The Washington Wizards had three players suit up in the Rising Stars game for the second consecutive year, all made possible after Bub Carrington was selected to play nearly 24 hours before tipoff
The Washington Wizards were well represented during the first day of NBA All Star weekend with a trio of players suiting up in the Rising Stars game.
Kyshawn George finished the weekend averaging three points, three rebounds and 2.5 assists across a pair of games for Team Carter, coached by Vince Carter, to walk away as a champion. Tre Johnson, meanwhile, finished with eight points in his lone game thanks to a pair of threes, including a deep one right in George's face. As for Carrington, he finished a quiet night with just three assists, two points and one rebound, leading to some playful banter from Johnson after the game.
"When I heard I thought he was going to help us win but obviously not. He could have stayed in DC for all I care. He didn't help at all. He was out there passing the ball. We didn't need that. We need 40 points, not ten assists."
Of course, Carrington's appearance came just day after he was announced as one of two late additions to the Rising Stars game, serving as a replacement following a pair of injuries on the team, including fellow Wizards star Alex Sarr.
It marked the second consecutive year that Carrington was honored in the event, also making it two consecutive years suiting up in the event after doing so alongside Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly in 2025. But how Carrington found out was a late development after the Wizards announced on Thursday that Sarr would be sidelined for roughly two weeks due to a hamstring injury, ultimately sidelining him in the final hour. That's what led Carrington to find out shortly after arriving back from Wednesday's loss against the Cavaliers that it was time to get back on the plane.
"We just played in Cleveland, flew home, went to sleep, woken up asleep by my GM. He said 'you're a Rising Star. Go get on this plane in two hours.' Had to pack my bags. Now I'm in LA as a Rising Star," Carrington said postgame.
The event also gave him another opportunity to share the court with Derik Queen, his former teammate for two seasons playing at St. Frances Academy and fellow Baltimore native.
Now Carrington will return to DC with a chance to possibly finalize his role in the backcourt if and when Trae Young ultimately returns to make his Wizards debut, giving Washington a new-look in the backcourt for head coach Brian Keefe to work through as general manager Will Dawkins analyzes the on-court fits and rotations ahead of a pivotal offseason.