Wendell Carter Jr.

Wendell Andre Carter Jr., born on April 16, 1999, is a distinguished American professional basketball player, currently making waves in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a part of Orlando Magic. His career journey traces back to his college days when he played for Duke Blue Devils, showcasing his talents on the court and an impressive skillset in the sport.

Carter commenced his high school academics at Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was part of the class of 2017. His shone in his sophomore year, averaging 21.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per game. These significant stats catapulted the Knights to a record victory of 27-3 and won them a coveted Georgia 6AA regional title.

Putting in work through the summer of 2015, Carter led his AAU team, Georgia Stars, to triumph in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Peach Jam championship. As a testament to his exceptional performance and contribution to the team, he was named Co-MVP, sharing the honor with Jared Harper. Following his successful sophomore season, he was celebrated as the Georgia Region 6 AA Player of the Year and earned second-team Atlanta Tipoff Club All Metro-honors.

In the athletic year 2015–16, his junior season, Carter continued his ascent, averaging 21.6 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. In the state finals, Carter dominated the game, scoring 30 points and recording 20 rebounds that led Pace Academy to the 2016 Georgia class AA state Championship. His top-notch performance garnered him several recognitions; he was awarded an honorable mention All-American by Naismith Trophy, named first-team Junior All-American by MaxPreps, and acknowledged the Georgia Class AA Player of the year along with the Atlanta/South Fulton Player of the Year. These awards underlined his reputation as an exciting upcoming basketball player to watch.

Carter continued his breathtaking performances into his senior year, reaching new heights with an average of 22.7 points, 15.5 rebounds, and 5.8 blocks per game. These achievements led his team to a triumphant Georgia class 3A state championship in March 2017. Honoring his stellar play, he was awarded multiple titles, including Georgia All-Classification Player of the Year, Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year, first-team All-America honors from the Naismith Trophy, and USA Today’s second-team accolades, among others.

Apart from his performances on the court, Carter impressed off the court as well. He was presented with the Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year, an award granted to student-athletes demonstrating commendable character, leadership, and academic prowess. Carter was celebrated as a top scholar-athlete through his school’s Lance and Shield Award, coinciding with his impressive 3.8 GPA during high school.

Following graduation from high school, he joined Duke University, despite considering enrolling and playing at Harvard. Carter’s stint at Duke University was dotted with victories and impressive games. Throughout his time there, he averaged 13.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, noting one of the best freshman seasons for a power forward/center in Duke’s history. After the loss in the 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, bright lights of the NBA caught Carter’s allure, leading him to forgo his remaining three seasons of collegiate eligibility and declare for the 2018 NBA draft.

On June 21, 2018, Carter’s dream of playing in the NBA came to reality when he was drafted with the seventh overall pick by the Chicago Bulls and officially signed with the team in July 2018. He secured his place as an irreplaceable member of the Bulls, recording his career-high score of 25 points during 2018-2019’s season. However, his journey with the Bulls was cut short due to left thumb surgery. In 2021, Carter and Otto Porter were traded to the Orlando Magic team, opening new doors for his professional career.

With the Orlando Magic, Carter pioneers forward as a professional basketball player, bringing excitement and amazing performances on the court. He signed a lucrative four-year, $50 million rookie scale extension with the Magic in 2021. In 2022, he reached stellar heights with a career-high of 30 points in a match against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Carter’s parents, Kylia and Wendell Sr. Carter, have both been involved in professional basketball, imparting their expertise to their son from a young age. His parents’ emphasis on academics resonated deeply with Wendell, culminating in his interest in studying at prestigious institutions like Duke University. His path wasn’t without thorns, though. He was one of the 25 college basketball players implicated in an FBI investigation in 2018 for alleged illicit benefits as a college athlete, due to his mother reportedly having a lunch subsidized by an agent, nearly nine months before Carter’s agreement to play for Duke.

Through it all, Wendell Andre Carter Jr. stands as a powerhouse of talent and skill, continuously advancing towards his potential and making significant contributions to the sport of basketball. Whether on or off the court, Carter is a player to look out for, expected to make an even greater impact in games to come.