The Washington Wizards were one of the more active teams on draft night this past offseason.
Washington selected Alex Sarr at No. 2 overall, but there’s another rookie on the squad, who Wizards fans and the front office have high hopes for ahead of the season.
Bub Carrington drawing comparisons to Gilbert Arenas
The Wizards selected Bub Carrington No. 14 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. The combo guard enters the league after one season at Pittsburgh, where he averaged 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 41.2% from field goal range and 32.2% from three.
Carrington has the talent to be a big-time player for the Wizards this year, but his skills on the court aren’t what have fans comparing him to franchise legend Gilbert Arenas. It’s the traits outside of the game that give fans the comparison.
I get good Gil vibes from Bub in terms of him being someone who lives in the gym and is just competitive. https://t.co/RibfXo65Ou
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) September 30, 2024
Arenas spent eight seasons with the Wizards the longest tenure of his basketball career. In Washington, the explosive scorer averaged 25 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds on 42.2% shooting from the field and 35.7% from three. In addition, Arenas showed off his versatility on defense averaging 1.8 steals per game.
The rookie has a long way to go in comparison to Arenas on the court, but with his work ethic and drive to improve, he has all the tools to develop into a star in Washington. And if he could even be half the player in his rookie year that the longtime Wizard was during his time in D.C. he would be a huge boost to a team looking to compete now.
With the first-year head coach talking highly of Carrington and his work ethic early, it should be a warm sight for Wizards fans. Considering Washington has gone years without a winning season, a sign of a star developing in front of their eyes could be just what they need to get their minds off the years of mediocrity.
Moving forward with Sarr, Carrington, and even Kyshawn George, the Wizards have a solid young core to ascend Washington’s rebuild. And although this year may not be the season the Eastern Conference team returns to contention, a positive sign ahead of the future will be a win on its own.
Nonetheless, the buzz around Carrington this early in his time with the Wizards will put the spotlight on his growth as the season continues.