Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal is tired of being labeled as just a “shooter,” and he has two weeks to prove the world why the label sells him short of his talents.
One of the most lethal snipers in the league, Beal would rather be known as a playmaker — and he'll have the following games to prove just that with the two-week absence of dime maestro John Wall, out with injury.
“I kind of hate the label of just being known as a shooter because that’s one-dimensional,” Beal told Jerry Brewer of The Washington Post. “That’s all you’re known for. I want to be considered as a playmaker, a guy who can put the ball on the floor and create shots for himself as well as for his teammates.”
Wall missed his first game on Monday after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his knee, which resulted in the Wizards' 108-105 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Beal did his part though, putting up a team-high 26 points and seven assists, while handling a good bulk of the playmaking duties against a three-headed monster in the Blazers.
“It’s been a goal of mine,” Beal said of becoming a playmaker. “It’s been a great transition for me. I always feel like I got more to do. I still have more to prove, and it’s still a work in progress. But I’m definitely happy that I’m starting to get the label that I want.”
The Wizards (10-9) have now lost four of their last five games and will need Bradley Beal to become that playmaker, as they'll face six of their next seven opponents on the road — a dangerous stretch for a team trying to keep afloat with their franchise player on the sidelines.
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