Recruiting Report: Christian Carter (2017)

When they say that defense is an “effort thing” more so than a skill, there’s truth in that. But there’s also effort away from the court, when nobody is watching. <strong>Christian Carter</strong> (2017) of Thomas Worthington High School doesn’t care if defending isn’t the most glamorous part of the game, he takes pride in agitating ball-handlers. “Defensive mentality player first,” is how the 6’1” point guard sees himself. On defense, he gets his hands on a ridiculous amount of passes. That ability didn’t happen by accident. “It’s just something I’ve learned watching a lot of film. This year I’ve tried to gain a real big mental aspect of the game … Watching my positioning and seeing where I am when I get deflections and seeing where I am when I don’t get them … It’s a lot of anticipation,” Carter said. This commitment has drawn an offer from Rio Grande (OH), along with additional interest. “Right now I’ve just been getting like calls and texts from coaches. Letters in the mail from elite camps … I just left the Findlay camp, so picking up [an offer] from them would be cool. I’m heading to Ashland [on June 28], so one from them would be cool as well. I know Marietta is still looking at me.” Carter is looking for a college team he can contribute to, and a campus environment he feels comfortable in. &nbsp; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1aic7uqjAw Throughout this summer, Carter has been putting in a lot of work with his high school trainer. His off-the-court commitment cannot be questioned. “For my size and athleticism, I think I could do a much better job on the rebounding aspect of the game.” Carter is a bouncy guard, displaying that athleticism also on the offensive side of the ball byway of dunks and drives to the lane. With all of this talk about defense, let’s be clear: he <em>can</em> affect the game offensively too. “I would be a two-way player … I would do whatever he needs me to do on the offensive end. Whether it be scoring or rebounding, or helping out teammates,” Carter said. As a junior, Carter averaged 12 points per game. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-73254" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2016/07/Cd7xBG8W0AAAGwa.jpg" alt="Cd7xBG8W0AAAGwa" width="600" height="411" /> Whichever program Carter ends up at will be gaining a defensive hound, and explosive athlete who can beat defenders to the cup. His intensity is sometimes misunderstood, but he says that edge he brings is only a reflection of his passion. “I’d just like to say that, I do play with a chip on my shoulder and I do play extremely hard because I feel like I always have something to prove. Whether it’s people doubting me, or people not believing in me, I just play really passionate. I’m really passionate about the game. Sometimes that may come off as negative. But, it’s just, the game is something I’ve really fallen in love with.” Scouts can catch Carter in-action with Hidden Gems Northwest in July, and as a senior leader for Thomas Worthington this coming winter.