The Washington Wizards were prepared to take NBA All-Star Weekend by storm after tying a franchise record with three entries in the Rising Stars game.
Kyshawn George made his All-Star aspirations crystal clear early on in the process and after breaking out throughout the start of his sophomore season, it didn't come as a surprise to hear his name called when the roster were revealed.
Considering his second-year leap, averaging 15.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists, while shooting an extremely efficient 44.1% from field goal range and 37.7% from beyond the arc, it seemed like a no-brainer for the Miami product to be included in the All-Star Weekend fun.
In addition to George, rookie standout Tre Johnson is set to suit up during All-Star weekend to represent Washington with the chance to prove the Wizards made the best out of a bad situation after falling out of the top five in last year's NBA Draft.
Averaging 12.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists, while shooting 44.0% from field goal range and 38.6% from beyond the arc, Johnson has taken no time at all to prove exactly why he was one of the biggest risiers in the entirety of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Not to mention, his deep range and knockdown shooting only add excitement to the Rising Stars fun.
Last but not least, big man Alex Sarr was set to round out the Wizards representatives, after putting together a monster start to his sophomore season after proving to be one of the best two-way prospects in the league.
Unfortunately, the French product's All-Star experience was ended before it even started after suffering a hamstring injury that is expected to sideline him for two weeks.
To make best out of a bad situation, Sarr's inabilitty to suit up during All-Star weekend allowed for the versatile forward to offer an unexpected gift to a teammate who needs the boost of confidence.
Bub Carrington to fill in for Sarr in Rising Stars game
With Sarr sidelined, the NBA worked quickly to find a replacement for the playmaker and the answer didn't take them long to decide.
Fellow Wizard and sophomore player Bub Carrington is now expected to fill in for Sarr, with the chance to prove that his slow start to the season doesn't define the type of player he is.
Averaging 10.2 points, 4.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds on 40.2% field goal shooting and 39.3% from beyond the arc, the Pittsburgh product has managed to overcome his shooting slump that many feared would cause the Wizards to give up hope on the talented guard.
Now, he'll have the chance to get a taste of the All-Star experience that could light a fire for him to continue improving.
With the need for added confidence, it turns out that Sarr may have given Carrington a gift he didn't even know he was about to.