Robert Carter Jr. committed to transfer from Georgia Tech to Maryland in June 2014.
He sat out the following year per the NCAA's transfer rules and became eligible to play just in time to play on one of the country's most hyped teams last season.
His high expectations were met reasonably well all season. His size was tremendous, his post moves were polished, he showed he had some range and he became one the team's greatest leaders despite only playing for one season.
There was hope he'd return for another season, but his mind was made up fairly quickly that he would head for the NBA. That choice seems like a wise one, as he was one of the hottest names coming out of the draft combine and appears to be a lock to be taken in the second round.
With Carter about to start his pro career, here’s a bit on where he stands:
The basics
Age: 22
Height without shoes: 6'6.75
Weight: 250.6 pounds
Wingspan: 7'3.25
Body fat: 12.45 percent
What’s good?
Carter was able to showcase his versatility on offense at Maryland, posting up, driving to the hoop and spotting up for three. His long distance shooting was inconsistent, but the potential for it to develop has scouts interested.
Carter has great touch around the rim and his 62.9 percent two-point shooting display from last season was proof. His 12 points and 7 rebounds per game in a stacked lineup showed he remained productive despite leaving from being the go-to guy at Georgia Tech to one of many options at Maryland. His 74 percent free throw shooting is also solid for someone his size.
What’s bad?
Defensively, Carter has a ways to go. He'd often get beat off the dribble or fall for pump fakes, and it was always clear he was much better on the other side of the ball. He'll need to improve there to step onto an NBA court with any consistency.
Carter also came in to the combine with the second highest body fat percentage at the combine, and though obviously strong, he may have to cut some weight to improve his speed and mobility.
What’s next?
The second round is a very unpredictable and wide-open ground for a large stretch of non-obvious first round picks, and it's likely that's where he'll be taken.
DraftExpress currently has him slated as the No. 46 pick in the draft; right in the middle of the second round. It's really difficult to take any guesses as to where he might go given his range and the amount of teams trying to buy or trade second round picks.
What is for sure is that it would be surprising to not hear his name at all on Thursday.
Who’s a decent NBA comparison?
I'm not much of a fan of NBA comparisons, but Paul Millsap is the name that gets thrown around with Carter. A mobile big who can stretch the defense out to the perimeter, but also rebound well on inside sounds sort of like what Carter can be in a few years.