As one of the most underrated two-way guards in the 2018 NBA Draft class Tony Carr looks to prove athleticism isn’t a problem.
Tony Carr decided to take a gamble and go back to Penn State for his sophomore season with the hopes of improving his stock in the upcoming 2018 NBA Draft. And while it remains to be seen whether, or not that gamble paid off initial reports suggest otherwise.
Being pegged as a late-first to middle-second round pick, going back to school seemed to be the logical choice. However, draft boards now have him as a late second-round pick, a disappointment to a kid with high expectations. And it’s not as though he had a bad season either.
In fact, he actually improved in almost every category. He became a better passer, developed a better handle, improved his defense and turned into a fantastic 3-point shooter. So, what happened you ask, this draft happened.
Although this draft might not have the next LeBron, it is loaded at the top and deep, like really deep. Moreover, the NBA changed. And despite being run by point-guards, two-way wings have become all the rage
Furthermore, the point-guard depth in the NBA has become so loaded that GM’s are being forced to prioritize. And they aren’t wrong either as they continue to find more and more quality guards deep in NBA drafts.
Nevertheless, it has to be disappointing for a kid with as much talent as Tony Carr. Of course, that’s not to say that he won’t make it in the NBA. Moreover, if he plays with even half the amount of swagger and competitiveness that he displayed at Penn State, he should certainly get noticed early on in his career.
Player specifics:
- Height: 6’4.5″
- Weight: 198.8 lbs
- Wingspan: 6’8.25″
- Position: PG
- Age: 20.7
- College: Penn State
- Home town: Philadelphia, PA
Statline:
| Season | G | GS | MP | FGA | FG% | 2PA | 2P% | 3PA | 3P% | FTA | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 33 | 33 | 32.8 | 11.3 | .377 | 8.2 | .399 | 3.1 | .320 | 4.8 | .771 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 13.2 |
| 2017-18 | 37 | 37 | 35.4 | 16.2 | .408 | 10.7 | .395 | 5.5 | .433 | 5.0 | .799 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 19.6 |
| Career | 70 | 70 | 34.2 | 13.9 | .396 | 9.5 | .397 | 4.4 | .395 | 4.9 | .786 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 16.6 |
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 6/15/2018.
Skills:
Despite being labeled a late second-round pick on most draft boards, Tony Carr has tremendous two-way upside. Unlike most guards with his offensive skill-set, Carr stands tall at nearly 6’5” and is long with a 6’8.25” wingspan.
He is a lights-out 3-point shooter, hitting 43.3% on 5.5 attempts per game. Moreover, he shoots well both off the dribble and in catch and shoot situations. Along with a high release-point, he is able to use his length to get off a quick shot, something that should serve him well as he ages. And while he was the primary ball handler at Penn State, he moves well off-ball too.
He is a really good passer, with good vision and great court awareness. Carr is especially good in pick and roll and pick and pop situations seemingly always making the right read. And although he isn’t the greatest athlete, he is good at controlling the pace of the game.
Also, he is a great finisher using an array of dribble moves, spin moves, euro steps, hesitation dribbles and pump fakes to bait defenders and finish through contact. Moreover, these skills allow him to play well in the mid-range and out of the post. He can bully smaller defenders, or step-back to create space on bigger ones.
Likewise, he makes good use of baby hooks and floaters to score around the basket. He is a big shot maker and plays with a confidence and swagger that should also translate to the defensive end.
He uses his high IQ and great anticipation to disrupt passing lanes. Also, he has good footwork, fights through screens, is a good rebounder and solid shot blocker for his position. Carr is a two-way player that should be able to handle switches and guard at least 3 positions.
Weaknesses:
Carr’s only true weakness is his athleticism as we saw at last months 2018 NBA Draft Combine. Although supremely talented, he tested like a forward, or a center posting a 31.5-inch max vertical leap. Furthermore, the lane agility of 11.89 seconds and shuttle run at 3.40 seconds didn’t go so well either. And while his three-quarter court sprint at 3.17 seconds was fine, it’s concerning nonetheless.
Now we have seen instances in the past where guys just simply have bad days. We have also seen guys get with NBA trainers and make drastic improvements. And while those players are usually exceptions to the rule, not all is lost.
Carr has also shown some in-game athleticism. If you watch his tape there are times when he gets a full head of steam and throws down some powerful dunks. That’s not to say that it couldn’t become an issue. And while it didn’t seem to bother him in college, the NBA is a league of its own.
Awards and honors:
First-team All-Big Ten (2018)
Big Ten All-Freshman team (2017)
Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball (2016)
Pro comparison:
Pro Comparison:
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor compared him to Jarret Jack, Rodney Stuckey and Jordan Crawford.
I know it’s late in the draft, but I just don’t see it. Especially when you have Troy Brown at twelve and are comparing him to Kris Middleton. Troy Brown and Tony Carr who you have at fifty-nine, are more similar than Troy Brown and Kris Middleton.
Sure, Troy Brown is about two inches taller and two inches longer, but Tony Carr is literally better at almost everything else. And the stats back it up. They tested very similarly athletically and have similar projections in what they can excel at as players.
Personally, I see Tony Carr as a slightly better offensive and a slightly worse defensive version of young George Hill. Call me crazy, but I don’t think Carr’s athletic limitations are going to prevent him from becoming a good player. And while it may prevent him from becoming a great one, the upside is there nonetheless.
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Current ranking:
ESPN/DraftExpress: 54th
The Ringer: 52nd
Draft Net: 53rd
CBS Sports: 60th
Sports Illustrated: 51st
Bleacher Report: 50th
Basketball Insider: 64th
Sporting News: 56th
Fit with OKC Thunder:
Tony Carr’s 3-point shooting ability, size to play and defend both guard spots, and ability to create for others make him an ideal fit for OKC. Especially considering how far he is projected to drop.
Getting talent late in the second round can be a difficult task. In an ideal world Presti would package the picks and move up, but OKC needs good cheap rotational players. And if your odds of hitting on a player in the second round are slim anyway, you might as well double them. Especially considering the depth of talent in this year’s draft.
At the very least Carr will fill backup point guard duties and space the floor next to Westbrook. Best case scenario, Carr reaches his full potential and OKC has an all-star caliber guard to pair next to Westbrook. Either way, Tony Carr presents good value for the Thunder in a year where they don’t have a first-round pick.
Next: Top 15 NBA Draft picks in OKC Thunder franchise history
So get used to hearing his name because if Presti doesn’t make a move it’s likely one of the two you will hear called in this year’s NBA Draft.