Inside The Panthers

Washington Wizards Draft Pitt Star Bub Carrington

The Washington Wizards Drafted Pitt Panthers star freshman guard Bub Carrington with the No, 14 overall pick in the NBA Draft.

Dominic Campbell

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Carlton Carrington arrives before the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Carlton Carrington arrives before the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers star freshman guard Bub Carrington discovered his team for next season, as the Washington Wizards took him with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Shams Charania of The Athletic was the first to break the news. Washington got the No. 14 pick in a trade that they sent Deni Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers. They also received Malcolm Brogdon, a 2029 First Round pick and two second round picks.

The Wizards officially announced the pick when the NBA finalized the trade.

Carrington played for powerhouse Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, where he scored over 2,000 points. He had an excellent senior season saw him average over 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, respectively, while shooting 49% from the field, 38% from 3-point range and 86% from the foul line.

He was a unanimous four-star in the Class of 2023, with 247Sports, Rivals, On3 and ESPN all ranking him as such. 247Sports rated him as the No. 91 player in the country, No. 15 shooting guard and No. 2 recruit in Maryland, Rivals had him at No. 94 in the U.S. and the No. 19 shooting guard, On3 ranked him No. 96 overall, No. 22 at his position and No. 2 in his state, while ESPN had him at No. 33 shooting guard, No. 33 in the East Region and No. 6 in Maryland.

Carrington committed to Pitt on June 15, 2022, picking them over teams like DePaul, George Mason, George Washington, La Salle, Loyola (Maryland), LSU and Rutgers.

The 6-foot-5 guard came in and made an instant impact in his freshman season with the Panthers. He scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in the season opener win over North Carolina A&T, becoming the first Panther to have a triple-double in their debut in program history.

He would start all 33 games, averaging 33.2 minutes, 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, respectively, while shooting 41.2% from the field, 32.2% from 3-point range and 78.5% from the foul line.

He scored in double digits in 23 of those games and played a large role, as his late season form coincided with a late run to win 11 of the final 14 regular season games to finish 12-8 and No. 4 overall in the ACC standings. Despite making the ACC Tournament Semifinals, and having a 22-11 record, Pitt missed out on the NCAA Tournament.

Carrington had some of his best games in March. He scored a career-high 27 points, shooting 10-for-18 from the field and 7-for-12 from 3-point range in a 90-65 blowout road win against Boston College on March 2.

He also scored 23 points, shooting 8-for-15 from the field and 4-for-9 from deep in the regular season finale at home on March 9, an 81-73 win over NC State, who would go on to make the Final Four.

One of his finest games was in his last one in a Pitt uniform in the 72-65 loss to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament Semifinals in Washington, D.C. on March 15. He scored 24 points, shot 9-for-17 from the field and 4-for-8 from behind the arc in the defeat.

His perfomances throughout the season earned him All-ACC Rookie Team honors, the first Pitt player to do so.

Carrington said that he would stay following that loss to UNC, but would later change his mind. Panthers head coach Jeff Capel hosted a press conference for media at the Petersen Events Center on April 3 and Carrington made the announcement that he would declare for the 2024 NBA Draft.

Carrington had an excellent performance at the NBA Draft Combine, which put him on the radar for more draft experts and team scouts.

He ran his 3/4 court sprint in 3.28 seconds, ranking sixth best. He also finished ranked tied 12th best with a maximum veritcal jump of 36.5 inches.

Carrington showed off his shooting prowess throughout those drills as well. He shot 21-for-30, 70%, off the dribble, 19-for-25, 76.0%, side-by-side and 20-for-25, 80%, on spot up shooting, all best marks at the combine. He also shot 13-for-25, 52.0%, in the 3-point star drill, tied for eighth best. 

He also impressed in his pre-draft workouts and team meetings. He reportedly worked out with the Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings and the Utah Jazz.

Carrington is the first Pitt player to go in the First Round since center Steven Adams did so when the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him with the 12th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

He is also the first Panther to earn an NBA Draft selection since the Atlanta Hawks took Lamar Patterson in the Second Round in 2014.

Carrington is the ninth Pitt player to go in the First Round in its history. This includes Adams, Vonteego Cummings (No. 26/1999), Eric Mobley (No. 18/1994), Charles Smith (No. 1/1988), Jerome Lane (No. 23/1988), Mel Bennett (No. 10/1975) and Billy Knight (No. 6/1974).

Pitt also counts Cameron Johnson, who the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted at No. 11 overall, before trading him to the Phoenix Suns, in the 2019 NBA Draft. Johnson spent three seasons at Pitt (2014-17), graduated and then played two seasons for UNC before going to the draft.

Carrington is the first Pitt player that the Wizards have ever drafted.

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Dominic Campbell
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