Wizards Coach Confident in Young Star’s Growth

When you think of the Washington Wizards, you may immediately think of the players on the roster. The Wizards have had so many young players come in through the draft in the NBA Lottery, so it is easy to think of Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson and even Bub Carrington. We also may begin to think of who is the face running the show, head coach Brian Keefe. He is the one individual who will get either the credit when they win or the blame in case things go south. However, we forget about the people supporting Coach Keefe when it comes to the assistant coaches or even the training staff. In an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Assistant Coach David Vanterpool expressed confidence for Bub Carrington entering his second year in the NBA.

Apr 8, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Carrington has shown signs of being “the guy” for the Wizards last season. He was playing in a role that was a bit sporadic as he started and came off the bench sometimes, as Jordan Poole was the feature of the offense. Now that he is gone, Carrington steps into a starting role for the Wizards, which is expected to be good for the team.

Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson asked Vanterpool, “How excited are you to see Carrington’s growth both on and off the court?”

In response, Coach Vanterpool said, “Very excited and I feel that to see him growing as a young man, above everything holds a different palace in my heart being that I know his family and I’ve always known his family very well and with his dad Rest In Peace was always very proud of him and proud of the young man that he was becoming aside from the basketball prowess, you know?”

Washington Wizards assistant coach David Vanterpool — Jan 22, 2018; Denver, CO, USA; Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach David Vanterpool in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Indeed, Carrington went through a lot this past year in his rookie season in the league. Being in and out of the starting lineup is one thing, but to lose a parent is another thing. Despite so much going on in his life, he still came to work every day, played hard and played well, never was a distraction or even complained about anything, and showed himself to be a true team player. Last season built character for Carrington and showed not just what type of player he is, but what kind of person and man he is, too. The Wizards have a lot going for them, and a big reason for that is Bub Carrington. We have a lot to look forward to when it comes to the Wizards and year two for Carrington.

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