Joshua Valdez Articles - Page 2

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Friday night’s Washington Wizards-New Orleans Pelicans matchup had several storylines that normally would have been the center of attention in Wizards World, but four-time All-Star Trae Young’s introductory press conference before the game was the main topic of discussion. Therefore, Washington’s 128-107 loss was a footnote in one of the franchise’s most […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thanks to four-time All-Star Trae Young, the Washington Wizards are a hot-button topic in the NBA landscape for the first time in years. They agreed to send veterans CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the star point guard on Wednesday, but they didn’t officially announce the […]

There’s no telling how long star point guard Trae Young will play basketball in the nation’s capital, but he’s the Washington Wizards’ first “box-office” hooper since John Wall and Bradley Beal. That’s exciting for a city that hasn’t seen its NBA team reach the conference finals since 1979, when the squad was named the “Washington […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards took down another playoff-caliber squad on Tuesday night behind a 23-point, seven-rebound, and five-block performance by second-year center Alex Sarr, exemplifying how far the young core has come. The Wizards are now 5-2 in their last seven games and 7-5 in their last 12 after beating the Orlando Magic […]

Veteran point guard Trae Young’s days with the Atlanta Hawks are numbered, and the Washington Wizards can leverage that situation to aid their rebuild. However, they should only trade for the four-time All-Star if they don’t give up anything important in return. NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Monday that the Wizards “have emerged as […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Second-year Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr has established himself as one of the best players in his draft class this season, but he didn’t play that way in his team’s 141-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. The biggest reason was four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards keep winning, but Friday’s 119-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets might have been their easiest of the season thus far. While veteran forward Justin Champagnie scored a season-high and team-high 20 points (9-12 FG, 2-3 3-point) to go with seven rebounds, one steal, and one block over 25 minutes […]

The Washington Wizards are not only playing with joy, but rookie sharpshooter Tre Johnson made history just over two months into his first season. The 2025 No. 6 overall pick made a franchise-rookie-record nine straight three-pointers between Monday’s 115-101 loss to the Phoenix Suns and Wednesday’s 114-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, per the team’s […]

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Washington Wizards still haven’t fully unleashed rookie guard Tre Johnson as he heals from his hip flexor injury, but he’s making them look smart for drafting him anyway. The 19-year-old scored a career-high 24 points (9-12 FG, 5-5 3-point) with one rebound, two assists, and one steal over 25 minutes during […]

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Washington Wizards are either beginning a long-term shift or experiencing a temporary hot streak, but they’re certainly playing better than they were at the beginning of the season. Part of that is because second-year center Alex Sarr and oft-injured guard Bilal Coulibaly have each started over the last three games, which […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Perfection is usually impossible, but the Washington Wizards were close to perfect in their 138-117 home win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday. That’s partially because third-year guard Bilal Coulibaly had his best game of the season after returning from a sprained ankle on Tuesday. The 21-year-old opened up post-game about how […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Washington Wizards wing Cam Whitmore hasn’t played since his team’s 146-101 loss to the Boston Celtics on Dec. 4, and it’s unclear when he will return. The 21-year-old has been diagnosed with a blood clot named “deep vein thrombosis” in his right shoulder, via ESPN’s Shams Charania. “Washington Wizards forward Cam Whitmore […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards own the NBA’s worst record at 5-22, but the development of young players like Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington is why their rebuild remains exciting. Johnson opened up to ClutchPoints about how he’s improved offensively this season after tying his career-high with 19 points (6-10 FG, 3-6 3-point) in […]

It’s only a matter of time before New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson plays for another team, and the Washington Wizards should use him to advance their rebuild. The Wizards are developing their young core as they lose enough games to make sure they keep their top-eight protected 2026 first-round draft pick, but this season […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards have resorted to “Finding Nemo” references to keep themselves sane amid a 3-19 start, but Saturday’s 131-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks was a step forward after a 45-point loss to the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown-less Boston Celtics on Thursday. Nothing was more encouraging for the organization’s future […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards lost by a combined 64 points to the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics over the last two games, and Thursday’s 141-101 home defeat to the Celtics was soul-crushing. However, veterans CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton won’t let the young group lose its way. Second-year wing Kyshawn George explained after […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards weren’t supposed to cause a seismic shift in the NBA this season, but their home win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday might have sparked one. The Wizards were 2-16 entering the game and were without second-year center Alex Sarr (adductor), No. 6 overall draft pick […]

The Washington Wizards have won two of their last three games after starting the season 1-15, and Monday’s 129-126 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks was the type of performance that inspires hope for the future. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers opened up to ClutchPoints about the Wizards’ young core postgame. Doc Rivers told me postgame […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards didn’t just win without two of their core pieces against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night, but they had their most dominant performance in almost two years. Their 132-113 win was their highest margin of victory (+19) since Jan. 13, 2024, when they beat the Hawks 127-99 on the […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three days after falling 121-120 to the Chicago Bulls in a road heartbreaker, the Washington Wizards ended their 14-game losing streak with their first-ever NBA Cup win and first home victory this season. They beat the Atlanta Hawks 132-113 behind veteran guard CJ McCollum’s 46 points (17-25 FG, 10-13 3-point) across 37 […]

Whether the Washington Wizards (1-15) get crushed or fall in a heartbreaker, they keep finding ways to lose this season. However, second-year wing Kyshawn George once again showed why he’s one of the most important pieces of their rebuild in Saturday’s 121-120 loss to the Chicago Bulls (9-7), per Wizards PR. “Kyshawn George is the […]

The Washington Wizards’ 129-106 home loss to the 1-11 Brooklyn Nets on Sunday made the entire organization step back and evaluate what it needs to do to be more competitive. Two days later, general manager Will Dawkins revealed a change it’ll make in the near future, via “Sports Junkies” on 106.7 The Fan. “I will […]

The rebuilding Washington Wizards are having a tough time, as their 1-12 record is the second-worst in the NBA entering Tuesday’s slate. That’s partly why they should hang franchise legend John Wall’s jersey in the Capital One Arena rafters expeditiously. The five-time All-Star spoke about the possibility on Thursday, via Run It Back on FanDuel TV. […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Washington Wizards fans dreamed of getting Duke University superstar Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft for months, but the Dallas Mavericks won May’s NBA Draft Lottery instead despite having 12.2 percent worse odds. The Wizards received the No. 6 pick, which was the lowest they […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Wizards are seeing what sticks while taking several shots at developing young players, and third-year forward Cam Whitmore is one of the most unpredictable ones. The 21-year-old has failed to score double-digit points in six of his 10 games this season, but notched a season-high 19 during Saturday’s 111-105 loss […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Several players on the Washington Wizards had quality stat lines in their 119-102 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night, but third-year forward Cam Whitmore wasn’t one of them. The former Houston Rocket finished with just two points (1-3 FG, 0-1 3-point), one rebound, and two turnovers across 11 minutes. […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr became the youngest player in franchise history to notch 30-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in a game on Tuesday, but something else about his performance went under the radar. The 20-year-old dished five assists for the third straight game, and he’s now fifth among NBA big men […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Wizards didn’t have their finest outing in Wednesday’s season opener, but a narrative within the fan base gained momentum. Second-year wing Kyshawn George was one of their best players in the 133-120 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, tallying 21 points (7-15 FG, 3-6 3-point) with nine rebounds, four assists, two […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — While conventional wisdom says not to read too much into the preseason, the Washington Wizards’ first two exhibition games suggested that they made the right moves over the summer. In addition to drafting Texas guard Tre Johnson, Illinois forward Will Riley, and Florida State guard Jamir Watkins, the Wizards traded guard Jordan […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards open their preseason slate against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, which will be their latest showcase of a potential future star. Rookie guard Tre Johnson, whom the Wizards picked No. 6 overall in June’s draft, will play his first game since Summer League. The University of Texas product is […]

Former NBA guard Nate Robinson has been out of the league for 10 years, but he still has one of the most inspiring stories in basketball history. The 5-foot-9, 180-pounder is one of the few players of his size to succeed at the highest level, and he’s one of the best NBA Slam Dunk Contest […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In 2023, the Washington Wizards’ new regime decided to rebuild with young talent after five straight losing seasons with a veteran core under the prior administration. However, it still keeps elder statesmen like CJ McCollum around to set an example for the kids. During Wizards Media Day on Sept. 29, the 34-year-old […]

The Washington Wizards have yet to acquire D.C.-area native Kevin Durant since he got drafted in 2007, but they did get a shooter inspired by him. The Wizards drafted Texas guard Tre Johnson No. 6 overall in June, who played for the same college as the 15-time NBA All-Star. Johnson told ClutchPoints on Monday’s Media […]

The Washington Mystics’ 2025 draft class had a historic season, but it could’ve been even better. No. 6 overall pick Georgia Amoore tore her ACL in training camp, preventing her from playing alongside Nos. 3 and 4 picks Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. Conversely, the latter two rookies stayed healthy and set franchise single-season records […]

The Washington Mystics’ 2025 season is over, but there are still a couple of loose ends to tie up. The WNBA will announce end-of-season awards over the coming weeks, and head coach Sydney Johnson wants to see his stars get the shine they deserve. The 51-year-old said during Wednesday’s exit interview that while Dallas Wings […]

The Washington Mystics will end their season against the New York Liberty on Tuesday, but All-Star rookie Sonia Citron is just beginning her journey to the top. The 21-year-old guard broke the Mystics’ single-season scoring record against the Indiana Fever on Sunday, adding to her laundry list of accomplishments. Citron also broke Caitlin Clark’s WNBA record […]

The Washington Mystics’ first season under their new regime has come with challenges, but Kiki Iriafen’s development hasn’t been one of them. The No. 4 overall draft pick leads all rookies with 352 rebounds (8.6 per game) and a 49.3 field goal percentage, in addition to owning the rookie franchise record of 15 double-doubles and […]

August is typically the slowest part of the year for NBA fans, but the Washington Wizards’ faithful were spoiled this time. 2023 No. 7 overall pick Bilal Coulibaly and 2024 No. 2 pick Alex Sarr have gotten minutes with France in the EuroBasket tournament, while 2024 No. 24 pick Kyshawn George competed for Canada in […]

After flirting with a playoff spot for most of the season, the Washington Mystics (16-22) are unlikely to get in the dance with six games left. However, players like Shakira Austin are proving why they have one of the brightest futures in the WNBA. The 25-year-old reflected on her journey after notching a career-high 30 […]