2018 NBA Draft: 5 best prospects at the center position

Wendell Carter was considering an amateur career at Harvard before making the choice to attend Duke, where he’ll now be part of the most talented frontcourt in the country. With Marques Bolden returning and Marvin Bagley III reclassifying, a lot of Carter’s stock will be dependent on the type of role he’s able to carve out for a Duke squad that — yet again — is projected as one of the nation’s best teams.

While Bolden has already spent a season with the Blue Devils, a starting frontcourt of Carter and Bagley seems more than reasonable. Bagley has versatility to space out to the perimeter, while Carter’s stocky frame and well-oiled post repertoire will thrive at the collegiate level.

With that being said, Carter’s game isn’t glued to the low block. He’s not Jahlil Okafor, and any representation of him as such is vastly underselling just how versatile he could become..

Carter is athletic, he just uses his tools in a way that differs from most bigs mentioned alongside him in the lottery discussion. He gives off an Al Horford vibe, using his strength to carve out positioning around the rim before breaking out a wide variety of nifty moves to either get off shots or make a nice touch pass around the interior.

He’s also a capable shooter, with some of the mid-range proficiency that highlights Horford’s game — as well as legitimate potential from beyond the arc. When you combine that with the defensive upside that comes with a strong, mobile 6’10” frame, it’s not difficult to see the appeal that Carter has. Expect him to stay in the lottery discussion all season long.