Could Bub Carrington be the Wizards' best rookie?
All the attention for the Washington Wizards on NBA Draft night was on No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr and for obvious reasons. He was touted as one of the best prospects in the draft, a potential franchise-changing pick.
Yet thus far in Summer League, it's been Washington's other lottery selection making noise.
While Sarr was in the news for his dreadful 0-of-15 shooting performance on Tuesday night, that shouldn't distract Wizards fans from the fact that early returns on Carrington, the 14th pick in the draft, are nothing short of a slam dunk.
Through three Summer League games, he's averaging 19 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game on efficient shooting splits.
It's especially promising that Carrington's game isn't reliant on physical measurables. His versatile scoring, playmaking and hustle on the boards are all pure skills, things that should be able to translate to the highest level in time. The way he's playing this summer, though, he may end up seeing significant minutes right off the bat.
With Sarr, meanwhile, it's far too early to jump to conclusions, but there is some cause for concern — and there was from the moment he was drafted. He was viewed highly not so much because of what was already on tape, but because his physical build fits the new coveted archetype of what every NBA team is looking for in a long, slender big man who can play on the perimeter.
Sarr is someone who has the tools to become a great NBA player with the right development, but it will take some time for him to fill the holes in his game and there's no guarantee he ever will.
Every time a game-changing prospect such as Victor Wembanyama comes along, the result is a mass demand for similar players (such as Sarr) who teams think can follow the same blueprint — but there is simply no recreating a player like Wembanyama.
Carrington, though, could be special. It usually takes time for point guards to adapt to the NBA level, especially those lacking experience before the draft, but don't tell the 18-year-old Carrington, who has played like a seasoned veteran thus far.
The fact that he's this good already only makes his potential that much more exciting, and there's a real chance that he — not Sarr — could end up being the best rookie on Washington's roster during the 2024-2025 season.
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