Inside The Wizards

Wizards Rookies Starting to Slip

The Washington Wizards rookie class is beginning to struggle.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 15, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives to the basket s Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) defends in the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives to the basket s Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) defends in the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards have three rookies to work with this season, and given the current state of the roster, all of them have been given opportunities to play a considerable amount of minutes.

The Wizards selected Alex Sarr with their No. 2 overall pick and made trades to acquire No. 14 overall selection Bub Carrington from Pittsburgh and the 24th pick Kyshawn George out of Miami.

While the rookies got off to a hot start for their NBA careers, things have begun to come back down to earth in the second month.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes graded all 30 NBA rookie classes and gave the Wizards a "C+."

"Carrington's ability to get to spots and solid feel as a ball-handler suggest he's got a future floor as a backup lead guard. Better shooting efficiency and improved defensive awareness could make him a long-term starter," Hughes writes.

"Alex Sarr continues to block shots effectively while struggling at everything else, and our optimism about Kyshawn George needs to be tempered by his 24.7 percent hit rate from three. Even if he's shown two-way skills and a high level of competitive fire, George isn't going to make it if he can't be a threat from long distance."

There are always going to be growing pains for rookies, especially when they have a chance to play a decent amount against superior competition. However, they have the chance to build something special in the long run if they can grow considerably over the next several years.

The Wizards rookies will get a chance to celebrate their first Christmas in the league before getting back out on the court tomorrow to take on the division rival Charlotte Hornets. Tipoff for the game is set for 7 p.m. ET from Capital One Arena.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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