Oct 24, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) celebrates with Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Studs and Duds From Wizards' First Win of Season

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Bryson Akins | Last updated Oct 25, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Washington Wizards were able to pick up their first win of the season against the 2024 Western Conference Champions, the Dallas Mavericks. As was the case in the opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Wizards started slow against the Mavericks, trailing in the first quarter. Then, the young Wiz Kids secured a 117-107 victory.

Although the Mavericks are "Lottery Luck Demons", Cooper Flagg and company could not save them from Washington. For most of the night, this Wizards' defense was swarming Flagg at the point, forcing him to switch positions or sit on the bench for extended periods. This was a team effort, but some players stood out more than others.

Here are studs and duds from the Wizards' first win of the season.

Stud: Kyshawn George

Kyshawn George has unlimited potential, and we saw that against the Mavericks. The new star of the team had a career-high 34 points on 7 of 9 from distance. George also grabbed a double-double, recording 11 rebounds. He was simply all over the floor.

Chef Ky cooked tonight ‍#ForTheDistrict | @Verizon pic.twitter.com/2gLMjVerE3
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 25, 2025

His defense, though, was something that went under the radar. He was assigned the task of guarding Flagg at the start of the game and putting him in a straitjacket. George was forcing the Mavericks to make so many mistakes that led to points on the other end. Will Dawkins drafted someone special in Kyshawn George.

Dud: Bub Carrington

It is getting harder and harder to defend Bub Carrington starting. Offensively, he is struggling, as he has rarely found the bottom of the net this season. Only making one shot against the Mavericks, Carrington finished his night with seven points and two turnovers.

Defensively, he looks much better. If he cannot play offense, though, it limits what he can do to help this team win. Defense is great and all, but it means nothing if you cannot turn defense into offense. If this continues, a rookie could take his starting spot.

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Stud: Tre Johnson

Tre Johnson continues to make Wizards history every game he plays, from tying a franchise record for threes made in a debut, to now setting another career high in points against the Mavericks. Johnson had 17 points in his homecoming to the Lone Star State.

Tre Johnson 17 points on 7/13 (3/6 3P) pic.twitter.com/fBfkupXYAc
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) October 25, 2025

At this rate, Johnson is going to start over Carrington. He looks much better than him and appears to be the second-best player on this squad. He, George, and Sarr are building a lovely trio in Washington, and the future looks incredibly bright.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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