The Washington Wizards lost their fourth game of the season to the Golden State Warriors on Monday night. Despite the loss, the Wizards young core of Kyshawn George, Carlton ‘Bub’ Carrington, and Alex Sarr showcased their potential once again. Moreover, four-time NBA champion Draymond Green gave high praise to the Wizards rookies.
4-Time NBA Champion Gives High Praise to Wizards’ Rookies
Draymond Green Gives High Praise to Wizards’ Young Core
After the game, Green had high praise for the Wizards’ young core. Green pointed out George’s and Carrington’s high energy and even praised Keefe’s coaching as well.
When asked about the Wizards’ young core, Green stated,
“the energy that they bring, the demeanor that they bring, that’s the first time we’ve seen a Washington Wizards team play that hard in years, and that’s because of them two guys [George and Carrington} energy.” Green continued, “You can tell that coach Keefe is doing an incredible job. And how you can tell if a team is well coached is because every single time we were on a drive, their low-man was there. For the first time in a long-time this city has guys they can look forward with.”
Wizards head coach Brian Keefe is known for developing young talent, and he’s already making his mark in his first year as a full-time head coach.
I asked Draymond Green what he thought about the Wizards’ young core and his answer was…incredible.
“That’s the first time we’ve seen a Washington Wizards team play that hard in years, and it’s because of [Bub and Kyshawn’s] energy.”
Kyshawn jawed with him all night. Respect. pic.twitter.com/GpPYrFFADu
— Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd) November 5, 2024
The Wizards’ Rookies Have Shown Potential Early in the Season
Washington’s young core of Carrington, Sarr, and George have largely been a good investment for the franchise thus far. Carrington tied his season high by having garnered 16 points (58% from the field) along with eight rebounds and seven assists. Overall, Carrington averages 10.3 points (second among league rookies), 4.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. The 19-year-old continues to showcase his skills as a solid playmaker and his aggressiveness on both ends of the floor.
Kyshawn George
George had arguably the best game of his young career on Monday night. The 20-year-old garnered a career-high notching 20 points, including six threes against Golden State. Furthermore, George joined Zach Edey as the only rookie to score 20 points this season. The 6-foot-9 forward also added six rebounds and four assists. George displayed a high motor on both ends of the floor, along with the different ways he can score from distance. George currently ranks 6th amongst rookies in points per game (7.7).
Alex Sarr
Wizards No. 2 pick Sarr contributed a career-high 11 rebounds along with 10 points in the matchup. Throughout the season, Sarr has shown to be a solid defender, and his ability to put the ball on the floor and create offensively. In fact, Sarr ranks fourth in the NBA in blocks per game (2.8) and even recorded three against Golden State. Moreover, Sarr’s streak of having at least two blocks per game continues to six consecutive. If that’s not enough facts, Sarr currently ranks third in the NBA in points per game amongst rookies with 9.8 ppg.
The core of Sarr, Carrington, and George is off to a promising start for Washington. The fact that all three are ranked in the top six in points per game amongst their rookie class is very telling. Also, add in the intangibles each of them brings to the court (high energy, effort), and they could perhaps be the best young core in the NBA.
Jordan Poole Continues to Showcase Leadership
Wizards guard Jordan Poole played against his former team on Monday night and did so prolifically. Poole notched 24 points (team-high) and three assists in the matchup against the team he won an NBA championship with back in 2022. As mentioned in previous articles, Poole’s performance on the court as a leader and player has improved immensely compared to last season.
This season, Poole is averaging 22.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.8 steals, along with shooting 44.9 percent from two and 45.3 percent from three. As of now, Poole currently leads the league in steals per game. Poole is arguably the team’s best player and can still be classified as a “young player” at just 25 years old. Head coach Brian Keefe made Poole the primary ball handler, and with that comes leadership and responsibility.
In the game against Golden State, Poole showed leadership. Poole pulled Carrington away from Warriors forward Draymond Green, who likes to trash talk and get into players’ heads. Yes, Green and Poole have issues that stem from Poole’s time at Golden State. However, Poole, having hindered Carrington from enduring Green’s trash talk, displays traits of a veteran player.
The Last Word
Yes, the Wizards are 2-4, but the future looks bright in D.C. Washington’s strong draft performance and hiring Keefe as the official head coach is set to do wonders for a franchise that’s been in turmoil for quite some time.
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