Skyforce report: Olin Carter making a name for himself

Do any players come to mind when you think of a microwave scorer? Is there one guy that comes to mind who never makes just one shot and always seems to make them in bunches? To me the first player I always think of is Max Strus, it never seems like he just made just one shot. Anytime he hit one three-pointer you knew another was coming shortly after. For the Skyforce, that would be Olin Carter, when Carter gets hot there is simply no stopping him, as a defense you just have to pray he misses from then on.

We saw that this past weekend.

Saturday, Carter had 23 points and 6 threes.  Sunday, Carter had a little bit more of a quiet game until he hit the biggest shot, draining the game-winning three in the final seconds to lead the Skyforce to a thrilling victory.

Carter has emerged to be one of the more important players on the Skyforce. He’s gone from being a secondary piece to being more of a focal point. They need his shooting and scoring mightily at times. Carter understands this and is always willing to get his shot off. Like any shooter he’s looking for his shot and hunting it, just waiting for one to go in to start a show. So, how has Carter risen through the ranks of the Skyforce in a short time? It’s simple, he always stays ready, he’s always prepared. That can be difficult in a league where there’s so much change from game to game and there’s so much focus on development.

Through the changes, Carter tries to keep a mindset that you can only control what you can control. Carter states, “I just try to stay ready for whatever situation I face through staying in the gym and making sure that I’m always locked in. The G League is a league where you can get DNPs at the end of the rotation one night, and then 3 days later you’re starting and playing 40 minutes. It’s a league where you have to always be ready for the opportunity and take advantage of it when it comes.” This mindset has been displayed on the court, by his important minutes. To earn a spot quickly one has to earn the trust of the coaches first. And that is by doing everything behind the scenes and having a good attitude about the situation. 

One thing I love about Carter is he knows what he’s good at and typically does not try to do too much. He knows his biggest strength is shooting, so that’s what he looks for, but there has been a recent development in his ability to do more than just shoot. I asked Carter what he’s been working on to improve his game and what his biggest strength was to see if he had another opinion he said “I think my biggest strength is my ability to shoot the ball. I think what I’ve improved on most and am continuing to improve on is my versatility. I want to be a guy who can score at 3 levels, play high-level defense, and be able to run a team. My versatility is something I’m always working on.”

What I like about Carter is that he’s been putting in the work behind the scenes to expand his game and then putting it into practice during games. Anyone can do work when people are watching and will work on the things they already do well because that’s more fun and easier. The hard thing to do is to work on something that you’re not as good as to try to improve it. That’s more frustrating and some people avoid that frustration, Carter embraces it and then displays it in real games. This improvement in versatility makes him more valuable because even when he’s not hitting shots, he can still find other ways to contribute. He’s been more of a ball handler instead of a shot hunter. Now yes, while he and I have said his best thing is still shooting, he now has versatility that makes him harder to guard because you’re not looking out for just one thing.

He’s not as one-dimensional, which is required to be a consistent difference maker. This aligns with Carter’s main goal of the year and his personal goal, “My personal goal is to set myself up to play at the highest level I can next year. And my team goal is to win that G League championship.” To achieve both of these goals Carter has to continue to expand his game and become more versatile. His understanding of this is a large reason why he has grown as a basketball player. His work aligns with his goals. Everything he does helps lead to the completion of them. He is decisive in his approach and is not wasting energy on things that don’t matter. I love it when a player is obsessed with improving, that’s how people make it in this world of basketball. I love the constant self-reflection and constant grind when no one is watching. Olin Carter is doing just that he’s putting in the work behind the scenes when no one will know and it’s starting to show itself on the court. Carter wants readers to know that it isn’t just him though. His teammates and coaches are putting in the work as well, this is why there has been so much success. Though it’s a team effort, he wants to shout out one of his coaches, Carter says “I want to give a shoutout to my coach Nate Wilson. He’s been in the gym with me grinding every day and has helped me find my rhythm since I’ve been here.”

So, if you’re wondering how Olin Carter has risen up the ranks of the Skyforce in such a short time, it’s because while I’m writing this and while you’re reading this Carter is in the gym working on his game.