Carlton Carrington

Carlton Carrington's Biography

Carlton Kaleel “Bub” Carrington III, an exceptional American professional basketball player, was born in the city of Baltimore, Maryland on July 21, 2005. Trailing in the footsteps of his father, a prestigious basketball coach, and bearing the same name marking him as the third Carlton Carrington in his family, young Carlton was lovingly nicknamed “lil’ bub”, which eventually evolved into the shortened version “Bub”.

Basketball was not his only sport as a young athlete. At Saint Frances Academy in his hometown, he also played baseball and football, but it was his high dexterity on the basketball court that proved to be exceptional. Across his high school career, he managed to amass over a whopping 2,000 points and by his junior year committed to continuing his basketball journey with the Pittsburgh Panthers, as rated by 247Sports as a four-star recruit, and ranked as the 99th best recruit in the country and the third-best from Maryland.

Apart from the regular school season, Carrington expanded his court experience, joining Team Melo in the prominent Nike Elite Youth Basketball League travel circuit. His flourishing skills earned him the honor of EYBL Breakout Player of the Session and second-team All-Session. He played a significant role in guiding his team to the championships.

In his senior year at Saint Frances during the 2022–23 season, he spearheaded the team to an overall record of 29–11 and a rate of 11–3 in the Baltimore Catholic League (BCL). Regarded as a pivotal force, he received the distinction of the first-team All-BCL and was chosen for the BCL All-Tournament team. His astounding average statistics of more than 26 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals per game made him a standout among his peers.

Fostering a winning streak, Carrington led Saint Frances to the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament, where they claimed victory for the second time during his tenure. His mind-blowing performance included shooting splits of .490/.380/.860, and he smashed a Saint Frances record, recording a total of over 1,000 points.

Carrington’s basketball mastery extended to other prominent platforms, including the DTLR Classic, Jumpman Classic, R1A Classic, More than Basketball Game, and the MLK Classic. Remarkably, this gifted player not only participated in these competitions but also walked away with most valuable player honors from each, and set a MLK Classic record by scoring 42 points.

His journey with the Pittsburgh Panthers began with the 2023–24 season. Proving to be an invaluable addition to the team, he was immediately assigned as a starter. In a memorable debut, he led the Panthers to a resounding 100–52 victory against North Carolina A&T, recording the first triple-double debut in school history, and achieving an accolade that hadn’t been accomplished at Pittsburgh since 1998.

On June 26, 2024, the pivotal moment of Carrington’s career arrived with his selection as the fourteenth overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2024 NBA draft. However, in a surprising turn of events, he was traded to the Washington Wizards along with Malcolm Brogdon, in exchange for Deni Avdija. His splendid performance continued during the 2024 NBA Summer League, where he played in five games, averaging 15.8 points per game, with 7.4 rebounds per game and 5.2 assists per game.

Away from the limelight and the cheering crowds, Carrington is a cherished member of his family. As the son of Carlton ‘Bub’ Carrington and Karima Carrington, he is the loving brother to Kareem and Faith Carrington. In addition, the bloodline of talent runs in the family as Carrington is a second cousin to the notable NBA player, Rudy Gay.