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Luke Askew

As the Washington Wizards usher in a fresh era of basketball in the DMV, President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger and General Manager of the Wizards Will Dawkins spoke in their preseason press conference about the importance of what I'm calling The Three P's: positivity, process, and patience.

During their latest media availability on September 26, they highlighted how they plan to bring sustained success to the hardwood in the Nation's Capital. Here are some of the most memorable quotes, categorized by where they fit in The Three P's.

"It's evident to us that our guys like being around each other. And that's really, really important. I think it's also evident that these guys are serious craftsmen. They care about the work -- the way they go about it... They're rooted in doing the work. These guys have been coming in, doing their individual workouts in the morning, coming back, getting extra shooting in, and just spending time working on their game... The habits they're building are things that we're looking for in current players but also future players. And they're helping [to set] the standards here." -Will Dawkins

"It's been a summer of work for our guys. The best part for me when evaluating training camp, is these guys put time in individually. They spend time individually working on their craft. And now you get to put it in a team environment -- a team setting -- 5 on 5 and see how it works." -Will Dawkins

"At the end of the day, it's a team that the fans can get behind. You're going to see the joy. You're going to see the pride. You're going to see the competitiveness that basketball fans and the common fan alike can notice and can see through the TV screen and see when they're around each other." -Will Dawkins

"With Will [Dawkins], with Ted [Leonsis], with our leadership group, we have a vision for the team. It is ambitious, and it is a very heavy lift. We want to build an organization that develops and can support a sustainably great team. We don't want to be a flash in the pan. We don't want to be a one-hit-wonder." -Michael Winger

"When you look at the new group, the best thing that they've done so far is come together and learn each other. I always like to say the basketball will take care of itself. That's what the training camp is for. What we've done I think is bring a group together that has a lot of experience mixed with youth as well. They'll have mentors in the locker room." -Will Dawkins

"We are of course holding everybody accountable for everything. We're not going to let slippage go unspoken. We're not going to let something other than 100% effort go ignored. That's not what we're going to do. So if we lose four in a row, but we're competing our behinds off, we're holding ourselves accountable on the floor, and we are getting marginally better in practice and in those games, we're going to live with that." -Michael Winger

"When we go through and do individual goals with players, it will be things that they are aware of, things that they contribute to, things that are attainable, things that can be recited, and things that can be tracked, so at all they know where they're at and they know what their goals [are]." -Will Dawkins

"With Jordan [Poole] and Kyle [Kuzma], the thing that has impressed me so far the most is their willingness to bring the group together. They've had guys come out to their summer homes and spend time with them out there. And when we talked about guys being here post-Labor Day, they've been here. They've been here the entire month. And when we talked about acquiring them and had the conversations with them, what happens on the court, starts off the court. And the leadership mentality that they've taken on, I would say they've embraced that. They're running with that -- hitting high marks on that." -Will Dawkins

"With Bilal [Coulibaly], he's just like any other rookie. He's going to have his ups and his downs this year. But with him, being the third-youngest player in the league, he's got a competitiveness that I think will allow him to get on the floor right away. The biggest thing with him is not skipping any steps, not rushing him, allowing him to declare who he is as a player, and understanding that his prime is five, six, seven years down the line from now." -Will Dawkins

"There's going to be setbacks. There's going to be losing streaks. It's basketball. And even in games that we win, we're going to be like 'Hey, we should've done this better.'" -Will Dawkins

"We want to build the right way. We've studied all the teams in the league, historically and currently, that have done it, what we would characterize as, the right way. And it is a very heavy lift. Hard decisions, a lot of patience, an intense focus on player development, an intense focus on research, and that's what we're going to do. We will usher in at some point in the future, an era of sustainable contention, and we're going to work our butts off every single day to get us to that point." -Michael Winger

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Washington Wizards: Key quotes from Michael Winger and Will Dawkins' media availability

Now that the 2023-24 NBA regular season schedule has been released for a few days, it's time to take a deep dive into the Washington Wizards' schedule. Here's a deeper look into the most interesting matchups, longest road trips, national TV games, and more.

For the second year in a row, the Wizards will open their regular season in Indiana against the Pacers. Last year, the Wizards got the better of the Pacers in the season opener, winning 114-107 behind Kyle Kuzma's 22 points and 13 rebounds.

This year, things will look a little different for both teams. The Wizards got younger, meaning this will be fans' first regular-season look at the No. 7 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Bilal Coulibaly.

For the Pacers, they added some veteran depth and young talent to their roster. NBA Champions Bruce Brown and No. 8 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft Jarace Walker highlight the team's offseason additions.

After the Wizards battle the Pacers in Indiana, they'll head back to Washington, D.C. to take on the Memphis Grizzlies in front of the DMV faithful. This will be new Wizard Tyus Jones' first chance to go head-to-head against his former team.

Just two days after that, on Monday, October 30, the Wizards will have another home game against Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics.

Last season, the Wizards had a six-game road trip and a five-game road trip. This season, the length of the road trips has been cut down. The Wizards won't have any road trips of five games or more, but they will have four separate stints of four-straight road games. Here they are:

Last season, the Wizards' longest home stand was six games and it was a successful stretch. They went 5-1 during that home stand, beating Dallas, Utah, Memphis, Miami, and Charlotte.

This year, the Wizards will have another six-game home stand, but it will come toward the end of the season. Here's a look at those matchups:

The final home game of the regular season for the Wizards will be on Friday, April 12 at 6:00 p.m. ET against Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and the Chicago Bulls.

After that, the Wizards will hit the road for their final regular season game of the season on Sunday, April 14 at 12:00 p.m. ET against the Celtics.

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Washington Wizards: A deeper look at the 2023-24 schedule

The 2023 Las Vegas NBA Summer League has officially come and gone. From July 7-17, all 30 NBA teams, including the Washington Wizards, were in Las Vegas battling hard in front of the entire basketball community.

While winning Summer League is a goal for all players and coaches in Las Vegas, the main focus is on player development. It's a chance for fans to get first glimpses of their favorite team's incoming rookies or another look at some returning young players.

For the Wizards, who finished Summer League with a 2-3 record, there were a lot of intriguing storylines in the player development category. Fans saw Johnny Davis return for his second Summer League run. They saw Bilal Coulibaly, an 18-year-old top-10 pick from France make his debut in a Wizards uniform. And they got first glimpses of two fresh faces, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins, who only joined the Wizards on July 6 after coming over via trade from Golden State.

Now that things have settled, let's take a look at four main takeaways from the Wizards' 2023 Summer League.

The last 13 months have been a wild ride for Wizards guard Johnny Davis. After being selected 10th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Davis went to Las Vegas to compete in the 2022 NBA Summer League. Like a lot of rookies, Davis struggled to find his footing in that setting. In three games, he averaged 8.3 points on 27.6% shooting from the field and 33.3% shooting from deep to go along with four boards, 1.7 assists and 2.7 turnovers.

After a full season of going back and forth between Washington's G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, and the Wizards, Davis looked much more comfortable in his second Summer League. He saw increased production and improved shooting splits across the board while cutting down on turnovers. Check out his averages from this Summer:

In his fourth and final game, Davis exploded for a team-high 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from deep to go along with three assists, two boards and one block. He was consistently aggressive and in control, using his strength to finish through defenders at the rim.

"The great thing about Johnny, especially today like I told him after the game, is that he stayed aggressive regardless of how it was going," said Wizards Summer League head coach Landon Tatum after Davis' outstanding performance. "Trying to get downhill, create for himself and others, as well. And for him to have that type of confidence throughout the entire game was great to see."

Now, Davis will shift his focus to the 2023-24 regular season as he looks to keep building on the solid foundation he's established this summer.

When the Wizards agreed to trade for the draft rights to Bilal Coulibaly, the seventh overall pick, he was relatively unknown among American hoops fans. He didn't play college ball in the States or take the G League route into the NBA. Instead, he came over from France, where he began playing professionally in 2021. Now, after four awe-inspiring Summer League games, Coulibaly has become a household name for basketball fans in the DMV.

When Coulibaly was in France, he spent most of his time with the Metropolitans 92 under-21 team before being called up to the senior team. When playing with the junior squad, he was able to showcase creation skills with the ball in his hands. After being promoted to the senior team, he operated primarily as a defensive stopper and transition athlete for a Mets 92 team that made it to the LNB Pro A championship.

In Summer League, Coulibaly put all of his skills together, and while his offensive production was cause for celebration (12.3 PPG, 2 APG), his defensive prowess is what left Wizards fans drooling with anticipation for his rookie season.

At 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Coulibaly's frame alone makes it difficult for opposing ball handlers to create offense when he's the primary defender. But his lateral quickness, hoops IQ and leaping ability made him one of the top defenders in Las Vegas. He frequently met opponents at the rim and erased shots that originally looked like bunnies.

Coulibaly averaged 2.3 blocks per game in Vegas -- a phenomenal mark for an 18-year-old perimeter player.

Patrick Baldwin Jr. came to the Wizards via trade on July 6. After being drafted with the 28th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, he spent time with both the Golden State Warriors and their G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors.

For Wizards fans who may not have watched Baldwin with the Warriors, Summer League was their first chance to get a feel for his game.

In four games, Baldwin averaged nearly eight points per game on 35.5% shooting from the field and 27.3% shooting from deep. Those numbers don't jump off the page in a great way, but they also aren't an accurate indicator of Baldwin's shooting abilities. He's a dynamic three-level scorer with a super pure jump shot. He was just plagued by a couple of cold games in the unique Summer League environment.

That's why when analyzing Baldwin, you have to look beyond the numbers and check out his feel for the game.

At 6-foot-9, Baldwin has the length to shoot over anybody at any given moment, but he does a nice job of not forcing shots that aren't there. In Vegas, he played within the flow of the offense and often operated as a connector in the middle of the floor. He also has a knack on both offense and defense for being in the right spot at the right time. It's a skill that can't be measured but is impossible to miss when watching him play.

"Pat's ability to shoot, whether he's making shots or missing shots, is going to always affect the game," said Coach Tatum. "He's very versatile in the fact that he's able to come off of quick pin downs and get open looks and shoot over the defense. And defensively, he actually has really solid length and he uses his smarts."

At just 20 years old, the future is bright for Baldwin.

Another youngster who came over from the Warriors via trade on July 6 is point guard Ryan Rollins. Like Baldwin, Rollins split time during his rookie campaign between the G League and the NBA.

At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Rollins has unique length at the point guard position and it shows. During Summer League, he used his length, athleticism and instincts to wreak havoc on the defense end of the court, deflecting passes and forcing turnovers at a high rate. In his four games, he averaged 2.3 steals in just 24.8 minutes per contest.

As awesome as his defense was, Rollins' ability to run the show on offense is what stood out most in Vegas. He was tasked with being the primary ball handler and setting up the offense -- a responsibility that isn't easy in Summer League when playing with relatively new teammates. Still, Rollins dished out five assists per game while also averaging 14 points. To put it simply, when he had the ball in his hands, things seemed to work out.

In game two of Summer League, the Wizards played a talented Celtics team and Rollins was the best player on the court, scoring a team-high 17 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field while dishing out nine assists, tallying five steals and only turning the ball over once.

"I'm coming in as a young guy just hungry for an opportunity and just taking the opportunity and making the most of it," said Rollins. "I know what I'm capable of and my ability, so I'm gonna go out there and prove what I got."

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Washington Wizards: 4 big takeaways from 2023 NBA Summer League

In the Washington Wizards' fourth Summer League game of 2023, they set the tone on both ends of the court and dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder by a final score of 105-89. Here are three takeaways from the impressive win.

BILAL COULIBALY GETTING BETTER AND BETTER

Summer League is full of young players, so one of the coolest things that can happen is when fans get to watch guys on their favorite team improve from game to game. Bilal Coulibaly is a shining example of that for the Wizards.

In the first three games of Summer League, Coulibaly showed flashes of skill on offense while he let his defense do most of the talking. On Friday afternoon, he put it all together for his best performance of the summer.

Coulibaly scored 19 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field and 1-of-1 shooting from deep to go along with four rebounds, three assists and four blocks (bringing his Summer League total to nine blocks in four games). Even better: He got to the free throw line nine times and converted on eight of those attempts.

Whether it was swatting shots, attacking the hoop relentlessly or making the smart pass, Coulibaly had everything working.

The Wizards' offense was humming on Friday. Guards were penetrating and getting two feet in the paint. Perimeter players were making extra passes. Bigs were looking to push after every rebound. The ball movement was simply getting everyone involved, and the Wizards' 24 assists reflect that.

Five different Wizards players scored in double figures and all 10 guys that stepped foot on the court, scored at least two points.

Dejan Vasiljevic was a beneficiary of the smart passes. He activated his flamethrower and scored 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and 4-of-5 shooting from deep (and tallied two assists of his own). Vasiljevic's only miss was on a 29-foot pull-up jumper attempting to beat the third-quarter buzzer. And his only two-point field goal was a deep shot with his foot barely across the line. In the moment, it felt like he splashed another three.

Patrick Baldwin is another guy that dazzled in the selfless offense. He only scored six points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field, but he often acted as a connector in the middle of the floor. He dished out four assists, didn't turn the ball over once and also tacked on some hockey assists.

Second-year Wizards guard Johnny Davis put together his best Summer League game on Friday. He was solid throughout but broke through in a major way in the third quarter with multiple highlight plays coming in a short stretch of game time. There was one sequence where he made a tough layup, blocked a shot on the other end of the floor and then converted another crafty layup in transition. Check it out (and don't miss Coulibaly's secondary block, either):

Davis scored 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from deep to go along with three assists, two rebounds and one block. He also had a team-high +14 plus/minus.

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Summer League Recap: Three takeaways from the Wizards' 105-89 win over the Thunder

On the second night of a Summer League back-to-back, the Washington Wizards used defensive intensity and transition offense to outpace the Boston Celtics 103-98.

The first half of Sunday night's game was tightly contested. Both teams were getting up and down the floor and you could tell it would be a competitive game from start to finish. At halftime, the Celtics held a slight 52-51 lead.

The third quarter is where the momentum shifted in the Wizards' direction as they forced turnover after turnover and piled on the points in transition (more on this soon). At one point in the second half, the Wizards built their lead up to 14 points and looked ready to run away with the game, but the Celtics never quit.

With 27 seconds left in the game, Jordan Walsh capped off a 7-0 run by the Celtics with a rim-rattling three to cut the D.C. lead to just three points. The Celtics opted not to foul, playing the possession straight up and hoping to force a turnover or a miss. Only, Wizards rookie Bilal Coulibaly had other plans.

Coulibaly caught the ball on the right wing with 10 seconds left in the game (seven on the shot clock) and took two power dribbles toward the baseline before stepping back for a mid-range pull-up jumper. Nothing but net. Onions.

The rookie from France finished the game with 11 points and five boards. He also had a slick no-look pass that led to an easy dunk.

Here are five takeaways from the Wizards' first win of the 2023 NBA Summer League.

Throughout Sunday night's game, the Celtics would switch in and out of a zone defense, which can be tricky for any team to conquer, let alone a Summer League squad without much shared experience. Of course, one surefire way to beat a solid half-court defense is to never let it get set.

The Wizards' best offense in this game was their defense. They had active hands and pressured the opposing ball handlers relentlessly, doing everything they could to force turnovers. In turn, that led to easy opportunities for the offense.

The Celtics turned the ball over 23 times (15 came by way of steals from the Wizards) and Washington was masterful in transition, scoring 28 fastbreak points.

In Saturday night's loss to the Pacers, the Wizards looked disjointed at times, which is completely normal for a team of youngsters playing together for the first time. As the game wore on, it looked like the chemistry was improving, but the real test was always going to come 24 hours later on Sunday night against Boston.

Right from the jump, guys were moving off the ball and the rock was zipping around, finding the open man. Washington finished the game with 25 assists on 37 made shots -- an impressive number for a 40-minute Summer League game. This helped lead to seven Wizards players scoring in double figures.

A big part of the Wizards' offensive success tonight was point guard Ryan Rollins, who came over via trade from the Golden State Warriors on July 6.

In 27 minutes of playing time, Rollins scored a team-high 17 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field while dishing out nine assists and only turning the ball over one time. Oh, and remember how defense was the Wizards' best offense tonight? Well, Rollins was also taking cookies on Sunday, coming away with five steals.

Tristan Vukcevic, the Wizards' second-round pick out of Serbia, had some positive moments in the Wizards' first Summer League game (the loss to Indiana). But on Sunday, he was a huge difference-maker in just 23 minutes of action.

Whether it was running in transition, popping out beyond the three-point line or nimbly moving through the paint, Vukcevic looked awesome, scoring 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field. He also hauled in eight rebounds, dropped one dime, blocked one shot and grabbed one assist.

In just two Summer League games, Johnny Davis has looked ultra comfortable and played consistent basketball. In the first game, he scored a team-high 17 points while adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Tonight, he followed that performance with another good one.

In 30 minutes of playing time, Davis scored 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting from the field to go along with four rebounds, three assists, three steals and only two turnovers. Once again, a steady showing from the second-year guard.

The Wizards are now 1-1 in the 2023 NBA Summer League. Their next game is on Tuesday night against the Spurs.

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Washington Wizards: Five takeaways from the first Summer League win

The Washington Wizards made their 2023 Summer League debut on Saturday evening in a high-energy matchup with the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers controlled the first half with defense and shot-making. They took a commanding 51-29 lead at the break, but the Wizards didn't go down without a fight. They made a huge run in the third quarter, outscoring the Pacers 32-13 to make the game competitive, and even took the lead on a couple of separate occasions midway through the fourth quarter.

After a back-and-forth final period, Indiana ultimately converted more plays down the stretch and defeated the Wizards 91-83. Here are three takeaways from Washington's first Summer League game of the year.

Wizards guard Johnny Davis, the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, looked the part of a Summer League veteran during the Wizards' first game. His defense was as stingy as usual, making him a tough guy to beat off the dribble. And on offense, he played within himself, scoring the ball from all three levels of the floor.

From start to finish, Davis was doing a good job of getting to his spots, putting defenders in jail and playing patient basketball. He finished the game with a team-high 17 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field to go along with five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Overall, it was a nice showing from the second-year guard from Wisconsin.

After coming over via trade from the Golden State Warriors on July 6, Patrick Baldwin Jr. wasted no time making his mark in a Wizards uniform. In Saturday night's debut, he played 27 minutes off the bench and scored 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field while adding four rebounds, three blocks, one assist and one steal.

At 6-foot-9, Baldwin had no difficulty getting his shot off over defenders, and he looked silky smooth doing it. At one point in the fourth quarter, Baldwin caught the ball at the top of the key and took one dribble inside the arc before pulling up for a one-legged floater. Nothing but net.

Baldwin is a guy Wizards fans should keep an eye on as Summer League continues.

BILAL COULIBALY'S ATHLETICISM IS AS ADVERTISED

D.C. fans were hyped to see Bilal Coulibaly, the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, play his first game in a Wizards uniform, and he left them with a lot to be excited about.

Coulibaly played a team-high 33 minutes and scored nine points, grabbed four rebounds and blocked one shot. Most importantly, his comfort level looked to increase as the game went on.

The highlight of the night came late in the third quarter when Pacers guard Kendall Brown was weaving down the court in transition. It looked like he was on his way to a simple left-handed layup before Coulibaly came out of nowhere, leaped off of two feet and sent the shot off the backboard.

Coulibaly will look to build on Saturday night's performance in game two on Sunday.

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Three takeaways from the Washington Wizards' 2023 Summer League debut

Summer League in Las Vegas is one of the most enjoyable NBA events of the year. It's an opportunity for players to compete against one another on a national stage in hopes of making an NBA or G League roster before the regular season. It's also the first time fans can see their recent draft picks suit up in the team colors.

For the Washington Wizards, this means fans will be able to see Bilal Coulibaly (pick no. 7) and Tristan Vukcevic (pick no. 42) in action alongside one another for the first time.

Here's everything Wizards fans need to know about the 2023 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Each team is guaranteed to play at least four games in Las Vegas. After that, the top four teams will move on to a four-team, single-elimination tournament. The semifinals will be on July 16 and the championship will be on July 17.

Here are the Wizards' four guaranteed games at Summer League:

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Washington Wizards: 2023 NBA Summer League Guide

NBA Summer League provides a unique look at talented players looking to make their mark on the league. Over the course of an 11-day event in Las Vegas, NBA teams will trot out their Summer League squads in a competitive, national setting.

Like many teams, the Washington Wizards have loads of unique young talent on their Summer League roster. Here's a detailed look at some of the key guys to keep an eye on.

The Wizards made a big draft night trade with the Indiana Pacers, getting the draft rights to the seventh overall pick, Bilal Coulibaly from the Metropolitans 92. Coulibaly spent a good chunk of last season with the Mets 92 junior team before being called up to the senior squad where he and his teammates, including no. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, made a run to the LNB Pro A championship game.

Having played professionally overseas, Wizards fans may not be familiar with Coulibaly's game. Summer League is the perfect opportunity for fans in the DMV to learn what Coulibaly can do on the court before the 2023-24 season tips off.

At 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Coulibaly has elite length that will serve him well on defense in Las Vegas. He can blow up ball screens, contest shots from anywhere on the court and is extremely difficult to get around. Offensively, he'll be looking to showcase his skills with the ball.

"As best we can, we're gonna try to put Bilal in a lot of different situations," said Wizards Summer League head coach Landon Tatum. "Since he's been here, he's been great on the floor, asks questions, does everything with patience. You can see why he was drafted. He's gonna give us great length and a lot of versatility on offense to handle the ball, come off of DHO's -- things like that. But defensively, we're gonna challenge him. He's gonna be able to get after some of the best guys, and we're gonna see what he can do."

After agreeing to trade for the draft rights to Bilal Coulibaly in the first round, the Wizards weren't done on draft night. They were on the clock with the 42nd overall pick and selected Tristan Vukcevic from KK Partizan Belgrade of the Adriatic Basketball Association.

The 7-footer had a wild draft night experience as his KK Partizan team had just won the ABA Championship a couple of hours before receiving the phone call that the Wizards had drafted him.

"I expected to win and to be drafted," said a smiling Vukcevic. "It probably will be the best night of my life... It's been crazy, [but] not really exhausting. It's part of the job. I get paid to do what I love. I'm just embracing everything."

When asked what he's looking forward to showcasing in Summer League, Vukcevic emphasized that he wants to show a little bit of everything on both ends of the court.

"I just want to show what I can do," said Vukcevic. "I'm from Europe. People haven't really seen me play, so I just want to show people my abilities and how I can help the team win and just make my teammates look better and make my team look better. On offense, I can space the floor as a five-man. I can shoot the ball. Give the extra pass to my teammates. And on defense, just being the help guy. I'm long, so I'm willing to use my size and block shots [and] steal some balls."

The magic of the NBA Summer League is guys with one year of professional experience are all of a sudden veterans of the process. For the Wizards this summer, Johnny Davis is one of those guys. After going through an entire NBA/G League season in 2022-23, Davis is ready to take strides in Vegas.

"Just being a little more comfortable in knowing the stuff," said Davis when asked about the biggest differences between last year's preparation and this year's preparation. "Offense, defense, strategies, techniques, plays. I would say just going in, I think I'm way more prepared."

In the final 10 games of the 2022-23 regular season, Davis came on strong and showed that he has the ability to get into the paint and create plays for himself and his teammates, averaging 12.6 points and 2.4 assists in just under 30 minutes per game. In that same stretch, however, he struggled from behind the arc, shooting 26.2% from deep. Since the season has ended, improving his shooting has been a major point of emphasis for Davis, and he's excited to display that in Summer League.

When asked what he's added to his game over the summer, Davis responded confidently, saying, "Shooting." He went on to say, "Just being more confident in my shot. Getting it off quicker. Having my feet squared before I catch the ball... I think the shooting is going pretty well. That's something I've been focusing on a lot."

Another guy who's considered a veteran in the Summer League ranks is Wizards two-way guard Quenton Jackson.

"I'm coming in this year with a lot more confidence," said Jackson when asked about being a Summer League vet. "Not just in my game, but in the team and how I know things should flow. It comes with a lot more wisdom, a lot more knowledge... I  feel like the coaches and everybody have a lot more trust in me and so it makes it easier to kind of go out there and play with a free mind and a free spirit."

Jackson has only played in nine NBA games (6.2 PPG on 45.2% shooting), but his impressive G League accomplishments show why he commands a certain level of respect at Summer League. In 29 games with the Capital City Go-Go, he averaged 15.6 points on efficient .538/.400/.778 shooting splits to go along with 4.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds. That level of experience goes a long way during Summer League.

"Just being kind of a general on the floor," said Jackson when asked what he's ready to show in Las Vegas. "We got a lot of young guys this year. Me coming back, it's only my second year. So I'm kind of new to it, but I'm more advanced than some of the other guys. You know, just kind of being that floor general for the young guys. Making reads, getting them involved in the game, making sure everything flows smoothly... A lot of decision-making, a lot of ball handling."

Patrick Baldwin Jr. is one of the newest additions to the Wizards' Summer League roster. He joined the Wizards on July 6 via trade from the Golden State Warriors.

Baldwin was drafted by the Warriors with the 28th overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft. He played in 31 games for the Warriors and averaged nearly four points per game. He also spent some time with the Warriors' G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. In 11 games in Santa Cruz, Baldwin averaged 14.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

At 6-foot-9, Baldwin will give the Wizards' Summer League squad some extra length and playmaking on the perimeter.

Ryan Rollins is another new addition to the Wizards' Summer League squad. He joined Baldwin in the trade with the Warriors that was announced on July 6.

Rollins was selected with the 44th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and similar to Baldwin, spent limited time with the Warriors' NBA club while excelling with their G League affiliate.

In 12 games at the NBA level, Rollins averaged 1.9 points in only 5.2 minutes per contest. In the G League, however, he put up prolific numbers, including 19.5 points per game to go along with 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

A 6-foot-4 point guard, Rollins will look to add additional ball handling and playmaking to the Wizards' Summer League squad.