SC’S Martin a true believer in PC’S Carter
If Frank Martin is responding to a social media post, rest assured the man with 17 seasons of head-coaching experience in college basketball is in a good mood.
What prompted Martin to fire off a clapback comeback on X (formerly Twitter) stemmed from a question posed the night of January 10th. Paraphrasing a bit, the question flowed in this fashion: How did the CBB world let Devin Carter commit to Frank Martin at South Carolina?
From the straight-talk express, Martin responded with, “It was actually fairly easy. I recruited @kingcarter2225 [Carter’s handle on X], and built a relationship with him. I offered him a scholarship, and he accepted.”
Talk about lowering the boom.
“I just thought I would give a kindergarten-level answer,” said Martin during a recent phone interview with the Call/ Times. “You asked a question. I gave you an answer.”
Seven minutes after Martin chalked up a win on a social networking forum, Carter – fresh off scoring 31 points for PC against St. John’s under Madison Square Garden’s roof – took to X to write, “Always my guy!”
“That’s who Devin is. He’s appreciative of people who help him grow and believe in him,” said Martin, now in his second season as the head coach at Umass Amherst.
Bottom line? Don’t mess with the coach with whom you formed a bond with on the high school recruiting trail.
In some respects, Providence Friar hoop fans owe a debt of gratitude to Martin. Before becoming a fan favorite around these parts and being mentioned as a serious candidate for Big East Player of the
Year, Carter was part of the stable at the University of South Carolina. Martin was the head coach who targeted Carter in the prep ranks, hence the former deserves props for bringing the latter into the college basketball stratosphere.
“I wish I would have been able to coach him longer, but it just wasn’t in the cards,” said Martin, who was let go by South Carolina in 2022, a decision that prompted Carter to put his name in the transfer portal after his freshman year at the SEC school.
Martin still remembers the first call he ever received about Carter like it was yesterday. The fact that the intel was related to him by someone whom Martin counts as a close friend only heightened the intrigue surrounding Carter.
“He said, ‘Frank, I got a guard who just got to school here. He’s got a chance to be pretty good,’” said Martin.
“He” was Jorge Fernandez – Carter’s high school head coach at Doral (Fla.) Academy.
“Jorge glowingly endorsed Devin. Once I saw him as a basketball player, I thought it was an easy decision,” said Martin.
When making his decision about where he wanted to play in college, Carter focused on one program’s loyalty. What should have been no-doubtabout-it music to Martin’s ears featured some hold-yourbreath anxiety. The head coach was scheduled to return the majority of South Carolina’s roster from the previous year for the 2020-21 season, yet he still needed one more piece.
“The one scholarship I had, I needed a big man,” said Martin.
No problem, Carter told Martin. He would take a graduate year at Brewster (N.H.) Academy, a decision that Martin says that Carter’s father Anthony signed off on.
“He wanted to play for us [at South Carolina]. His loyalty to us believing in him, even though other people had jumped into his recruiting, was awesome,” said Martin.
In Carter, Martin saw a younger version of himself – someone who can differentiate between what it means to be a competitor and enjoy life away from the hardwood.
“Devin has got a quiet demeanor about him. When you see him walking around, he’s kind of a laid-back person. You wonder if he’s competitive enough to go out there and help you win. I saw a different side of him when I saw him compete in games,” said Martin. “Everybody wants people to show up to games in today’s day and age and just be high-fiving each other and hugging and kissing. We all get judged on winning and losing. Devin and I connected because we’re very similar in that way. When practices and games are over, we’re trying to get along with people and do right by them. When the game starts, it’s about winning. It’s competitive and about getting better and overcoming the opponent. Devin does that as well as anyone I’ve been around.
“That’s the values of Anthony Carter and his mom [Cassie] where commitment and loyalty are actually relevant. It’s how Devin was raised and why he was so good for us as a true freshman [at South Carolina]. He didn’t come to us just because. He came to us because he was committed. He handled the good and the bad with the same frame of mind.”
Even though he started just seven games during his freshman season at South Carolina – his first and what went in the books as his only campaign with the Gamecocks – he led the 2021-22 edition in free throws made (77) and attempts (112).
“He’s earned his way on the court and became an unbelievably important player on an 18-win team that was .500 in the SEC. His level of competitiveness is elite. He is a downhill, I’m-attacking-the-rim player,” said Martin, who wasn’t surprised to hear about Carter staying true to the Friars after last spring’s coaching change.
“Unfortunately, because of the way the rules are right now, we’ve created some guys who go about the college experience as vagabonds. They’re always looking for a new home. Devin is a throwback. He’s looking to dig his feet in and commit and elevate. That’s who he is. Again, that’s a credit to his family,” said Martin.
The ability that Ed Cooley and Kim English have done in unlocking even more basketball gifts out of Carter in a Friar uniform doesn’t classify as stop-the-presses material.
“I’m happy for all the above … Kim, Ed and Devin. I know all of them as human beings, not just basketball players and coaches. They’re all elite-level people. I love it when elite-level people get together and help each other find success,” said Martin. “I’m ecstatic that Devin has been able to play at a place like Providence and succeed and help their program win games.”
As for what potentially lies ahead for Carter, Martin cited some NBA franchise will be glad they invested in a player who checks off plenty of boxes.
“Whatever team gives Devin an opportunity to come represent their team, they’ll never get rid of him because he’s about the right things,” said Martin. “He’s loyal. He’s honest. He’s fearless and he’s a winner. You don’t get rid of people who bring those qualities to your organization.”