s personnel on the court. If you are a team that switches heavily and you get switched onto a person that is not your position you have to know their strengths and know their weaknesses so I think just knowing everybody’s personnel 1-5 or really 1-16 however many players that play.”

With a rare motor to be a two-way player, Carter draws offense from his pesky nature on the defensive end. Logging 2.8 stocks per game, the 22-year-old embodies turning defense into offense but also has the competitive edge needed to lock down NBA stars.

“I think that playing defense helps me get going. I think if I miss a few shots, I know if I get a block or a steal it is going to get me right back in that mojo and feeling good. The willingness to want to get stops is big time,” Carter explained. “I take it personally. My man scores on me, I kind of get upset at myself…It is just the standard I hold myself to.”

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