The NBA Draft is fast approaching and two Pitt players, Carlton “Bub” Carrington and Blake Hinson, are looking to leave their mark on this year’s draft process. Hinson has been hovering around the No. 100 spot in recent prospect rankings, while Carrington has solidified himself as a first-round talent. The young guard had an impressive season at Pitt and showcased his skills at the NBA Combine leading up to the draft. He is now a frequent feature in mock drafts.
CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein recently released a mock draft that had Carrington going as high as No. 15 overall to the Miami Heat. Finkelstein expressed that there is mixed feedback on Carrington, with some NBA teams considering him a rising star while he was not included in the first round of green room invitations. For the Heat, Carrington would bring a high-upside big guard who made significant improvements during his time at Pittsburgh.
Carrington had a standout freshman season at Pitt, averaging 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He emerged as one of the top true freshmen in college basketball, scoring in double digits 22 times during the season, with four games of 20 or more points. Only 15 freshmen have achieved this feat since 1992-93, with 10 of them going on to become first-round NBA Draft picks. If selected, he would be the first former Pitt Panther to be drafted since Cam Johnson in the 2019 NBA Draft and the first Panther chosen directly out of Pittsburgh since Lamar Patterson in 2014.
The second round of mock drafts has also begun for those players who may not crack into the lottery pick range but still have potential to make an impact at next level such as Blake Hinson who is hovering around No
