Pitt's Bub Carrington Excited for NBA Draft Lottery

Former Pitt Panthers guard Bub Carrington will represent his team at the NBA Draft Lottery.

Dominic Campbell | May 12, 2025

Apr 13, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) reacts after the Wizards win against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images / Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH — Former Pitt Panthers guard Bub Carrington hopes that he'll bring the good luck he needs for the Washington Wizards for the future, on and off the court.

Carrington will represent the Wizards at the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago on May 12, where he'll look to bring home the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft to his team.

The Wizards finished with an 18-64 record, the second worst in the NBA, just one win more than the Utah Jazz at 17-65 and one win worse that the Charlotte Hornets at 19-63. All three teams have a 14.0% chance of landing the top draft pick.

Carrington spoke on his excitement for the NBA Draft Lottery and that he is bringing some good luck with him. He also said that Wizards general manager Will Dawkins was the one who called him and told him he would represent the team.

"Will [Dawkins] actually called me," Carrington said. "I missed the call, actually, because I was on the game and then I called him back and he told me, "Yeah I need you to go out Chicago. Don't mess up!" I was like...alright."

"I have a good luck charm I'm going to bring out there is definitely the Wizards poker chip we got. When I went out to Summer League last year, there was like a poker chip with, like, the Wizards logo on it. I just always kept that with me so I'll take that out with me to Chicago."

"If we get what we're supposed to get, I will do [Top Secret]."

Bub's ready for tonight with his lucky charm in hand 🤞 pic.twitter.com/5BdMVtcw6n
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 12, 2025

Carrington joined the Wizards last season, as they traded for the No. 14 overall pick from the Portland Trail Blazers, sending Deni Avdija the other way and receiving Malcolm Brogdon, a 2029 First Round pick and two second round picks.

He joined a strong draft class for the Wizards, as they took French center Alex Sarr No. 2 overall and Miami forward Kyshawn George No. 24 overall.

Carrington excelled in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in July. He averaged 32.6 minutes, 15.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game, while shooting 32.9% from the field, 35.9% from 3-point range and 86.4% from the foul line, which helped him earn NBA 2K25 All-Summer League Second Team honors.

He then had a strong rookie season, as he led all NBA rookies with 30.0 minutes per game, while ranking second with 4.4 assists per game, tied for second with 1.7 3-pointers per game, fifth with 81.2% shooting from the free throw line and scoring 9.3 points per game, tied for sixth with 0.7 steals and 3.7 made field goals per game, seventh with 33.4% shooting from behind the arc, eighth shooting 33.9% from 3-point range and tied for ninth with 4.2 rebounds per game.

Carrington would earn a spot at the NBA Rising Stars Game, recognizing the top players amongst the rookies and sophomores in the league.

He dropped a career-high 32 points in the 109-97 loss to the Orlando Magic at home on April 3, shooting 12-for-18 from the field, 7-for-10 from behind the arc and making a free throw, while just coming short of a triple double with nine rebounds and seven assists.

Carrington finished with five double-doubles on the season, three on points and rebounds and two on points and assists, with the Wizards.

He would also end the campaign with an acrobatic buzzer-beater over the Miami Heat in the 119-118 win in the regular season finale on the road on April 13.

Carrington starred for the Panthers in the 2023-24 season, earning All-ACC Rookie Team honors, the first Panther to do so.

He started all 33 games for Pitt, 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.

One of his best games came in the season opener, as he scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in the win over North Carolina A&T, becoming the first Panther to have a triple-double in their debut in program history.

Carrington was 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 No. 12 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

He was also the first Panther to earn an NBA Draft selection since the Atlanta Hawks took Lamar Patterson in the second round in 2014.

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Published May 12, 2025