Derrick Caracter was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 58th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Caracter finished his college career at the University of Texas-El Paso, and coming into the NBA season the Lakers did not expect much from the young center. Just like his fellow rookie teammate, Devin Ebanks, Caracter spent the majority of his season either in the D-League or on the Lakers’ bench.
In his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, Caracter appeared in only 41 games and averaged 5.2 minutes per game. The only time Phil Jackson decided to insert Caracter in the game was during the fourth quarter of blow-out games, or during the rare times when both Gasol and Bynum fell into foul trouble.
In the 2010-2011 NBA season, Derrick Caracter averaged 2.0 points per game, one rebound per game and nearly 46% from the field. Caracter showed glimpses of greatness during the season, and the coaches had to be pleased with his tenacity on the boards. Although he is no Dwight Howard or Andrew Bynum in terms of defensive presence or double-double statistics, with the right training and practice, Caracter can become a valuable asset for the Lakers.
However, Caracter lost respect from Lakers fans after his incident in New Orleans during the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs. He was arrested for public drunkenness and pushing a pregnant cashier at a pancake restaurant.
Grade: D-
Derrick Caracter faced off-the-court troubles as a rookie, and he did not perform very well on the basketball court. His future looks bright, but he first season was not.
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