Bilal Coulibaly's offseason injury during FIBA EuroBasket play left the team and the fanbase wondering what his future in Washington could hold.
As a former No. 7 overall pick, the high upside is the lone thing that the team could cling on when it came to reasons to continue betting on the development of the french product.
Between inconsistent play, a surplus of competition on the roster and lack of production on the court, the noise surrounding Coulibaly's injury suggested that his setback could be the opening for other players on the roster to step up.
One player in specific, is second-year man Kyshawn George, who was immediately named a starter seemingly in Coulibaly's place when the regular season began.
George has shined in his new role and he looks like an emerging building block for Washington up to this point in the season.
When Coulibaly was deemed healthy enough to return, many wondering what adjustments head coach Brian Keefe would make to the lineup at full health.
The newfound star in George was the obvious choice prior to his emergence, but after a strong start to the season, it became clear that there was no way Washington could bench arguably their best player, especially in favor of Coulibaly, who's unproven.
However, the one player impacted the most by Coulibaly's return is the lone player nobody expected to be impacted,
Bub Carrington benched in favor of Coulibaly
Bub Carrington began the season as the team's starting point guard, but following a stretch of underwhelming performances, it took no time for the Wizards to alter the starting lineup when the opportunity presented itself.
The Pittsburgh product is averaging seven points, four rebounds and 3.5 assists through six games on the season, and since the return of Coulibaly, he's found himself leading the second unit.
Meanwhile, Couliably has quickly made his impact felt in the starting lineup, averaging 13 points, five rebounds and four assists, while shooting 40.9% from field goal range.
Offensively, Coulibaly's inefficient shooting still has a long ways to go. However, defensively, his two blocks per game and one steal in each contest continues to drive the hype train about his potential as a two-way prospect.
Regardless, the return of the French product has left its mark on the team's starting lineup and more specifically Bub Carrington, who now has an uphill climb to prove he's worthy of being the team's answer in the backcourt for years to come.