‘Wiz Kids’ praise Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Vince Carter on Friday

INGLEWOOD — Friday night’s Castrol Rising Stars Challenge was a display Washington Wizards‘ young core, as rookie running back Tre Johnson and second-year running back Bob Carrington competed for Team T-Mac (Tracy McGrady), while sophomore forward Kishawn George he competed for Team Vince (Carter). However, the “Wiz Kids” benefited from more than just playing on the field on All-Star weekend.

Tre Johnson revealed that they are NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson spoke with Rising Stars, via Monumental Sports Network’s Chase Hughes.

Tre Johnson said @chasedcsports that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson talked to the Rising Stars, so I asked him what stood out about their games (thread):

“It’s different, but it’s effective. They were effective in their own way. That’s really all, regardless of how… pic.twitter.com/azbg90kEUZ

— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) February 14, 2026

“They talked about their experiences in the league, the ups and downs,” the 19-year-old revealed.

He also told ClutchPoint what stands out about their games.

“It’s different, but it’s effective. They were effective in their own way,” he said. “That’s really all it is, no matter what it looks like or how you do it, it’s just effective.”

Abdul-Jabbar and Robertson were nothing if not efficient. Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time NBA MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, four-time block leader, and second only to LeBron James on the all-time scoring list. Meanwhile, Robertson is a six-time assist leader, an 11-time All-NBA winner and second all-time in triple-doubles.

Learning the ups and downs from players of that caliber can only have a positive effect on young players like Johnson, George and Carrington. They’ve each experienced bumps in the road during their time with the Wizards so far, but that’s an inevitable part of the journey.

Johnson also revealed his thoughts on Abdul-Jabbar’s signature move.

“I feel like Kareem’s sky hook can still be used,” the former Texas Longhorn said. “Probably not that much, but I haven’t seen anyone actually block it yet.”

It remains to be seen if Johnson will start draining sky hooks like Abdul-Jabbar, but the bottom line is that legends of past generations still help in learning. While the “Wiz Kids” play in an era where spacing the floor and shooting 3-pointers is more difficult than their older counterparts, the all-time greats can provide insight on how to adjust and excel while experiencing the highs and lows.

Kishawn George of Wizards speaks Vince Carter after conquering the Rising Star

Johnson and Carrington’s night ended early Friday as Team T-Mac lost to Team Vince 41-36 in game two. But Johnson hit a top-speed 3-pointer over George, a a reminder of his limitless reach on the national stage.

LET TRE FLY 🎯 pic.twitter.com/gIMgM3h5ri

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 14, 2026

George had the last laugh, as he and Tim Vince defeated Tim Melo (Carmelo Anthony) 25-24 in the final round. The former Miami Hurricane finished with eight points (4-8 FG, 0-4 3-point) to go along with six rebounds, five assists and one steal in 19 minutes on Friday.

George opened it what was it like to be a coach by Carter, via Bijan Todd of Monumental Sports Network.

@bijan_todd asked Keyshawn George what it was like being coached by Vince Carter in Rising Stars, so I asked him what he liked about Vince’s game growing up:

“His athleticism. His dunks were really graceful. And the way he changed the game over time. He was known as a dunker,… pic.twitter.com/LO5hmjvCKSe

— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) February 14, 2026

“It was fun. I actually watched him a lot growing up, a lot of highlights,” the 2024 first-round pick said. “It was fun to be in that environment with great players.”

George also told ClutchPoint what he likes about Carter’s game.

“Just his athleticism. His dunks were really graceful,” said the Swiss-Canadian. “And the way he changed his game over time. He was known as a dunker, and then he expanded his game to more shots and plays.”

Carter played from 1998 to 2020 and was an eight-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA winner and Rookie of the Year in 1999. The Florida native became a world star for his dunk ability during his time with the Toronto Raptors from 1998 to 2004 and is 11th all-time in three-pointers made.

Being coached by a former player of that caliber, especially one he looked up to as a kid, is the type of full-circle moment George has earned with his play so far with the Wizards. The 22-year-old is already one of the most well-rounded players on the team, averaging 15.1 points on 44.1 percent shooting (37.7 percent from 3-point range) with 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and two steals (steals and blocks) in 30.1 minutes so far.

Johnson (38.6 percent 3-pointers) and Carrington (39.3 percent 3-pointers) also excelled from deep, a necessary trait to survive in today’s league. But the best “Wiz Kid” was second-year big man Alex Sarr (hamstring)who missed the Rising Stars Challenge due to injury. The native Frenchman is averaging 17.8 points on 49.6 percent shooting (33.6 percent from 3-point range) and is tied for second in the NBA with two blocks per game in 28.2 minutes.

Washington’s goal for the rest of this season is to continue developing a young core while losing enough games to keep its top-eight protected lottery pick this summer. Back-to-back home games against the Indiana Pacers follow on Thursday and Friday before hosting the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.