As a sophomore transfer from Ohio State, DJ Carton was the star at Marquette. On the year, Carton averaged 13 PPG, 4 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG, and 3.2 TOPG on shooting splits of 45/28/74. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: DJ Carton
Height/Weight: 6’3 ½ / 190
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’6 ¼ /8’1 ½
Hand size: 8 ½
Position: Guard
Pre-Draft team: Marquette
Tools: Athleticism
Pros:
- Plus athlete that can finish above the rim in traffic
- Strong overall finisher
- Reliable runner
- Good shooter off the dribble
- Adequate lateral quickness
Cons:
- Awkward shooting base
- Needs to get better at catch & shoot
- Needs to cut turnovers; forces a lot of passes
- Must tighten his handle, especially in traffic
- Needs to get better at learning P&R defense
- Needs to become more comfortable going and finishing right
Overall:
DJ Carton is an athletic guard with the ability to manipulate pick & roll situations and upside as a finisher at the rim. Carton finished in the 84th percentile in pick & roll offense, although it should be noted that most of his success came as a scorer off of screens; his P&R passing percentile – which it should be noted is solely based on make/miss outcome – finished in the 36th percentile in the country. While Carton can hit mid range shots and throw defenses off to get his look at the rim, this emphasizes his need to become a more advanced playmaker. While he has decent vision, Carton doesn’t make advanced passes, and he needs to differentiate risky passes from advanced passes in order to unlock a level of playmaking. As a finisher, Carton is dominant as a finisher with his left hand and as an above the rim finisher for a guard, exemplified by his 63% shooting at the rim, per hoop-math. Carton does need to make considerable strides with his right hand, both as a ball-handler and a finisher, to unlock his full finishing upside. The most important swing skill Carton has offensively is improving consistency in his jump shot. When his shot goes in versus when his shot misses, his impact is drastically different. Carton must become more consistent as a shooter and make his mechanics repeatable and overall better.
Lastly, as a defender, Carton has slow reaction times at time on-ball, but he does have good lateral quickness. I project him to be a below-average defender at guard, but this shouldn’t have a major bearing on his NBA impact, should he make it. Look for Carton to receive a two-way contract offer post-draft.
Similar to: Jared Cunningham, Jaylen Hands
Projected draft range: Undrafted
Expected role: Athletic backup guard that gets to the rim
Unplayable if: Jump shooting doesn’t develop/translate, and his playmaking doesn’t elevate his teammates.
Exceeds expectations if: Playmaking adapts to NBA tempo, and his jump shooting approaches near league average.
Shot chart:
