addByline("Zach Rosen", "WashingtonWizards.com", "ZacharySRosen");
Good evening,
Late practice means a late blog post! The Wizards practiced earlier tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. The team started with stretching, followed by offensive sets, defensive drills, halfcourt 4-on-4-on-4, and finished with full court 5-on-5. It was the first time since March that the team played full court. Check out some exclusive footage below!
With Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans not here with the team, coupled with John Wall’s recovery, a lot of people are wondering: who will fill the void of the team’s stars? The Wizards will need to make up just about 46 points per game without Beal and Bertans. The rotation is very much up for grabs, but one would expect mainstays in March to jump right back into the equation. Shabazz Napier, Ish Smith, Rui Hachimura, Jerome Robinson, Troy Brown Jr., Thomas Bryant, Isaac Bonga, and Moe Wagner were all playing consistent minutes then. Napier, Hachimura, Bryant, and others will certainly have an opportunity to take more shots, but the Wizards are emphasizing playing fast and together. It’s not going to be one player who can make up for Beal and Bertans; they will need to do it by committee.
Earlier Thursday, we also announced that both the Wizards and Mystics will be honoring the late Wes Unseld this season and beyond. The Wizards will don a No. 41 jersey patch on the upper right chest, while the Mystics will wear a black stripe 41 across the upper left. This will be the first of many honors for Unseld, who many call The Franchise.
As I mentioned during Wednesday night’s blog post, my one-on-one interview with Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard debuted earlier Thursday. Sheppard and I talked about life in the bubble, how his team back in D.C. is working together with the group here in Orlando, how he’s journaling his experience every day, and much more.
Troy Brown Jr.’s second episode of the Ballin’ in the Bubble vlog dropped today. TBJ takes you behind the scenes of practice, playing Call of Duty with Admiral Schofield, battling teammates in cornhole and ping pong, and much more. We have a lot more in store for all of you next week as well, so stay tuned.
On a personal note, I set up my haircut appointment for Saturday morning, so stay tuned for that experience this weekend. Appointments are filling up fast, so I had to jump on it. More excursions, such as going to Disney World parks after hours and bowling, will open up next week when we hit the next phase of the bubble on July 22. We’re just getting started down here in Wizney World!