Jevon Carter details his fit and role with the Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are 6-1 in games Jevon Carter has played with the franchise this season. While the energetic guard is certainly not solely responsible for Milwaukee’s hot start right after the All-Star break, his presence has undoubtedly helped. Carter has quickly proven himself to be an important rotational piece for the defending champions as he meshed almost instantly in his new environment. 

Jevon Carter talks about his role with the Milwaukee Bucks and why he has gelled so quickly with the team

Sitting down with Ti Windisch and Rohan Katti on the latest episode of the Gyro Step Podcast, Carter answered questions ranging from his interest in baseball to the toughest players he has had to match up against defensively throughout his career. Among the most significant talking points was Carter’s fit with the defending champions and how he clicked almost instantly, and, unsurprisingly, he credited his defense, which is his well-known calling card. The guard detailed how Milwaukee’s nightly defensive approach is different from other teams and how it helped him find his footing so fast.

"“I feel like the guys have just dialed it in defensively, you know what I’m saying? Playing with a team that just locks in defensively in the NBA I feel like that’s just going to get you a lot of wins in this league because everybody is really worried about their scoring and how they’re going to score, but not too many teams are really locked in on that defensive end every possession, you know, trying to win games night in and night out. I just feel like that’s what kind of makes us different.”"

Carter’s defense has been a welcoming addition to the Bucks thus far, as the guard has brought some added intensity on that side of the floor. Whether he is picking up opponents the full length of the floor or playing pestering one-on-one defense, Carter’s impact has been on full display over these first few games. Having a strong defensive player like Carter playing alongside other stellar defenders such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Wesley Matthews, and Serge Ibaka, among others, has been a sizeable boost for the Bucks, and it will continue to be.

Carter was asked by Windisch about how head coach Mike Budenholzer has utilized him in these first several appearances, specifically his niche of picking up opponents full-court on the defensive end. Some players typically may not enjoy the task of pressuring full-court, but Carter said that it is something he has always embraced, and Budenholzer has allowed him to be himself.

"“When I got here, he just told me to go out there and be me. Whatever that is, whatever that was, whatever I bring to the table, he just told me to go out there and be me. He kind of just gave me the freedom to do whatever I wanted to as far as if I wanted to pick up, if I didn’t. But honestly, I like to pick up, you know, that’s how I’ve been playing basketball for a long time. I kind of don’t know another way to play, honestly. So, that’s just who I am.”"

While the defense has been Carter’s most noticeable contribution, he has been no slouch on the offensive end since coming aboard either. Carter is currently scoring 5.1 points per contest with the Bucks, which would be a career-high. This is mainly due to his scorching hot 3-point shooting, as the 26-year-old has shot 10-of-19 (52.6 percent) from long range in these first seven games. When asked by Katti about how he has fit in offensively, primarily off the ball, Carter’s answer may have caught some by surprise, given his defensive-oriented playstyle.

"“In my mind, I’m a scorer, [in] everybody else’s mind, I’m a defender. So I’m always trying to figure out how can I score even if I don’t have the ball, you know what I’m saying? Or just get to the right position to get my chance and opportunity to score. So that’s what I’m looking at as far as when I’m on the offensive end if I don’t have the ball.”"

This approach has proven to be a winning formula for Carter early on, particularly when he is in lineups alongside Milwaukee’s stars. According to NBA.com/stats, Carter is shooting 5-of-7 on his 3-pointers off passes from Khris Middleton and 3-of-4 off passes from Giannis Antetokounmpo. He has fully bought into his role offensively, and the results speak for themselves. The Bucks will not ask Carter to shoulder a significant burden offensively, but if he can continue to knock down a solid amount of 3-pointers, it would help Milwaukee tremendously.

Early on, it is hard to not like what Jevon Carter has shown with the Milwaukee Bucks throughout these first seven games. If he continues playing this well, he may become an X-factor for them.