NEWSLETTER
According to Wendell Carter Jr., Wendell Carter Jr.s is one of the best big men in the NBA.
And if last night’s game is any indication, he isn’t far off. The Bulls welcomed in the Utah Jazz and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the United Center on Thursday night. As is stands, Gobert currently is second in the league in field goal percentage and third in rebounds per game (second in total rebounds behind only Andre Drummond). A seven-year vet, Gobert has reached elite status and is currently viewed as one of the best centers in the game.
For most 20-year-old bigs in the NBA, a matchup against Gobert would mean a box score worth burning. For Carter Jr., it meant one worth framing.
“I just look at this situation, like yeah, Rudy is a great big, but I think I’m one of the great bigs in this league too. Now I’m just able to show the whole world,” Carter Jr. told The Score’s Cody Westerlund after the Bulls 102-98 loss.
He’s a man of his word. While the Bulls ultimately lost, Carter Jr. won the individual matchup, as he walked off the court with 18 points and 13 rebounds, compared to Gobert’s 17 points and 12 rebounds. The margin of victory may have been by only one point in both categories, but for a player trying to find his own place among the league’s best, that’s one heck of a performance.
Carter Jr. had some help protecting the rim throughout the night, but he played with a level of aggression that felt next-level during several key possessions late in the game. One that stands out, in particular, came right before the 8-minute mark in the 4th quarter, when Carter Jr. was able to box out Gobert on one end to grab the defensive rebound and proceed to back him down only a few seconds later on the offensive end for a tough layup.
Arguably the best part of Carter Jr.’s performance, however, was his decision-making. Carter Jr. tied his season-high with 4 assists and shot an efficient 7-12 on the night. He took advantage of the spacing Gobert gave him to start the game and hit a three, while also using his athleticism and length to drop a couple of buckets right over Gobert’s head.
Moreover, nine of Carter Jr.’s 18 points came in the 4th quarter, along with 5 of his rebounds, and 2 of his assists. He also got the free-throw line twice in the final five minutes of the game, which always helps.
Carter Jr.’s performance may not have come on the backend of a flashy dunk or highlight-reel making play, but it was a very solid all-around game against one of the league’s best. And that’s noteworthy.
Wendell Carter Jr.: "I'm not going to be the tallest out there. I'm not going to be the strongest or fastest, but I know I'll be able beat my opponent one or two ways throughout a game — whether it's being more physical, boxing them out, creating space, getting into their body."
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) January 3, 2020
Outings like last night show why Carter Jr. has one of the highest upsides of any player on this Bulls team. At only 20 freakin’ years old, Carter Jr. is able to compete alongside the big boys and show true two-way promise.
The Bulls may not give fans a whole lot to be excited about, but Carter Jr. is.
Anyway, if you didn’t notice the impact he had last night, give his full play a watch here:
