Branden Carlson will continue his basketball career across the border. The standout center of the Utah men's basketball team has signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors following the 2024 NBA Draft. Carlson expressed his great joy and gratitude for this opportunity and thanked his family, coaches and the University of Utah for their support.

“I couldn't be more excited to continue my basketball career with the Toronto Raptors,” Carlson said. “I've been fortunate to have a great support system throughout my life. Thank you to my parents, my family and of course my wife Maddy. I am forever grateful and indebted to them for the dedication and sacrifices they all made to allow me to get to where I am today. I want to thank all the coaches throughout my career. I am here today living my dream because of your dedication to your craft. I also want to thank the University of Utah for the opportunity, the coaching staff and my teammates for a once in a lifetime experience. As always: GO UTES!”

Carlson will join the Raptors, where he will reunite with former Utah player Jakob Poeltl and play alongside veterans Kyle Kuzma and Delon Wright.

Utah head coach Craig Smith praised Carlson's dedication and hard work, emphasized his significant contribution to the team and expressed how proud he was of his accomplishments.

“Branden has worked so hard to get to the next level and his work ethic has been evident every day,” Smith said. “He is the embodiment of a Runnin' Ute and will leave the University of Utah as one of the all-time greats. We couldn't be more proud and excited to follow his career path. The Raptors are getting a special player!”

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During his career with the Runnin' Utes, Carlson garnered numerous accolades. He was named All-Pac-12 three times, AP All-Pac-12 twice, and NABC All-District twice, to name a few. Carlson finished his Utah career with impressive statistics: 1,892 points, 842 rebounds, 170 assists, and 241 blocks. He set records as the program's best blocker and best game, and ranked fifth in career points.

Carlson's impact extended beyond Utah, as he was the only player in Pac-12 history to record at least 1,800 points, 800 rebounds, 150 assists and 200 blocks. His 1,892 career points were 28th all-time in the Pac-12 and his 241 career blocks were fifth all-time. He also ranked in the top 10 in several categories in Utah's program history.

In the 2023–24 season, Carlson was his team's leading scorer for the third consecutive year, averaging 17.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Most notably, he scored 40 points against Oregon State, making him the first Ute to accomplish the feat since 1997. The previous season, he averaged 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, ranking second in the Pac-12 in blocks and snapping a 22-game double-digit point streak.

Carlson's signing with the Raptors marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his basketball career and reflects his perseverance and skill on the court.