The Washington Wizards are days away from their regular season opener and the team hopes to prove their doubters wrong.
Washington has several new players ready to prove they can be the difference-maker for the Wizards entering the season and they also have several prospects looking to break out to prove Washington's front office made the right call when they drafted them.
There's no doubt that the likes of Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George come to mind when discussing potential breakout players for the Wizards.
However, one additional player that could be set for a breakout is Bub Carrington, who seemed poised for a major setback in his journey for a sophomore leap in the preseason finale.
Carrington was drafted with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and throughout his rookie flashes, many hoped he could prove to be the point guard of the future in Washington.
The hype train gained plenty of steam this offseason, especially when the Pittsburgh product stated that he put an emphasis on getting downhill during his summer work.
Carrington's preseason started off a bit inconsistent, but as the games progressed you could see the work the guard put in with the hopes of fulfilling that primary ball handler role the Wizards coaching staff expressed confidence in him taking on.
Unfortunately, in the preseason finale, Carrington went down with a knee injury four minutes into their matchup with the Detroit Pistons that made every fan immediately think their worst nightmare could be coming true.
The guard's inability to walk off the court under his own power contributed to the cause of concern, which immediately caused a scare that he could potentially miss some time into the season.
Especially considering how quickly the Wizards ruled the playmaker out following the injury
Fortunately, all fears were put to rest when Carrington resumed on court activities; almost like he never left.
Bub Carrington (sore knee) was a full participant in the Wizards' practice today, Brian Keefe said.
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) October 19, 2025
Carrington's return to practice was a major update in its own right, but his ability to practice as a full participant made the news even better.
Brian Keefe says the Wizards will “have to see” how Bub Carrington (knee) progresses to determine his game status for Wednesday vs. MIL.
— Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd) October 20, 2025
Bilal Coulibaly (thumb) will not play.
The former lottery pick hasn't been ruled out of returning to the starting lineup on opening night and that alone is great sign.
Whether he's ruled out or is able to suit up, it's safe to say that Washington avoided a major injury for Carrington.
The guard seems poised to return to the court sooner rather than later, which has to be music to the fanbase's ears.