Devin Carter realized his dream when the Sacramento Kings selected him with the 13th pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
While Carter's lottery pick position in the draft was wholly expected, it was satisfying, nonetheless. And with the pick, Carter joined a select group of 12 Providence College Friars who have been selected in the first round of the NBA draft.
Let's take a quick look at PC's other first round draft picks and how they fared in their pro careers:
#1
When the Detroit Pistons picked Jimmy Walker first in the draft in 1967, it marked the first time that a player from a school in New England had gone first in the draft. Fifty-seven years later, Walker remains the only player with that distinction.
It wasn't difficult to understand why Walker was so coveted. As a senior at Providence, he had outdueled Lew Alcindor and Elvin Hayes to lead the nation in scoring, at 30.4 ppg. A three-time All-American, Walker was considered by many to be the second coming of Oscar Robertson. At 6'3 and 205 pounds, he was a big guard in his day, and he used his size and strength to bully smaller guards and get to the basket at will. An adept ballhandler, he was possibly the first to dribble between his legs and was lethal as a jump shooter from the outside and in midrange.
When he joined the Pistons, Detroit already had Dave Bing at point guard, and Walker's game was somewhat stifled. He never reached the heights as a pro as he had in college, but he still enjoyed a nine-year NBA career, and was named an All-Star twice, while averaging 16.7 points during his career.
#2
In 1974, Bill Walton was a lock to be the number one draft pick. But Marvin Barnes slotted in quite comfortably as the second pick in the draft.
Marvin had been a dominant college player at PC. At 6'9, he manned the middle for the Friars in spectacular fashion. Barnes was a leaper who scored effortlessly around the basket and expanded his range as a senior and intimidated on defense. He averaged 19 rebounds per game as a junior and led the nation with an 18.7 average as a senior, while blocking 159 shots. A consensus First Team All-America, if Walton was 1A, Barnes was 1B by season's end.
Philadelphia selected Barnes second in the draft, but Denver held his ABA draft rights, and in what would be a mistake in retrospect, Barnes chose to bypass the NBA for the ABA. The Spirit of St. Louis acquired his rights and Barnes' pro career started promisingly enough. He averaged 24 points and 15 rebounds as a rookie and won the ABA's Rookie of the Year award. By his second season, his numbers slipped a bit, and his behavior became more erratic. Without the structure and support he may have received in the NBA his substance abuse issues began to dominate and his pro career was over after six seasons and a brief stint in the NBA.
#3
Ernie DiGregorio was the third pick in the 1973 draft by the Buffalo Braves. DiGregorio had been sensational in college, an heir to the ballhandling geniuses that were Bob Cousy and Pete Maravich. Ernie was the local kid who made good at Providence, a North Providence legend who stayed home and achieved All-America status with the Friars. He averaged 24.6 points as a senior, passed for an astounding 267 assists and electrified crowds as Providence raced to the Final Four.
Buffalo was building a strong team and knew that DiGregorio would draw crowds. With Bob McAdoo and Randy Smith already in the fold, DiGregorio was a natural piece at point guard. Ernie responded by leading the NBA in assists and free throw shooting in his first year and captured the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Prior to the start of his second season, he injured his knee. Sports medicine was not as advanced as it is today and DiGregorio was never the same. He played with the Lakers after leaving Buffalo and completed his five-year NBA career with the Boston Celtics.
#5
Kris Dunn was a can't miss prospect from the time he was in high school. A McDonald's All-American, Dunn entered Providence as the Friars' highest rated recruit since Soup Campbell. Unfortunately, injuries followed him to Smith Hill. He tore the labrum in his shoulder during the summer prior to his freshman year and surgery from the injury limited his first year. He reinjured the shoulder when an opponent fell on him during an exhibition game before his sophom*ore season and was limited to four games.
Finally healthy in his third year at PC, Dunn responded with a breakout Big East Player of the Year and league Defensive Player of the Year season and repeated in both categories as a redshirt junior. An inconsistent jump shot, and turnovers were his only weakness, but he had the ability to take over games, was a defensive nightmare and the NBA beckoned.
Minnesota selected Dunn fifth in the 2016 draft but, as in college, injuries have plagued him throughout his seven-year career. He's played for Chicago, Atlanta and Portland, and has settled into a veteran, off the bench role with Utah.
#6
The first player from Providence College ever to be drafted was Lenny Wilkens. An afterthought in high school, Wilkens blossomed into a full court terror at Providence, completing a transformation from a relative unknown as a recruit to a First Team All-American.
By his senior year, Wilkens' brilliance led the Friars to the NIT championship game. He played on and off the ball, shot acrobatically, and was a defensive pickpocket and smothering on-ball defender. In a class that included Oscar Robertson and Jerry West, Wilkens was a hot commodity come draft night.
The St. Louis Hawks picked Wilkens sixth and he was an immediate starter at point guard and star. Wilkens went on to the greatest NBA career of any Providence player. He played 15 years and 1,077 games in all for St. Louis, Seattle, Portland and Cleveland. He was a nine-time All-Star, one of the league's last player-coaches for Cleveland, averaged 16.5 points and retired with 7,211 assists, second in league history at the time to Robertson. He then began a coaching career that spanned 32 seasons, a record 1,332 wins and the 1979 championship with the Supersonics. For his efforts, Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame three times – as a player, as a head coach, and as an assistant coach with the 1992 Olympic Dream Team.
#9
Otis Thorpe played one year of high school ball and averaged 19 points and 21 rebounds per game. His potential was enormous and when he arrived at Providence in the early days of the Big East, he joined a roster that was short on talent. As such, he was thrust into the starting lineup, and he responded. Without much help up front, Thorpe quickly developed into PC's best player.
He battled gamely against talented opponents, such as Patrick Ewing and Ed Pinckney; opponents who had much more help, and he consistently put up numbers. By his senior season, he averaged 10.2 rebounds, the first Friar to notch a double figure average since Marvin Barnes ten years earlier. While some fans mistook his quiet demeanor for a lack of effort at times, and his teams never were able to win big, Thorpe made an impression on opponents and scouts.
Thorpe became Providence's first lottery pick when Kansas City selected him ninth in the 1984 draft. His NBA career slots in second behind Wilkens among Friars, and he played 1,257 games over 17 seasons for the Kings, Houston, Portland, Detroit, Vancouver, Washington, Miami and Charlotte. He averaged 14 points and 8.2 rebounds, was selected as an All-Star once and won the 1994 championship alongside Hakeem Olajuwon with the Rockets.
#12
Even living out in Los Angeles, Austin Croshere really wanted to go to Connecticut. However, when Jim Calhoun accepted Kirk King with his last scholarship, Rick Barnes swooped in and grabbed Croshere, a talented player who had competed in weak high school league.
Barnes threw Croshere into the fire as a freshman, often refusing to remove him from games when he was gassed. The tough love approach paid off as Croshere improved each season during his four years at Providence. By his senior season, he was trending towards Big East Player of the Year honors until dysfunction within the team caused a late season fade. Still, the team rallied in the Big East Tournament and swept to the Elite Eight and Croshere played a pivotal role as a prototypical stretch four.
The Indiana Pacers drafted Croshere with the 12th pick of the 1997 draft and, while never an NBA star, he went on to play 12 years in the league for the Pacers, Golden State, Milwaukee and San Antonio, averaging 6.8 points and four rebounds a game.
#13
Devin Carter seemed like a solid portal pickup. An All-SEC Rookie Team selection at South Carolina, Carter played for a coach who demanded defense and he was a perfect complementary piece; an intense, aggressive dog with a non-stop motor and an assortment of skills. In his first year at PC, he played Robin to Bryce Hopkins' Batman and put up solid numbers. However, when Hopkins tore his ACL in the Friars' 14th game of the season, it was Devin Carter's time to step up and shine.
Carter immediately became the team's alpha dog and put the squad on his shoulders, almost lifting it to an NCAA Tournament appearance. He strung together sensational performances; he buried logo threes, rebounded fiercely, blocked shots and stripped opponents for easy run-out dunks. He led the Big East in scoring at 22 ppg and turned himself into a lock first round pick.
His athleticism was apparent at the combine where he recorded a 42" vertical leap and scored highly in every drill. And he continued to climb in mock drafts. As his stock continued to rise, mock drafts had him going anywhere from 8th to San Antonio, 9th to Memphis, 11th to Chicago, or 13th to Sacramento. On draft night, Carter slipped just a bit and was selected 13th by the Kings. Pundits immediately began to call Sacramento's pick "the steal of the draft." Friar fans will be thrilled to follow Devin's NBA exploits for years to come.
#14
Over the years, Providence has had a number of junior college transfers who arrive and make an impact. When Eric Williams hit campus from Vincennes, he moved right into the starting lineup as a small forward on a team that was talented enough to win a Big East Tournament championship. Williams provided a silky-smooth game, spinning and whirling his way in the lane to improbable baskets while also hitting the glass.
As a senior, he expanded his range and his appeal. In just two seasons with the Friars, he scored 1,001 points, and the Boston Celtics picked him with the 14th selection in the 1995 draft. Williams, like Croshere, was never a huge star in the NBA but he was a valuable contributor, sometimes starter, sometimes bench piece, for 12 seasons with the Celtics, Denver, Cleveland, Toronto, San Antonio and Charlotte. He averaged 8.6 ppg as a pro in 658 games.
#21
He wasn't the biggest name in his recruiting class. That would fall to Chris Watts, a highly rated outside bomber from Connecticut. But Eric Murdock would make a case for his place on PC's Mt. Rushmore before he graduated. As a freshman, he was inserted as the starting point guard when Carlton Screen fell into Gordie Chiesa's doghouse and he acquitted himself well. His growth continued off the ball during his sophom*ore and junior seasons as Screen reasserted himself at the point. But he saved his best for his senior year.
Murdock was one of the most dominant players in the nation that year and announced his arrival with a 45-point effort at Arizona's McKale Center. He topped that with 48 against Pitt and never stopped. By the time his season was done, Murdock had averaged 25.6 ppg, joined Walker as a 2,000-point scorer and set an NCAA record with 376 steals.
In a loaded draft class, he slipped a bit, but Utah took him with the 21st pick. Murdock played nine years in the NBA for the Jazz, Milwaukee, Vancouver, Denver, Miami, New Jersey and the Clippers and averaged 10.1 ppg in over 500 games. He'd have played longer but an eye injury limited his production towards the end.
#21
When the 1994 draft rolled around, most Friar fans thought that it would be power forward Michael Smith who would be picked in the first round. After all, Smith was a three-time Big East rebounding champ. However, when he measured 6'6 ¾ at the combine rather than the 6'8 that he was listed as at PC, Smith fell to the second round. Instead, it was Dickey Simpkins, the quiet yet solid center, who slipped into the first round, picked 21st by the Chicago Bulls.
Simpkins had enjoyed a solid, if unspectacular career at Providence. He scored 1,226 points but was known more for his defense against other superstar bigs in the Big East than his scoring. He was a perfect complement up front to Smith and Eric Williams and helped to anchor the frontcourt.
Joining the Michael Jordan-led Bulls was a perfect match for Simpkins. He came off the bench as a defensive-minded sub at center and played on three NBA championship teams before finishing his eight-year career with Golden State and Atlanta.
#25
MarShon Brooks was a thin, gangly player when he showed up as a freshman from Georgia at Providence. The one skill that he had was putting the ball in the basket. He scored with ease, and when he returned as a sophom*ore with a step-back jumper after attending Paul Pierce's camp over the summer, he began to make his case as a dominant offensive player in the Big East.
By his senior year, he was the second leading scorer in the nation at 24.6 ppg. He tied a school record with 52 points against Notre Dame in a performance that left everyone speechless, and he cemented his place as a first-round draft pick.
The Boston Celtics picked Brooks 25th and quickly traded him to the New Jersey Nets. As a rookie with New Jersey, Brooks was made the face of the franchise, and it looked as though he'd have a long, successful NBA career. Instead, he lasted just three seasons in Brooklyn and played part of a fourth in the league, spending time with Boston, Golden State, the Clippers and Memphis before bowing out. For all his talent as a scorer, Brooks' lack of attention to defense, a carryover from his years playing for Keno Davis, limited his time in the league, although he carved out a long and successful career in China.
*****************************
If you enjoy PC history, check out "Road to Glory: The Providence College Basketball Story," now available at https://store.bookbaby.com/book/road-to-glory-the-providence-college-basketball-story
