Joshua Valdez Articles - Page 3

The Washington Mystics followed up their best game of the season with their worst on Sunday, as they got blown out 89-56 by the Atlanta Dream at home. However, one bad day doesn’t undo the Mystics’ most important storyline of the season: the development of their rookies. After Friday’s practice, No. 3 overall pick Sonia […]

The Wizards got stuck with the No. 6 pick in May’s NBA Draft Lottery, but they have plenty of capital to move up from that spot. However, who they get might be surprising to some. Washington is reportedly interested in trading up for Baylor wing VJ Edgecombe, via NBA insider Jake Fischer. “One team that […]

Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins and team president Michael Winger had just taken over when they flipped Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors for a package including Jordan Poole in July 2023. Almost two years later, Poole’s name is swirling in trade rumors, via NBA Big Board’s Rafael Barlowe. “Also worth noting — […]

“Rookie ball” isn’t an official basketball term, but it describes how the Washington Mystics are playing. No. 4 overall pick Kiki Iriafen and No. 3 pick Sonia Citron lead all rookies with 146 and 137 points, respectively, while the third-place players are tied at 94. That combined with Dallas Wings star and No. 1 pick […]

Winning is one thing, but Brittney Sykes and the Washington Mystics executed a beatdown of the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. The 2025 Unrivaled champion led the team with 28 points (6-12 FG, 2-4 3 PT) and six assists in a 104-67 home victory in Washington’s best performance of the season, and No. 3 overall pick Sonia […]

The Washington Mystics’ season has been a mixture of close victories and defeats, with two multi-possession losses to the 8-0 New York Liberty. However, their rookie duo of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen is a constant force. The latter player opened up about being a go-to option in crunch time after Washington’s 86-78 loss to […]

The Washington Wizards weren’t blessed with the same lottery luck in 2025 as they were last year, but the front office can’t afford to lament over what could have been. Rather, they must utilize the No. 6 and No. 18 picks on June 25 to continue building their foundation of young talent. That could mean […]

The Washington Mystics knew they were getting a foundational piece when they drafted 2025 third-team All-American Kiki Iriafen No. 4 overall out of USC this past offseason. However, even the most positive Mystics fans might not have envisioned the 21-year-old starting off this well. Iriafen was named the WNBA Rookie of the Month on Wednesday […]

It was hard for Washington Wizards fans to avoid the feeling of despair when their team drew the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery on May 12, the lowest selection it could’ve gotten. However, the Wizards still have the capital to make draft day a fruitful one on June 25. Falling outside […]

The Washington Mystics suffered their first blowout loss of the year at home on Friday night at the hands of the defending-champion New York Liberty. However, No. 3 overall pick Sonia Citron’s latest milestone is another sign of a bright future for the team. The Notre Dame alum became the first rookie in the WNBA […]

It’s no secret that the Washington Mystics faced a shorthanded Indiana Fever squad in the city of Baltimore’s first-ever WNBA game on Wednesday night. Generational superstar Caitlin Clark (quad), who many of the announced 11,183 fans in the sold-out CFG Bank Arena crowd came to see, was out. Regardless, the Mystics still took care of […]

16-time Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Champion Joey Chestnut is the greatest competitive eater of all time, but he still strives for new heights. The 41-year-old will attempt to break his own world record for popcorn consumption at farm supply store Rural King in South Terre Haute, Indiana, on Monday. He’ll devour as much as […]

The Washington Wizards got dealt the worst possible hand they could’ve gotten in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, but Tuesday was a reminder that the franchise is still on a path to success. No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr and No. 14 pick Bub Carrington received All-Rookie first team and second team honors, respectively. Sarr […]

It’s one thing to have a good season opener, but the Washington Mystics put the WNBA on notice with their 90-85 win over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. Similar to their 94-90 win vs. the Atlanta Dream on Friday, veteran guard Brittney Sykes as well as 2025 lottery picks Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were […]

The Washington Mystics couldn’t have had a more encouraging performance for their present and future than they did in Friday night’s upset victory over the Atlanta Dream. They won 94-90, and two of their three 2025 lottery picks were vital to the result. One of them was Sonia Citron, who tallied 19 points (6-7 FG, […]

The WNBA’s “cut day” was on Tuesday, and the Washington Mystics made a decision that excited Iowa basketball fans. They retained former Hawkeye Lucy Olsen, who they selected in the second round and No. 23 overall in this year’s draft. Head coach Sydney Johnson explained how the 21-year-old proved her worth to the staff after […]

There’s bad luck, and then there’s what the Washington Wizards have experienced since making the Eastern Conference Finals in 1979, when they were named the Bullets. That was the last time they made it that far, and Monday’s NBA Draft Lottery result was another episode in their typical misfortune. The Wizards received the No. 6 […]

The Washington Wizards will find out which lottery pick they’ll receive for the 2025 NBA Draft in a few hours. At this point, everyone knows they’ll take Duke superstar Cooper Flagg if they draw the No. 1 pick, but there’s another prominent prospect that’s caught their attention. The Wizards view Rutgers guard Dylan Harper as […]

The Washington Mystics lost 80-70 to the Atlanta Dream in their preseason finale on Wednesday, but No. 4 overall pick KiKi Iriafen stood out with 12 points (6-8 FG), six rebounds and one assist in 20 minutes. The USC alum led the bench in scoring and the entire team in boards. On top of that, […]

The Washington Mystics have a new regime and three lottery-pick rookies from the 2025 WNBA Draft, but they also have a sleeping giant from last season. Second-year forward Aaliyah Edwards (back) is more confident than ever after getting to the Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament Final this past offseason. The UConn alum opened up about incorporating the […]

Preseason basketball is usually a tune-up for players and coaches, but it was more than that for the Washington Mystics against the Indiana Fever on Saturday. The team got its first taste of what its new era will look like, and there’s plenty to be excited about. For starters, No. 3 overall pick Sonia Citron played […]

The Washington Mystics ushered in their new era with three lottery picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft. However, one of them may already be out for the season. Rookie guard Georgia Amoore suffered an ACL injury during Tuesday’s practice, per Mystics PR. The No. 6 overall pick and the team will work together to determine […]

Washington Wizards big man Alex Sarr’s rookie season was a mixed bag, from his rough Summer League campaign to winning Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors in December to missing all but two games in February with an ankle injury. However, the No. 2 overall pick was one of the best players in the […]

The Washington Wizards went from a middling franchise to one of the NBA’s most promising rebuilding projects since General Manager Will Dawkins and Team President Michael Winger took over in 2023. Instead of settling for being middle of the pack, they stripped down the roster to stockpile future assets and give themselves a chance of […]

The Washington Wizards got the best-case scenario from their trade deadline deal with the Memphis Grizzlies this season. The Grizzlies sent them a lottery-protected 2025 first-round pick along with Marcus Smart, and that selection will now be higher than expected. They won the NBA’s tiebreaker coin flip on Monday, as they had the same regular […]

The WNBA Draft often turns collegiate opponents into professional teammates, and the Washington Mystics exemplify that to a tee. They selected Notre Dame’s Sonia Citron, USC’s Kiki Iriafen, and Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore Nos. 3, 4. and 6 on Monday, who almost all played against each other in the NCAA. Amoore called Citron a “stone-cold killer” […]

It’s hard to believe nowadays, but the New York Jets have been championship contenders on multiple occasions. There was the “New York Sack Exchange” team in the 1980s, Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcels’ upstart 1998 squad, Rex Ryan’s back-to-back AFC Championship Game teams in 2009-10, and the franchise’s one and only Super Bowl-winning 1968 […]

It’s not often that a new regime has three top-six draft picks at its disposal, but the Washington Mystics were in a blessed position on Monday thanks to the lottery, the Ariel Atkins trade, and a deal made by the previous administration. On top of that, they had one pick in each of the second […]

The Washington Wizards completed the second regular season under their new regime with Sunday’s 118-117 win over the Miami Heat, and now they’ll wait until May 12 to find out what 2025 NBA Draft pick they’ll receive in the lottery. However, there’s plenty for the organization to reflect on before that, including Bub Carrington’s growth […]

With three top-six picks in Monday’s WNBA Draft, the Washington Mystics are in an enviable position. While their new regime is focused on rebuilding, it’ll also need to decide which veterans to keep for the long haul. One of them is center Shakira Austin, whose general manager Jamila Wideman opened up about on Friday’s pre-draft […]

With just two games left in the Washington Wizards’ season, the rookies have had enough time to build chemistry and learn about each other. That’s especially true in this case, as Bub Carrington (29.8), Alex Sarr (27.8), and Kyshawn George (26.7) are first, second, and fourth among all rookies in minutes per game, respectively. All […]

The NBA’s French takeover continued in the 2024 draft when the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards selected Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr first and second overall. Neither are on fellow French international and 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama’s level, but they’ve both shown future All-Star potential. San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle will likely […]

Portland Trail Blazers guard Deni Avdija has been on a tear recently, creating a divide among Washington Wizards fans. Some regret trading the 24-year-old for the 2024 No. 14 overall pick (Bub Carrington) and Malcolm Brogdon last off-season, while others are happy with the move. “I appreciate the recent moves by the Wizards front office, […]

When discussing “culture-building” veterans, nobody is better than Washington Wizards guard Marcus Smart. The team acquired the former Defensive Player of the Year from the Memphis Grizzlies at the trade deadline, and he’s been the positive mentor that the young group needs. Smart talked up the organization after its 109-97 loss to the Orlando Magic […]

The Washington Wizards’ rebuild has never been in a better place than it currently is. Rookie guard Bub Carrington could do no wrong in their 109-97 loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday, and that’s what matters for the franchise right now. The Pitt alum became the youngest player in NBA history to have back-to-back […]

The Washington Wizards are in Year Two of a rebuild, which requires patience, perseverance, and plenty of losing on the way to the top. What they’re doing is no different than what most small-market sports teams do, but Wizards fans are especially jaded given that the team’s only title was in 1978, when it was […]

The 2024-25 chapter in the Washington Wizards’ rebuild could be called “Jordan Poole: Unleashed.” While the development of their young core is the most important storyline for the future, Poole’s growth this season has reached historic heights. The former NBA champion described how he’s changed since his arrival in Washington last season after breaking the […]

The Washington Wizards will land a star prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft if they get lucky in the lottery, but they already have a player who thinks he can be “The Guy.” Rookie guard AJ Johnson has been a walking highlight reel recently, and his 20-point game against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday was […]

Washington Wizards rookie Alex Sarr was roasted by basketball fans online after shooting 9-of-47 in Summer League, including a 0-for-15 performance. However, the 19-year-old is now third in the NBA Rookie Ladder and has 19-plus points in eight of his last 13 outings. He also became the youngest center in NBA history to score 20 […]