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Nov 25, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Keaton Wallace (2) drives to the basket as Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Wizards' Bub Carrington Can Turn Adversity into Greatness

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Tyrone Montgomery | Last updated Nov 28, 2025 11:04 AM ET

Bub Carrington’s sophomore NBA season was supposed to be the next step in his rise with the Washington Wizards. After an impressive rookie campaign, one that showcased his poise, shot-making, and surprising maturity, Carrington earned a promotion into the starting lineup, charged with becoming the team’s lead guard of the future.

But, the transition from promising reserve to full-time starter is rarely one without a few bumps in the road. For Carrington, the adjustment has been particularly harsh. The increased defensive attention, the expanded responsibilities and the pressure to orchestrate an entire offense have weighed on him. As the struggles mounted, his confidence wavered, eventually leading the coaching staff to move him back to the bench.

Bub carrington has no idea where he is or what his job is pic.twitter.com/AOr4d1JVwZ
— Fastbreak Breakfast (@fastbreakbreak) November 11, 2025

A demotion like this can linger. It can bruise a young player’s ego and disrupt the rhythm they worked so hard to build. And at times this season, Carrington has appeared deflated, even unrecognizable from the energetic and fearless guard he was as a rookie.

Yet, moments like these, while painful, are often crucial to shaping individuals into the players they want to be in the end. They force players to look inward, reevaluate, and rediscover what drives them. For Carrington, this is an opportunity not to retreat, but to reset.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Bub Carrington Should Aim to Win the Sixth Man of the Year Award

The key for him now is to channel his frustration into fuel. Setting a motivating, yet obtainable goal can be the first step in that process, and one goal that stands out above the rest is working toward winning the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award. It’s a target that demands consistency, impact and leadership, all of which are qualities Carrington has already shown flashes of.

More importantly, it allows him to redefine his role not as a step backward, but as a platform for resurgence. This can be Carrington’s way of helping the Wizards.

A Sixth Man of the Year candidate is someone who changes games off the bench, steadies the team when starters rest, and brings starter-level production in limited minutes. For the Wizards, such a presence would be a huge boost to the team.

For Carrington, it would rebuild his confidence, prove his adaptability, and remind the league of his talent. Achieving this means approaching every game with purpose to leading second units, attacking mismatches, defending with commitment and treating each opportunity as a chance to shift momentum.

Great players are rarely defined by their first setback, but rather by how they respond to it. If Bub Carrington embraces this challenge, stays hungry and takes pride in mastering his new role, this season could become the moment he discovers his true resilience and sets the stage for his eventual return to stardom.

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

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