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Maryland Basketball: Robert Carter Jr. is the X-Factor

By Brandon Austin

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Mar 12, 2014; Greensboro, NC, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Robert Carter, Jr. (4) and Boston College Eagles guard Lonnie Jackson (20) fight for the ball in the first half in the first round at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Carter was a standout as a sophomore with Georgia Tech. Now, he’s with the Maryland Terrapins and his impact will need to be felt now more than ever before. His performance could ultimately make or break the season for the Terps.

The former 5-star recruit out of Thomasville, GA averaged 11.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in his final season with the Yellow Jackets.

Per NCAA transfer rule, Carter had to sit out last season in its entirety. The Terps certainly could have used his services back in March. During that time, Carter got the opportunity to learn the system and get accustomed to life in the Big Ten conference.

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As talented as Carter is, there was never any question that he would be sliding into the starting lineup for Maryland this season, most likely as the four. He won’t be the same player that took the floor for Georgia Tech either. Carter has added a new dimension to his game that will take him to the next level.

At Georgia Tech, Carter loved to take outside shots. The problem with that was he only shot 27.4 percent from deep. He was 6-foot-9, 250 pounds at that time. Carter has since slimmed down to a more manageable 235 pounds. He has also been in the gym working on improving that lowly shooting percentage.

If Carter can knock down outside shots to complement his prowess in the paint, he is going to be a handful for opposing teams to guard. The stretch four position has become more and more prevalent over the years and has been a major asset for some of the country’s best teams, including Maryland.

Carter will be one-third of one of, if not the best frontcourt in the nation. He’ll be joining senior Jake Layman and highly-touted freshman center Diamond Stone. All three are projected to be future NBA players.

Mark Turgeon has something special brewing in College Park and Carter is a major part of the plan. His development could be the difference between the Terps being a good team and them being a national championship team.

Next: 5 Biggest Threats to Terps' National Title Hopes

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