Aris, Bnei Herzliya, Vancouver Bandits, Hapoel Galil, Brampton Honey Badgers, Würzburg.
It hardly sounds like the résumé of a player you would expect to shine in the EuroLeague.
And yet, through the first three rounds of the competition, Virtus Bologna’s new point guard Marcus Carr has been its biggest revelation.
Carr is averaging 14.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists. He was already excellent in Virtus’ first two games – narrow losses to Fenerbahçe and Olimpia Milano – before drawing even more attention with his performance against Olympiacos.
Not only did Carr hit the game-winning three at the buzzer, he finished with 22 points, 3 rebounds and 10 assists.
You don’t put up numbers like that against the Olympiacos machine every day.
“I just wanted to finish the job for my teammates. I think we really deserved this win,” the 27-year-old guard said.
Toronto, Vince Carter and a Tough Older Brother
Carr’s parents are from Jamaica. In one interview, when asked who his role model was, his answer was simple – his mother.
Born in Toronto, there was only one logical basketball idol: Vince Carter. Growing up, Carr and his brother Duane Notice, five years his senior and also a professional basketball player, would put on Raptors gear from head to toe and rarely miss a game.
Notice, who has spent most of his career in Canada, was Carr’s first basketball role model.
“A lot of people always ask why I don’t get hurt even though I’m taking contact and being physical. That’s definitely all Duane”, Carr said back in 2021. “Growing up getting roughed up every day in the driveway made me a more physical player”
The Long Road to Virtus
Carr spent six years in college, playing for Pittsburgh, Minnesota and Texas, which meant he turned pro relatively late by European standards.
He was 24 when he signed with Aris, and also played in Israel that season before returning to Canada.
He later averaged 16.2 points per game for Hapoel Galil, before leading Würzburg to fifth place in the Bundesliga last season.
He also starred in the Basketball Champions League. Across all competitions, he averaged 17.2 points and 5.7 assists per game.
Built for the Modern EuroLeague?
“Calm, competitive and thoughtful.” That is how Carr described himself when he was just 20 years old.
At 6-foot-2, Carr was known as an excellent defender earlier in his career. As his offensive workload gradually increased, however, some of that defensive aggression faded. Still, he has quick hands and can turn up the pressure when needed, something that has already been visible through his first three EuroLeague games.
Carr is not known as an elite three-point shooter, although he shot 41 percent on spot-up opportunities last season, compared with 34.6 percent overall from three. That spot-up efficiency also allows him to play off the ball, a valuable trait for a modern EuroLeague guard.
Carr has a well-rounded offensive game. He grew up watching Allen Iverson and Steve Nash, while Tyrese Rice is one of the EuroLeague players he has looked up to.
He is extremely quick, reads the game very well, can absorb contact and has good touch around the rim.
The main question is how well all of those qualities will hold up in a EuroLeague environment.
So far, Carr’s answer has been emphatic: very well.