Kyle Kuzma’s key “learning” tip for Wizards youngster

Although Kyle Kuzma’s name is floating around in trade rumors as the Feb. 6 deadline approaches, the former NBA champion remains a mentor Washington Wizards‘ youth. After practice Wednesday, rookie running back Bub Carrington shared a recent advice which Kuzma gave him.

“Cuz told me to study the tendencies of the guards in the early and late quarters,” the 19-year-old explained. “It helps because most guards are rhythm guys who do the same thing most of the time, so when you kind of know that, you have an advantage guarding them.”

Carrington, who is still a year and a half shy of legal drinking age, is experiencing growing pains on defense. Pitt alum’s 119.6 defensive ratingthe advanced stat, which measures a player’s effectiveness in preventing the other team from scoring, is second-worst on the Wizards (6-32), via NBA.com. On the bright side, he and Kuzma are tied for the team’s fifth-highest steals per game average, at 0.7.

Bumps in the road are inevitable for Carrington as he navigates his first NBA season. The Baltimore native graduated from high school just two years ago and now has to face the best basketball players in the world on a daily basis. That’s why established veterans love it Kuzma is vital to Washington’s rebuildbecause no amount of training can replace the guidance of an older teammate.

That should not ignore the importance of the coach, because every good player has been developed by a knowledgeable coach at some point in his career. However, getting advice from a good NBA player while routinely playing with them is a dream that only a select few players manage to live up to.

Until that point, Kuzma’s defensive pointers could help Carrington not only improve individually, but Washington as a whole. It won’t be a quick turnaround, but a rookie gradually raising that part of his game would inevitably have an impact on the team’s numbers as well. The Wizards currently rank last in the league with 122.6 points allowed per game, so there is nowhere to go but up.

Brian Keefe happy with Wizards starters so far

Washington has fully committed to developing young players, as second-year guard Bilal Coulibaly tops the team with 33.3 minutes per game, while Carrington is third with 30.2. Fellow rookies Alex Sarr and Keyshawn George rank fourth at 27.2 and seventh at 25.2, respectively.

Sarr, Carrington and George have played a combined 1,898 minutes, the most of any team’s rookie group this season.
They are wizards only the seventh team since 1997-98 to log three or more starters at least 25 minutes or more per game, via NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner.

While that has led to mixed results on the court, Wizards head coach Brian Keefe likes their work ethic.

“The main thing for me is I like how they’ve worked, their process and how their habits have developed,” the former UNLV guard said Wednesday. “They’ve been consistent with that since Summer League.” These guys have been great at preparing and working in the gym. That’s probably the most important thing for me to learn how to be a professional, I think that’s what makes you consistent long term in your career.”

That long-term consistency is an elusive goal that can only be achieved through a mixture of talent, maturity, health and consistent effort. However, each of the mentioned players has a good foundation for the future.

Coulibaly, for example, has made a noticeable leap this season. The 20-year-old is averaging four more points, 1.7 more assists and 0.5 more steals per game while routinely guarding the opposing team’s best player.

Meanwhile, Sarr has topped Ashburner’s NBA Rookie Rankings for two straight weeks after winning Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors in December. The 7-footer is also tied for seventh in the league with 1.6 blocks per game and shooting 45.5% from deep in December.

Finally, Carrington and George showed flashes. The former scored in double figures in three of his first four games in January, while the latter had at least two steals in three of his last five. Those may not be eye-popping numbers, but both are producing similar to what Coulibaly was doing this time last season.

It’s hard to have patience for baby steps, but locker room figures like Kuzma help smooth the process for Washington.