10 NBA Draft prospects who can rise or fall in ACC Tournament
6. Pittsburgh's Bub Carrington is tough to get a read on
Pittsburgh freshman Carlton Carrington rocketed up draft boards early in the season, only to fall back as ACC play started and his 3-point shooting normalized. Recently, however, Carrington has kept scouts engaged with impressive scoring flourishes. He dropped 27 points on Boston College a week ago, drilling 7-of-12 shots from 3-point range. The 18-year-old is one of the youngest prospects on the board, and his production — however flawed — does stand out as a result.
He's averaging 13.3 points and 4.2 assists on .402/.308/.795 splits for the season. Carrington is a dynamic pull-up shooter and playmaker, operating with tremendous poise and tempo in pick-and-roll situations. It's genuinely rare to find 6-foot-5 freshmen with Carrington's ability to change speeds and make advanced passing reads on the move.
The primary issue is his complete inability to finish around the rim. Carrington isn't particularly explosive with his first step; he relies a lot on floaters and contested jumpers, rather than venturing all the way to the paint. That has contributed to struggles in the efficiency department. If Carrington can get hot at the right time and keep facilitating at a high level, NBA front offices will probably look past the shortcomings. But, the opposite is also true. If Carrington hits a wall, he could be looking at a sophomore season to stabilize his draft stock.
5. Miami's Kyshawn George is the biggest riser of March so far
Swiss freshman Kyshawn George has been leapfrogging his peers en masse on draft boards lately. His role and production tend to fluctuate game-to-game, but in such a weak draft class, teams are desperate to unearth hidden gems. George occupies an archetype that is naturally appealing to NBA front offices. At 6-foot-8, he offers legitimate ball-handling equity on the wing. Every team wants a lanky wing that can dribble, pass, and shoot. George has the chance to continue rising as a result, maybe as high as the lottery conversation.
George has settled at a fairly high baseline due to his 41.5 percent 3-point success rate and high-feel passing. He's still the basketball equivalent of unmolded clay — hampered in part by a skinny frame and limited burst. But, the tools are there. His ability to push the pace in transition, work out of pick-and-rolls, or splash spot-up 3s with range is enough to keep NBA scouts invested, even if he struggles against physicality.
Miami is not positioned for a deep run in March, though, so George enters the ACC Tournament with a limited timeline to prove to NBA scouts that he should be a 2024 prospect. A well-timed explosion could land George as high as the lottery.