The Wizards win the Lottery!!!

[closg00]

I share some of the concerns about Wall, I actually had a split-second of disappointment when we moved-up past the 3rd, then 2nd pick because I knew that we would have to take Wall. The Sixers and the Nets also come out of this with big-time help.

It's all-good though, we needed both a cornerstone PG & a cornerstone big, we just got the cornerstone PG 1st. Short-term, the re-build might take longer because Wall has to work on his shot etc. We desperately need a center and other pieces still.

[AceDegenerate]

BTW this should mean Randy Foye is gone right?

[MJG]

BTW this should mean Randy Foye is gone right?

I think Randy Foye was gone well before this.

[NbdyBeatsTheWiz]

Bigs, especially centers, take time to develop too. Look at Dwight, the man still is raw as can be in the post, he really relies on instinct and athleticism. And again, Cousins is no Dwight; Dwights come along once a decade.

Honestly I think a PG could turn things around quicker. He'll have more of an impact than a big because the ball will be in his hands. His instincts, etc. aren't a worry to me. The J can be developed.

So in my mind the rebuild will be shorter. The only place that would hurt us is if we were looking to be in the lottery next year too and build through the draft two years in a row. I'm not a fan of that after the last two seasons of suck.

[closg00]

JaVale McGee is the most happiest player on the Wizards. An athletic pick and roll center with a potential super stud PnR PG.

I was thinking the same thing, highlight alley-oops are just around the corner.

[ptown]

Unbelievable! So excited to see Wall and Gil together. I think they will be fine together. Despite outside opinion any Wiz fan knows Gil makes others better. The closest comparison to Wall is obviously Hughes (though Wall is a much better passer. anybody else remember Larry's refusal to pass the ball on a fastbreak ). Larry avg 22pts/6.3 rebs/4.7 assists beside Gil. I'll take that. And for all those wanting to get rid of Gil or visitors saying we're stuck with him. Dude avg 22 pts/4.2 rebs/7.2 assists last year. I'm okay being "stuck" with that.

Last point to all those worried about defense and saying you're worried about them guarding Kobe, Wade, and the like. I hate to point out the obvious, but NOBODY can guard those guys. Sometimes a good defense is a good offense, meaning those guys will also have to guard Gil and Wall and with their speed and ability to drive and run the fast break those players will wear down some. Just like Pierce trying to guard Lebron took a lot of energy out of him. Great defense is staying in front of your man, contesting shots, leading them purposely into the teeth of your interior defense and rebounding. We will have the tools to do all of that. It is not blocking jump shots on the perimeter and usually if a guard tries to back down a player in the post, you've won anyway because that's not most guards strength (and Gil and Wall aren't that small). Yes, Kobe will post and do his fade aways, but he does that on everyone regardless of their height.

Wall and Gil could easily combine for 45+ pts/10+ rebs/13+ assists a night. We'll win most matchups in the backcourt with that.

[Liverbird]

I don't really have concerns about Wall and Arenas on the court together. My primary concern lies with how Arenas will deal with NO LONGER being the face of this franchise - will he take a mature leadership role or will he act out and ..???

[verbal8]

Last point to all those worried about defense and saying you're worried about them guarding Kobe, Wade, and the like. I hate to point out the obvious, but NOBODY can guard those guys.

Against elite SGs the best option may be having Young match-up on them and playing a fair amount of 3 guard line-ups.

[WizStorm]

I don't really have concerns about Wall and Arenas on the court together. My primary concern lies with how Arenas will deal with NO LONGER being the face of this franchise - will he take a mature leadership role or will he act out and ..???

There was no way Gil is going to be face of any franchise in the upcoming season after the media performed their little witch hunt and crucified him. It's going take a long while for him to rebuild his public image. What better way than have the #1 pick become the face of the franchise while Gil continues to do what he's always done in the community as well as being unselfish on the basketball court and a great teammate. This could be a perfect opportunity where the media finally takes notice of Gil's good deeds and charming personality and claim he's a "changed man", thereby completely rewriting the media narrative of his life penned from this past season.

[Ruzious]

And my position is the same as it was before the draft. Wall is and should be the clear #1 pick in the draft. And he'd be a MUCH better fit with the Zards than Turner, because he doesn't force the action - like Turner does. His detractors don't factor in that he accomplished so much - as a teenager - playing with mostly freshmen. They focus on the fact that he didn't win a national championship - which was an absurd expectation. Look at Turner as a frosh at the same age - he was a mediocre player. Yes, Wall's jump shot needs improvement, but so did Evans', and Wall has better form than Evans. I was Evans' biggest fan - before the season, but Wall is obviously a more natural PG with much more speed. Assuming Wall won't improve on his jump shot is silly.

We can talk about Cousins as fans - I love his production, but realistically there was no way the Wiz were going to take him top 3 - no matter who's running the team - because of his reputation - which he exaserbated on Kentucky's last game. The Wiz would be the laughingstock of all NBA commentators. There's no doubt in my mind that they'd take Favors over Cousins, and every GM in that situation would. And if Philly picks Turner at 2, NJ likely picks Favors at 3 - if they keep the pick.

Getting the 1st pick in this draft is FARRRRRRR better for the Wiz than getting the 2nd or 3rd would have been. Turner and Gil together would likely not have worked out, and at 3, we would have settled on Favors - who's going to be very good - but not great. Wall will be great.

[NbdyBeatsTheWiz]

Unbelievable! So excited to see Wall and Gil together. I think they will be fine together. Despite outside opinion any Wiz fan knows Gil makes others better. The closest comparison to Wall is obviously Hughes (though Wall is a much better passer. anybody else remember Larry's refusal to pass the ball on a fastbreak ). Larry avg 22pts/6.3 rebs/4.7 assists beside Gil. I'll take that. And for all those wanting to get rid of Gil or visitors saying we're stuck with him. Dude avg 22 pts/4.2 rebs/7.2 assists last year. I'm okay being "stuck" with that.
Last point to all those worried about defense and saying you're worried about them guarding Kobe, Wade, and the like. I hate to point out the obvious, but NOBODY can guard those guys. Sometimes a good defense is a good offense, meaning those guys will also have to guard Gil and Wall and with their speed and ability to drive and run the fast break those players will wear down some. Just like Pierce trying to guard Lebron took a lot of energy out of him. Great defense is staying in front of your man, contesting shots, leading them purposely into the teeth of your interior defense and rebounding. We will have the tools to do all of that. It is not blocking jump shots on the perimeter and usually if a guard tries to back down a player in the post, you've won anyway because that's not most guards strength (and Gil and Wall aren't that small). Yes, Kobe will post and do his fade aways, but he does that on everyone regardless of their height.

Wall and Gil could easily combine for 45+ pts/10+ rebs/13+ assists a night. We'll win most matchups in the backcourt with that.

[AceDegenerate]

Wall will be great.

QFT. Barring injury, Wall will be a Top 5 PG in this league. That doesn't come around very often, we can't pass on this kid.

[dobrojim]

+1 on Ruz's post

edi tto add - esp the reminder of Wall being 19 and one year out of HS as opposed to
Turner who was probably a marginal lottery pick last year, which is why
he made the smart decision to stay another year.

[Hoopalotta]

+2 Ruz's post.

[Liverbird]

I don't really have concerns about Wall and Arenas on the court together. My primary concern lies with how Arenas will deal with NO LONGER being the face of this franchise - will he take a mature leadership role or will he act out and ..???

There was no way Gil is going to be face of any franchise in the upcoming season after the media performed their little witch hunt and crucified him. It's going take a long while for him to rebuild his public image. What better way than have the #1 pick become the face of the franchise while Gil continues to do what he's always done in the community as well as being unselfish on the basketball court and a great teammate. This could be a perfect opportunity where the media finally takes notice of Gil's good deeds and charming personality and claim he's a "changed man", thereby completely rewriting the media narrative of his life penned from this past season.

I agree and certainly hope you're right...

[Hoopalotta]

Where the heck is Nate?

You'd think he'd be all over the board right about now.

[TheKingOfVa360]

There is only one sure fire franchise player in this draft and it's John Wall. Anyone who doesn't think John Wall is going to be a star didn't see him play enough or lack common basketball knowledge. He is great at all the things you cant teach (speed, jumping ability, vision, handles, first step, rebounding,etc..) He will work on his defense and his jump shot. The Wizards are picking John Wall there are no other players on our draft board now. So get use to the idea of Wall in DC. We aren't trading down, we aren't picking anyone else at the top spot.


To the guy who said Wall is the next Mobley that's very laughable because Wall's game is nothing like Mobley. First of all Wall is a pure PG at 6'4, he has elite speed, elite ball handling, elite hops, elite vision, elite rebounding, is elite at stealing the ball. The knock on him is lack of a consistent jump shot and 3 point range. Mobley was only an elite shooter. He never had a killer first step, he was a 6'3 SG, wasn't an elite athlete, wasn't a special talent at all. Comparing Wall to Mobley is like comparing a young Yao Ming to George Mursean.


Evan Turner reminds me of Brandon Roy 2.0. He is an amazing all around talent but lacks the athleticism to be a NBA Superstar. Cousins is a head case and he has high boom or bust potential. He would be a bad fit for us.

[sfam]

The more I think about it, the more comfortable I get with a Wall/Arenas backfield. On offense they'll be close to unstoppable and will certainly make our relatively weak fronb court look lots better. On defense, I think they work out just fine, although I see Wall guarding the Wades and Bryants. With his speed, jumping ability and long arms he makes up the height difference.

[TheKingOfVa360]

The more I think about it, the more comfortable I get with a Wall/Arenas backfield. On offense they'll be close to unstoppable and will certainly make our relatively weak fronb court look lots better. On defense, I think they work out just fine, although I see Wall guarding the Wades and Bryants. With his speed, jumping ability and long arms he makes up the height difference.

We can always draft a perimeter defensive specialist. But Wall has potential to be a Jason Kidd like defender and guard 2's.

[sfam]

Just a thought on Cousins, while I agree he has the potential to be great, the risk of mediocrity and knuckleheads desease is far to high to take him #1 when Wall and Turner are on the board. I could see the possibility of doing a deal with philly, but I really don't see that as too realistic. We would want more than they could give.