The Washington Wizards signed Robin Lopez to be their back-up center for his defensive, rebounding, and experience.
In signing the Stanford alum, though, the Wizards also brought one of the NBA's more delightfully goofy and bookish players to D.C.
In fact, Wizards owner Ted Leonsis thinks his team may have just added one of the NBA's best trivia contestants, in addition to perhaps its best box-out artist.
Leonsis shared an article by NBC Sports' Chase Hughes on Lopez's first days of camp with Washington, highlighting Lopez's devotion to rebounding, exemplifying quirky-yet-brainy personality.
Along with the link, Leonsis provided a little more insight into Lopez's oddball ways.
“I was once asked which NBA player would do best on Celebrity Jeopardy. I answered @rolopez42,” Leonsis recalled. “Stanford educated, wry, curious, attention to details, great sense of recall. And most ironic sense of pre-game ritual in NBA. Takes up space on floor to allow others to rebound.”
The Wizards signed Lopez to a one-year, $7.3 million contract in November, marking the veteran center's seventh team in 13 seasons.
Last season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Robin got to play with his brother, Brook, for the first time since their Stanford days. Robin averaged 13.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per-36 minutes in 2019-20. As Hughes notes, he led the NBA in box-outs per-36 minutes.
Lopez is already impressing his teammates and coaches with his affinity for rebound positioning.
“I know it’s an extremely desirable talent from the youngins’ all the way to the elders,” Lopez said, via Hughes. “Everybody loves boxing out. It’s their favorite thing to talk about. It’s a sexy thing, really, when you figure out how to do it.”
Celebrity Jeopardy last aired in 2015. If and when it does return (with a new host, RIP Mr. Trebek), Lopez can hopefully represent the NBA on an episode, if he's interested.
And, if the category is anything related to Disney movies, the other contestants wouldn't stand a chance.
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