The Washington Wizards made a few key selections in the 2024 NBA Draft, setting them up for a nice future with young stars leading the way. One of those young stars, Pittsburgh guard Bub Carrington, is hoping to make an impact in more ways than one.
Carrington is fresh off an impressive one-and-done season with the Panthers. He appeared in 33 games, averaging 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while shooting 41.2% from the field and 32.2% from beyond the three-point arc.
The 18-year-old guard shot up draft boards in the weeks leading up to the NBA Draft, and now, he’s primed to be a focal point of the Wizards’ ongoing rebuild.
Wizards rookie Bub Carrington focused on being a leader
But he wants to do more than impact winning on the court. As he’s been getting his feet wet in Summer League, Carrington wants to be a leader, too. (H/t Josh Robbins of The Athletic)
"“I’m just trying to be a leader. I came here to play a guard position, and at a guard position, you’ve got to be vocal. So, coach has been staying on me, and some of my older guys have also been helping me throughout that, just trying to keep me active, keep me vocal, just because I have to be one of the leaders on the team.”"Bub Carrington (via Josh Robbins)
Most 18-year-olds around the globe are focused on making friends, getting into college, and fitting in. Carrington’s goals are similar to that but on a much grander scale.
Rather than trying to find a place to sit at the lunch table, he’s trying to gain the trust and respect of his teammates, even if they are just going to be his teammates for a few weeks.
Washington isn’t in a position to win right now. But they should be doing everything they can to plant the seeds of success throughout their organization. Carrington is one of those seeds, and he’s acting like it.
With Frenchman Alex Sarr, Miami wing Kyshawn George, and soon-to-be second-year forward Bilal Coulibaly joining him as a part of their young core, Carrington looks to be the team’s long-term project at the point guard spot.
That comes with a ton of responsibility. Responsibility that Carrington is very clearly eager to tackle head-on. That’s a great sign for Washington.
Leadership roles are often synonymous with veterans. Perhaps that’s a reason why the Wizards went out and signed big man Jonas Valanciunas in free agency. But young stars need to be leaders, too.
If Carrington is willing and able to take on a leadership role from the jump in his career, that would be a huge help for the Wizards both right now and down the line.