WASHINGTON (7News) — The Washington Wizards open NBA Summer League on Friday in Las Vegas.
Most eyes will be on the Wizards’ rookies: No. 6 pick Tre Johnson, No. 21 pick Will Riley and No. 43 pick Jamir Watkins.
Johnson, who averaged 20 points as a freshman at Texas, will likely play a featured role in the offense. Riley also seems primed to play significant minutes, while Watkins could use the week as an audition to earn a reserve role ahead of the season.
“I’m not really here to show or prove anything, just to be able to gel with my teammates and try to win games,” Johnson told the media.
There will also be intrigue in a trio of budding second-year players: Bub Carrington, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, and two players General Manager Will Dawkins acquired in the past five months: AJ Johnson and Dillon Jones.
“I’m super excited,” Carrington said.
Carrington adding: “We’ve got a good squad, too. We’re going to be deep.”
Those five aren’t expected to play in every game, but their leadership in practices and early games will be invaluable for the rookies getting their first taste of NBA action.
The rookies, including Johnson, will have to adjust their game to the Wizards game plan, “I feel like on ball, them knowing that you trying to attack and you got the ball in your hands. Being off ball, I can kind of move without it. Coming off the screens and then also just when the ball gets to me, all the attention wasn’t on me, it was on somebody else and it came to me. So now being able to attack and shift the defense.”
Washington will be coached by J.J. Outlaw, who’s entering his second year on Head Coach Brian Keefe’s staff. Eight of Washington’s 15 players were selected in either the 2024 or 2025 drafts.
The Wizards’ first game will be on Friday against the Phoenix Suns at 9:00 p.m. on ESPN. After that, they’ll play the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz, with their fifth opponent to be determined.