What the Washington Wizards Get in Bub Carrington

The Washington Wizards drafted Pitt Panthers star Bub Carrington at No. 14 overall and get a future star in the making.

Feb 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Carlton Carrington (7) warms up before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers star guard Carlton "Bub" Carrington went No. 14 to the Washington Wizards in the First Round of the 2024 NBA Draft.

The Wizards traded for the pick with the Portland Trail Blazers. They sent Deni Avdija and received the No. 14 overall pick (Carrington). They also received Malcolm Brogdon, a 2029 First Round pick and two second round picks for Avdija.

Carrington is the second youngest player in the NBA Draft Pool and the youngest college player in the draft, as he doesn't turn 19 until July.

He came out of powerhouse St. Frances Academy in Baltmore as a four-star guard in the Class of 2023. He scored over 2,000 points in high school and averaged 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 as a senior.

Carrington made an immediate impact at Pitt as a freshman. In his first ever game, the season opener against North Carolina A&T, he scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 10 assists for a triple-double, the first ever Pitt player to do so.

Carrington started strong, but struggled at times in the middle of the season in terms of scoring, which saw Pitt struggle overall, winning just one of their first six ACC games.

He grew as the team improved as well, functioning as a primary scoring threat alongside forward Blake Hinson. His work with him and a burgeoning fellow freshman in Jaland Lowe helped the Panthers win 11 of their final 14 conference games to finish No. 4 in the ACC and earn a double-bye in the ACC Tournament.

He demonstrated his great pull up ability towards the end of the season, dropping 27 points and making seven 3-pointers, both season highs, in a blowout road win against Boston College on March 2.

One of his best games came in the season-ending loss to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament Semifinals, where he played all 40 minutes, scored 24 points, shot 9-for-17 from the field and 4-for-8 from behind the arc in the 72-65 loss.

Important to note he did this at Capital One Arena, the home of the Wizards.

Carrington initially said that he would stay with Pitt after that loss, but in early April, held a press conference and entered the NBA Draft.

His efficency on his pull-up shot is something that separates him from other prospect in this draft class. Carrington scored 7.4 points per game off pull up jumpers, second in Division I behind Oregon State's Jordan Pope, made 50.9% of his pull up shots, with only four Division I players shooting better, and made 32.2% of his pull up 3-pointers, making more of them than all but 20 Division I players. 

This makes him a dangerous combo guard, although, he played mostly as a point guard for the Panthers. It allows him to function as the head of the offense, but also as someone who can play off the ball and score otherwise.

Carrington was also a great passer at Pitt last season, showing great vision to pick out his teammates and finding them for easy buckets. He averaged 4.1 assists per game, while only committing 1.9 turnovers per game

He also just showed great maturity throughout the season. His fantastic starts came from his talent, but even when he struggled, he was able to grow throughout the course of his freshman campaign and played at a high level against some of the best teams in the country down the stretch.

Carrington will need to work on his defense, only making 19 steals all season and his on-ball defense needs to improve overall if he wants to play serious minutes at the NBA level.

He also needs to work on his catch-and-shoot situations, something he's been focusing on this offseason, as he only made 32% of his 3-pointers off the catch. He also will want to focus on attacking the rim with more ferocity, only shooting under 50 half-court shots at the rim on the season, averaging fewer than 1.5 attempts per game and made just 50.9 percent of his shots in the paint.

Carrington's youth is what makes his future so exciting. He excelled so early and throughout last season as a freshman for Pitt. Now, the Wizards have a chance to mold him into their fold for the forseeable future.

His struggles come as easily fixable for the future star and Carrington is one player that is ready for the next level. If you're a Wizards fan, then stay patient with his development, as he has great potential in the NBA.

Carrington also grew up a Wizards fan and coming from nearby Baltimore, he has a chance to serve as a hometown hero for years to come.

He will also join former Pitt alum in forward Justin Champagnie (2019-21) on the Wizards, giving a great connection between the two teams for next season.

Washington drafted center Alex Sarr from France at No. 2 and then picked Miami wing/Switzerland International Kyshawn George at No. 25.

The combination of Carrington, Sarr and George for the future is one that Wizards fans will come to love and it will bring relevancy back to a franchise, who just had the worst season in its history.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

• Twitter Reaction to Wizards Drafting Bub Carrington
• Washington Wizards Draft Pitt Star Bub Carrington
• Two More Pitt Alumni Added to Zoo Crew
• Pitt Football Lands 2025 4-Star DB Commit
• Heat Selecting Pitt Star in ESPN Mock Draft

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt