Fast-rising 2027 guard talks about Kenny Brooks and her dreams of becoming a doctor
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Ryan Carter's national profile rose after awards, EYBL play and USA camp invites.
- Carter, a 2027 prospect, plans to balance elite basketball with a medical career.
- Recruitment includes LSU, UNC and Kentucky, with a focus on fit and academics.
In a year, Kentucky target Ryan Carter has seen her recruitment skyrocket.
Since being named the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association 5A Player of the Year and earning first-team All-State honors after helping Archbishop Wood (Pa.) to a state runner-up finish in the spring, Carter wowed on the Nike EYBL circuit with Exodus, once again participated in the USA Women’s Junior National Team minicamp and was invited back to the prestigious Wootten 150 Camp.
The No. 10 overall prospect in the class of 2027 also added offers from North Carolina and LSU to her fast-growing list that also includes the likes of Villanova, Indiana, Maryland, Tennessee and Louisville. She plans to start the next chapter of her high school career at Friends Central School this fall.
The whirlwind of national attention and opportunity has been “a blessing,” she said, but it’s presented several challenges, too.
“Honestly, it’s humbled me a lot,” Carter said. “Because there’s been times where I’ve been down at my lowest moments and like, there were still people reaching out and checking, making sure I’m OK. And I think it’s always been like a thing with my team, always having teammates that have always been there for me. I think that’s been a really big part of how I got to where I am.”
Being a good teammate — and a good person — is deeply important to Carter. Now four seasons into her career with New York’s Exodus EYBL, Carter has developed a strong sense of what she needs to succeed, both on and off the court.
The 6-foot combo guard told the Herald-Leader that prayer and a strong foundation of family and close-knit friends around her have proven key to staying confident and motivated. When asked what she’s most proud of in her development, Carter said, “I think I’m becoming a better leader.”
Staying happy for others? Check. Playing alongside, and against, the toughest competition? Check. Remembering that nobody can win by themselves? Check.
“My teammates help,” Carter said. “Being able to trust me, that also builds into what I do on the court. Obviously, I have to perform so that other people perform. It’s a lead by example, but I think it’s leadership.”
Though the path to stardom at a high-level college program has never been more competitive, Carter and her family are being intentional about the recruitment process — remembering that there is more to her future than basketball.
“We’re taking it slow,” Carter said. “We’re not too slow, but I think we’re just focusing on the bigger picture, which is an education. I want to be a doctor after basketball. So just like focusing on education and making sure I’m surrounded by a good environment as well, like, safety also comes first.”
Like several five-star prospects before her — most notably 2019 McDonald’s All-American and Stanford graduate Fran Belibi, who is now a life science researcher at Stanford’s School of Medicine after completing her Masters of Education at Harvard in 2024 — Carter’s dream of working in the medical field coexists with her hoop dreams.
“I’ve always just wanted to help people as much as I can,” Carter said. “And, like, I don’t have superpowers to just help people, whatever. So being able to do something that is going to cure people and make other people feel good as well, is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
While becoming a doctor remains the goal, Carter’s ascension among the class of 2027 is likely to continue, as more and more Power Four coaches take notice of the 2025 Naismith Top Underclassmen Watchlist honorable mention.
Carter announced her Kentucky offer via social media on Nov. 22, 2024 — approximately 10 months after Kenny Brooks first offered her a scholarship to Virginia Tech prior to his move to the Southeastern Conference.
“I actually love him,” Carter said. “We went on a visit last year, and I love that he’s the one that works out his players, and they do in-game actions one-on-one with him. And he seems like a very family-oriented guy, and he definitely helps his players feel better about themselves. So that was something I always loved with him.”
RAPID-FIRE WITH RYAN CARTER
Favorite shoes to play in: “Kobes, for sure. That’s all I play in. The low-tops because I need to be able to kind of move my ankles, so that’s why I do a lot of ankle support.”
Pregame hype song: “Honestly, it’s probably ‘On Bended Knee’ by Boyz II Men.”
Favorite players to watch: “I love Juju Watkins and Paige Bueckers. Paige Bueckers, for sure. I’ve always looked up to her when she was at UConn and everything. I would try to go to as many games as I could because I just love watching her play. I love her energy. I love how she brings all her teammates together, and she’s just a great player.”
