The1997–98 Washington Wizards season was the 37th season for theWashington Wizards in theNational Basketball Association, and their 25th season inWashington, D.C..^[1] There was a new beginning for basketball in Washington, D.C. as the team changed its name to the "Wizards", fearing "Bullets" endorsed gun violence.^[2][3][4] The team revealed a new primary logo of a wizard conjuring a basketball in front of a quarter moon,^[5] and added new uniforms with blue, black and bronze colors.^[6][7][8]

During the off-season, the team signed free agentTerry Davis to join their frontcourt,^[9][10] as the team's starting center,Gheorghe Mureșan missed the entire regular season due to a stretched right ankle tendon, and a right foot injury;^[11][12][13] the team also re-signed former Bullets guardLedell Eackles for the third time after a one-year absence from the NBA.^[14]

In their first game as the "Wizards", the team lost to theDetroit Pistons on the road, 92–79 on October 31, 1997.^[15][16] The Wizards got off to a slow 5–11 start to the regular season, losing their first five home games atUS Airways Arena, only winning games on the road such as defeating theUtah Jazz, 90–86 at theDelta Center on November 3,^[17][18] and the 2-time defending NBA championChicago Bulls, 90–83 at theUnited Center on November 12.^[19][20][21]

The Wizards played their final home game at US Airways Arena on November 29, losing 88–83 to the Bulls,^[22][23][24] and moved into their new arena, theMCI Center, where they won their first home game of the season, defeating theSeattle SuperSonics, 95–78 on December 2,^[25][26][27] and posting a 24–12 home record for the remainder of the season. The Wizards held a 25–24 record at the All-Star break,^[28] and won their final four games of the regular season to finish in fourth place in theAtlantic Division with a 42–40 record, but failed to qualify for theNBA playoffs, finishing just one game behind the 8th-seededNew Jersey Nets.^[29]

Chris Webber averaged 21.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.7 blocks per game, whileJuwan Howard averaged 18.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, andRod Strickland provided the team with 17.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 10.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, and was named to theAll-NBA Second Team. In addition, sixth manTracy Murray provided scoring off the bench, averaging 15.1 points per game and leading the Wizards with 158 three-point field goals, whileCalbert Cheaney contributed 12.8 points per game, and Davis provided with 4.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.^[30]

During theNBA All-Star weekend atMadison Square Garden inNew York City, New York, Murray participated in theNBA Three-Point Shootout.^[31][32] Strickland finished tied in eighteenth place inMost Valuable Player voting, and tied in thirteenth place inMost Improved Player voting, while Murray finished tied in sixth place inSixth Man of the Year voting.^[33] Following the season, Webber was traded to theSacramento Kings,^[34][35][36] whileHarvey Grant signed as a free agent with thePhiladelphia 76ers,^[37][38] and Mureșan and Eackles were both released to free agency.^[39]

The team's new primary logo and uniforms would both remain in use until 2007, where they switched to a lighter bronze color.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
2	45	God Shammgod	PG	United States	Providence College
2	48	Predrag Drobnjak	C	Montenegro

The Wizards forfeited their 1997 first-round draft pick in connection with the signing ofJuwan Howard in 1996; Washington would have had the 17th overall pick.^[40]

1997–98 Washington Wizards roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 40 Calbert Cheaney 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 209 lb (95 kg) 1971–07–17 Indiana F 52 Terry Davis 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1967–06–17 Virginia Union G 21 Ledell Eackles 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1966–11–24 New Orleans F 44 Harvey Grant 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1965–07–04 Oklahoma F 31 Darvin Ham 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1973–07–23 Texas Tech F 5 Juwan Howard 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1973–02–07 Michigan G 23 Tim Legler  6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1966–12–26 La Salle C 77 Gheorghe Mureșan  (IN) 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) 303 lb (137 kg) 1971–02–14 Romania F 35 Tracy Murray 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1971–07–25 UCLA G 2 God Shammgod 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 169 lb (77 kg) 1976–04–29 Providence G 1 Rod Strickland  6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1966–07–11 DePaul F/C 30 Ben Wallace 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1974–09–10 Virginia Union C 4 Chris Webber 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1973–03–01 Michigan G 12 Chris Whitney 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 168 lb (76 kg) 1971–10–05 Clemson F 43 Lorenzo Williams  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1969–07–15 Stetson

Head coach Bernie Bickerstaff Assistant(s) Jim Brovelli Mike Brown Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (IN) Inactive Injured Roster

• CenterGheorghe Mureșan was on theinjured reserve list due to a stretched right ankle tendon and foot injury, and missed the entire regular season.

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

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Player Statistics Citation:^[30]

• Rod Strickland,All-NBA Second Team

• 1997–98 NBA season

• Washington Wizards seasons
• 1997–98 NBA season by team
• 1997 in sports in Washington, D.C.
• 1998 in sports in Washington, D.C.

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