Gamecocks getting 'someone that wants to win' in Devin Carter

If he didn’t have shoulder surgery in February, Devin Carter might very well be on a college campus somewhere right now. But he did, opting then to reclassify to the 2021 class, and becoming the Gamecocks’ first commitment in the class.

All of that happened in April and Wednesday everything became official for Carter with the long guard signing his NLI.

“It felt great knowing how much I worked for his moment. Everything my pops told me was to trust the work,” he told GamecockCentral. “It felt great to just watch the work pay off.”

Carter played his high school basketball at Doral Academy under Jorge Fernandez, a longtime friend of Frank Martin’s, and picked South Carolina over offers from California, Georgia Tech, FAU, FIU, East Carolina, VCU and Colorado.

After officially inking with South Carolina Wednesday morning, his future head coach reached out for a quick congratulations.

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“Frank Martin can’t wait. He said we’re going to accomplish big things together,” Carter said. “Chuck Martin was along the same page.”

Carter is considered a three-star prospect and the No. 37 shooting guard in the country.

“They’re getting a hard-worker,” Carter said of his game. “They’re getting a scorer, someone that can score the ball and somebody that doesn’t complain. They’re getting someone that wants to win.”

Carter, who averaged 28.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game before that shoulder injury ended his career at Doral Academy, is playing his prep year at Brewster Academy, one of the best prep schools in the country.

There, he’ll get a chance to not only get fully healthy—he says his shoulder is feeling great—but also compete against Division I players day in and day out.

He’s only been there a few months but is already seeing returns on his game.

“I feel like my game’s already progressed,” Carter said. “I’ve put on a few pounds up here too. I feel like I can get to the basket better than I did before and I see the court better than I did this previous year.”

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This year he’s playing some at the point guard spot, the first time in his career he’s every been tasked with running the offense, and is something he’s enjoyed doing and thinks will vastly improve his game.

He thinks playing point this year is going to benefit him a lot once he arrives at South Carolina in case the Gamecocks want to use him there during his career.

“I’ve always brought the ball up but I’ve never been the one to call the plays and set up stuff. It’s a big adjustment,” he said. “Not everyone wants to play point guard; not everyone is comfortable playing point guard. I’m versatile so I can play point guard, two-guard, three-guard.”

Carter is one of three commitments in the 2021 class and one of two that signed this week with Jacobi Wright being the other. Wing commitment Carlous Williams will sign in April.

“I’ve always wanted to play for Frank Martin since my coach introduced me to him. They’re like best friends,” Carter said. “They coach the same. It’s something I’ve been waiting for.”