The Washington Wizards’ trio of first-round draft picks impressed in their Summer League debut as the team beat the Atlanta Hawks 94-88.
In the battle of this year’s top two draft picks, the No. 1 overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher, led the Hawks with 18 points and added five rebounds. Meanwhile, the second overall pick, Alexandre Sarr of the Wizards, scored 12 points. Sarr struggled early but got comfortable in the second half, providing some great highlights.
Defensively, he displayed great interior defense and finished with seven rebounds and four blocks.
However, Carlton “Bub” Carrington, the Wizards’ second of three first-round rookies, stole the show by nearly getting a trouble-double. Carrington finished with game-highs of 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. He also made 4-of-8 three-pointers.
Fellow Wizards’ first-round rookie Kyshawn George finished with seven points, five assists, and two steals. George also struggled early before showing he could make the right play and read throughout the second half.
Pittsburgh alum and Capital City Go-Go star Justin Champagnie contributed to the Wizards’ win with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field.
The Wizards won without last year’s first-round selection. Bilal Coulibaly is preparing to play in the Olympics with France. He’ll gain a better experience, playing internationally alongside fellow Frenchmen like Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama.
Bub Carrington got off to a great start.
Carrington eased concerns about two of his weaknesses from college right out of the gate. He cashed in with a catch-and-shoot three moments after the opening tip. He then attacked the paint, drawing a foul and making free throws on the next offensive possession.
Carrington continued to display his ability to drive. In the second quarter, he knifed through the teeth of the defense before hitting a cutting Champagnie, who finished with a tough layup.
Carrington later dropped dimes on back-to-back possessions to Champagnie.
In the second half, Champagnie returned the fellow dishing a dime to his fellow Pitt alum Carrington with a 360-pass to the rookie for a corner three.
Later in the third quarter, Carrington used a screen from Sarr to drain a pull-up three.
Carrington continued to drive through the paint, something he didn’t consistently display in college. His dish and kick led to George getting on the board with a corner three in the fourth. George’s three gave the Wizards the lead for good at 82-81.
Carrington put the finishing touch on the game with a stepback three with 1:27 remaining. His trey extended Washington’s lead to 90-83.
It’s one game, but Carrington showed he can run the offense and that his game can include areas not seen by him in a Pitt uniform.
Sarr held a block party
Sarr didn’t score his first bucket until 3:58 left in the second quarter. However, he laminated his defensive skills from the onset.
Sarr collected three blocks during 32 seconds in the first quarter. First, he erased a cutting Mouhamed Gueye’s layup attempt before getting back-to-back blocks on Robert Baker II on the Hawks’ following possession.
Sarr’s first score came off a fastbreak created with Champagnie stripping the ball from Nikola Durisic. Champagnie passed it to Sarr, who got ahead with the ball up the floor to a transition layup.
Sarr knocked down a one-bounce pull-up three for the first of his two-made treys.
His stretch of good play continued into the fourth quarter. Sarr illustrated his post moves, backing down a defender before hitting a turnaround jumper. He drained a second pull-up three, all while maintaining a defensive presence.
Kyshawn George overcomes slow start
George got off to a shaky start with two quick turnovers and a pair of missed three-pointers. But after he finally got on the board late in the fourth quarter, he settled in and provided a promising picture of his potential.
He did a good job controlling the basketball as a secondary ball-handler. He made good reads throughout the second half, hitting a bounce pass to John Butler Jr for an assist.
George pushed the basketball in transition as well. On one play in the fourth, he threaded the needle on a break to a cutting Champagnie for a dunk.
He also got touches cutting and finding spacing on the floor. His cutting basket put the nail in the coffin of the Wizards’ win off an in-bound pass.
The Wizards’ three rookies showed a foundation of what could come of their maturation. Summer League results are overblown. Yet, Carrington dropped seeds of him being a spectacular point guard in the future.
Meanwhile, Sarr showed he could score the basketball from anywhere on the floor despite being a seven-footer. Just as importantly, he is a strong defender and rim protector.
George may be the wing player the Wizards have yearned for years. He gave a glimpse of his ball-handling abilities. Without the restraints he experienced at Miami, George showed his versatility.
Hopefully, the Wizards’ trio can stay consistent throughout the Summer League play.
