This article is about the NBA team that was named the Baltimore Bullets from 1963 to 1973. For the original 1944–1954 Baltimore Bullets ABL/BAA/NBA team, seeBaltimore Bullets (1944–1954).
Chicago Packers 1961–1962 Chicago Zephyrs 1962–1963 Baltimore Bullets 1963–1973 Capital Bullets 1973–1974 Washington Bullets 1974–1997 Washington Wizards 1997–present[1][2]
The franchise was established in 1961 as theChicago Packers inChicago,Illinois; they were renamed theChicago Zephyrs in the following season. In 1963, they moved toBaltimore, Maryland, and became theBaltimore Bullets, taking the name from aprevious team of the same name. In 1973, the team moved to theWashington metropolitan area and changed its name first to theCapital Bullets, then the following season toWashington Bullets. In 1997, they rebranded themselves as theWizards.
The Wizards have played in fourNBA Finals; they won in1978. They have appeared in 28 playoffs, won four conference titles (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979), and won eight division titles (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 2017). Their best season record, in 1975, was 60–22.Wes Unseld is the only player in franchise history to be namedNBA MVP (1969) andFinals MVP (1978). Four players (Walt Bellamy,Terry Dischinger,Earl Monroe, and Unseld) have won theRookie of the Year award.
Bellamy (No. 8) averaged 31.6 points per game and 19.0 rebounds per game during his rookie season
The Wizards began playing as theChicago Packers in 1961, as the NBA's firstexpansion team, an expansion prompted byAbe Saperstein'sAmerican Basketball League. RookieWalt Bellamy was the team's star, averaging 31.6 points per game, 19.0 rebounds per game, and leading the NBA in field goal percentage. During the All-Star Game, Bellamy represented the team while scoring 23 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Bellamy was named the league Rookie of the Year,[7] but the team finished with the NBA's worst record at 18–62.[8]
The team's original name was a reference to Chicago's meatpacking industry; their home arena, theInternational Amphitheater, was next door to theUnion Stock Yards. However, it was extremely unpopular since it was the same name used by the NFL'sGreen Bay Packers,bitter rivals of theChicago Bears. After only one year, the organization changed its name to theChicago Zephyrs and played its home games at theChicago Coliseum (Saperstein's ABLMajors prevented the team from playing in the largerChicago Stadium). In their only season as the Zephyrs, formerPurdue starTerry Dischinger was on the roster, and went on to win Rookie of the Year honors.[9] In 1963 the franchise moved toBaltimore, Maryland, and became theBaltimore Bullets, taking their name from a 1940s–1950sBaltimore Bullets BAA/NBA franchise and playing their home games at theBaltimore Civic Center. The NBA returned to Chicago in 1966 when theChicago Bulls began play. In their first year in Baltimore, the Bullets finished fourth in a five–team Western Division.[10]
Prior to the1964–65 season the Bullets pulled off a blockbuster trade, sending Dischinger,Rod Thorn andDon Kojis to theDetroit Pistons forBailey Howell,Don Ohl,Bob Ferry andWali Jones.[11] The trade worked out well; Howell proved to be a hustler and a fundamentally sound player. He helped the Bullets reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. In the1965 NBA playoffs, the Bullets stunned theSt. Louis Hawks 3–1, and advanced to the Western Conference finals.[12] In the finals, Baltimore managed to split the first four games with theLos Angeles Lakers before losing the series 4–2.[13]
Within the first two months of that season, the Bullets were purchased from original franchise managing partner Dave Trager byAbe Pollin,Earl Foreman and real estate investor and former NBA referee Arnold Heft for $1.1 million, on November 23, 1964.[14][15]
Wes Unseld, who won the NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA Regular Season MVP, and NBA Finals MVP awards, played all 13 seasons of his career with the Bullets.
In the late 1960s, the Bullets drafted two future Hall of Fame members:Earl Monroe, in the1967 draft, number two overall, andWes Unseld, in thefollowing year's draft, also number two overall.[16][17] The team improved dramatically, from 36 wins the previous season to 57 in the1968–69 season, and Unseld received both the rookie of the year and MVP awards.[18] The Bullets hosted the1969 NBA All-Star Game and reached the playoffs with high expectations, but they were eliminated by theNew York Knicks in the first round.[19] The next season the two teams met again in the first round, and although this one went to seven games, the Knicks emerged victorious again.[20]
In the1970–71 season, the 42–40 Bullets again met theKnicks, this time though in the Eastern Conference finals. With the Knicks team captainWillis Reed injured in the finals, the injury-free Bullets took advantage of his absence, and in game seven, at New York'sMadison Square Garden, the Bullets'Gus Johnson made a critical basket late in the game to lift the Bullets over the Knicks 93–91 and advance to their firstNBA Finals.[21] They were swept in four games by the powerfulMilwaukee Bucks led by future Hall of Fame membersKareem Abdul-Jabbar (known in 1971 as Lew Alcindor) andOscar Robertson.[22]
After a slow start in1972–73, Baltimore made their charge in December, posting a 10–4 record on the way to capturing the Central Division title for the third straight year. The Bullets again faced theKnicks in the1973 NBA playoffs, losing for the fourth time in five series against New York.[25]
In February 1973, the team announced its pending move 30 miles (50 km) southwest to theCapital Centre inLandover, a Washington, D.C. suburb, and became the Capital Bullets.[26] After that1973–74 season, they changed their geographic identifier name to the Washington Bullets.[27][28] The Bullets would return toBaltimore to play a few home games per season during the late 1980s and 1990s.[29]
During November 1973, while waiting for the completion of their new arena in Landover, the Bullets played their home games atCole Field House on the campus of theUniversity of Maryland inCollege Park. TheCapital Centre (later known as the US Airways Arena) opened on December 2, 1973, with the Bullets defeating theSuperSonics.[30]
During his nine seasons with the Bullets,Elvin Hayes averaged 21.3 points per game and 12.7 rebounds per game. He led the NBA in rebounding in the 1973–74 season with an average of 18.1 rebounds per game.
The 60–22 Bullets made it back to the1975 NBA playoffs. In theregular season, Washington posted a 36–5 home record at the Capital Centre.[31] In the first round of the playoffs, they survived a seven-game series against theBuffalo Braves as both teams won all of their games at home.[32] In the Eastern Conference finals, they beat the defending NBA championBoston Celtics in six games to advance to theNBA Finals.[33] The Bullets were favorites to win the NBA championship, but were swept by the Al Attles-ledGolden State Warriors in four games, losing games one and four at the Capital Centre.[34]
The loss at the NBA Finals lingered into the1975–76 season, as they won 12 fewer games than last year, and in the playoffs they were eliminated by theCleveland Cavaliers in seven games.[35] After the season, the Bullets fired head coachK.C. Jones, despite having a career 62 percent winning percentage as the Bullets head coach.[36]
In1976–77, under new head coachDick Motta, the Bullets again fell short of the Central Division title for the second straight year. Elvin Hayes finished sixth in the league in rebounds with 12.5 rebounds per game. After opening the1977 NBA playoffs with a three-game series victory over theCleveland Cavaliers, the Bullets took a 2–1 series lead in the second round against theHouston Rockets. With a chance to take a 3–1 series lead at home, the Bullets lost 107–103, and the Rockets took the series in six games.[37]
Although they had future hall of famersElvin Hayes andWes Unseld on the team, the Bullets finished the1977–78 season 44–38 and were a longshot to win theNBA Finals, but San Antonio journalistDan Cook used the famed phrase "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings".[38] This became the rallying cry for the Bullets as they finished a playoff run that led to theNBA Finals, defeating theSeattle SuperSonics in seven games to bring a professional sports championship to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 36 years.[39] It remains the only NBA title won by the team as of 2025.
In the1978–79 season the Bullets moved to the Atlantic Division, capturing the title in their first season there.[40] They entered the1979 NBA playoffs having lost eight of the final 11 games to finish the regular season at 54–28. In the playoffs the Bullets nearly blew a 3–1 series lead against theAtlanta Hawks, but managed to hold off the Hawks in seven games.[41]
In the Eastern Conference finals, they trailed theSan Antonio Spurs 3–1, but they mounted a comeback by winning two straight games to force a game seven at the Capital Centre. The Bullets rallied again, overcoming a fourth–quarter deficit to beatGeorge Gervin and the Spurs 107–105 in one of the NBA's all-time greatest games and advance to the NBA Finals and a rematch with theSeattle SuperSonics.[42]
In Game 1 of the finals, the Bullets defeated the SuperSonics, 99–97, on two game-winning free throws. They lost the next four games, and the series, to Seattle. The Bullets were the only team to play in the NBA Finals four times during the 1970s.[43]
In August 1979, the Bullets became the first NBA team to visit China, where they defeated theBayi Rockets and theShanghai Sharks.[44]: 156
Age and injuries finally caught up with the Bullets. In the1979–80 season, theybarely made the playoffs as they captured the sixth and final playoff spot via a tiebreaker despite posting a 39–43 record. In the playoffs, they were swept by thePhiladelphia 76ers in a two-game playoff series.[45] The following year the Bullets failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.[46]Wes Unseld retired[47] andElvin Hayes was traded back to theHouston Rockets the following season.[48]
A ticket for a1988–89 game between the Bullets and theHornets.
In1981–82, Washington played strong under the coaching ofGene Shue andDon Moran, finishing the regular season with a 43–39 record, and although they advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals in the playoffs, they had clearly lost the power of the late 1970s.[49] The 1983 Bullets continued to play with the same talent they had in the previous year. They finished with a winning record, but in a highly competitive Atlantic Division they finished last and missed the playoffs.[50]
The next two years saw the Bullets continue to play mediocre basketball as they finished with losing records but they made the playoffs in the new expandedNBA Playoffs format that involved the 16 best teams to make the playoffs; the Bullets were eliminated in both years in the first round.[51][52]
In1985, the Bullets acquiredManute Bol in the1985 NBA draft, whose specialty was blocking shots.[53] That year, he blocked 397 shots (a Bullets record), part of a team that blocked 716 shots (a Bullets team record).[54] However, the Bullets finished with a disappointing 39–43 record, and were eliminated by the 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.[55] The Bullets acquired centerMoses Malone from thePhiladelphia 76ers for centerJeff Ruland the following season for hope of improvement.[56] Malone would lead the team in scoring with a 24.1 points per game as he would be joined byJeff Malone who averaged 22.0 points per game.[57] The Bullets' 42–40 record would be their last winning season until1996–97. Washington was eliminated by theDetroit Pistons in three games in the playoffs.[58]
Twelfth overall in the1987 NBA draft, the Bullets selectedMuggsy Bogues, who at 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm) is the shortest player in NBA history.[59] The Bullets would get off to a slow start as coachKevin Loughery was fired 27 games into the season with the Bullets holding an 8–19 record. To replace Loughery, the Bullets hired formerMVP Wes Unseld.[60] Under Unseld, the Bullets improved as they were able to reach the playoffs again with a record of 38–44. After losing the first two games on the road in the first round of the1988 NBA playoffs to theDetroit Pistons, the Bullets fought back and forced a fifth game with two home wins. They would lose game 5 by 21 points.[61] It would be nine seasons before Washington would return to the NBA Playoffs.
The Bullets got off to a 5–1 start in 1988–89, but they lost 16 of 18 games from mid-December to mid-January. On January 6, 1989,[62] the Bullets franchise played its first regular season game inBaltimore since1973; this would be the first of 35 regular season "home" games the Bullets played in Baltimore from 1989 to 1997.[29] They finished with a 31–51 record despite stellar seasons by Jeff Malone andBernard King, who averaged 24.3 and 22.3 points per game respectively to lead the team.[63]
The lone highlight of the Bullets' 30-win 1990–91 season was the successful comeback effort by Bernard King as he recovered from knee surgery he suffered while playing for the Knicks in the1984–85 season to finish third in the NBA in scoring with a 28.4 points per game.[64] In 1990, the team namedSusan O'Malley as its president, the first female president of a franchise in the history of the NBA, who is the daughter of Peter O'Malley, the prominent lawyer from Maryland and former president of theWashington Capitals.[65]
The Bullets continued to struggle due to injuries and inconsistent play. They posted a 25–57 record in the 1991–92 season.[66]Pervis Ellison was named 1992Most Improved Player of The Year, averaging 20.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game. Undrafted rookieLarry Stewart became the first undrafted player in NBA history to make an All-Rookie Team, being selected to the All-Rookie Second Team.[67] The Bullets draftedTom Gugliotta with their sixth overall pick in the1992 NBA draft.[68] They finished the 1992–93 season with a 22–60 record.[69] Following the season, the Bullets tradedHarvey Grant to thePortland Trail Blazers for former All-Star centerKevin Duckworth.[70] In 1993, the Bullets did a rap music video of their version ofNaughty by Nature's rap single "Hip Hop Hooray", featuring the rap trio themselves.[71]
Injuries continued as key playersRex Chapman andCalbert Cheaney (the club's first-round draft pick) missed significant stretches, and Ellison missed almost the entire season. The result was a24–58 record for the 1993–94 season.[72]Don MacLean was named 1994 Most Improved Player of the season, leading the Bullets with 18.2 points per game (tied with Chapman).[73]
The Bullets selectedJuwan Howard in the1994 NBA draft[74] and traded Gugliotta along with three first-round draft picks to theGolden State Warriors for the rights toChris Webber.[75] While the season started out with promise, a shoulder injury to Chris Webber (ironically against the Warriors) caused him to miss 19 games,[76] and the Bullets struggled through the rest of the season finishing a then franchise-worst (percentage-wise) 21–61.[77] Webber averaged 20.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, but declined surgery for his dislocated shoulder.[78] This would prove costly for the next season. The Bullets released a holiday video, "You da Man, You da Man, that's the reason I'm a Bullets Fan!" in 1994, which featured all 12 Bullets dancing in front of the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.[79][80][81]
In the Bullets' 1995–96 season Webber suffered a dislocated left shoulder in a preseason game against theIndiana Pacers on October 21, and opened the season on the injured list. He was activated on November 27, but strained his shoulder against theNew York Knicks on December 29. After hoping the injury would get better with rest, Webber finally underwent surgery on Feb 1 which sidelined him for the remainder of the season.[82] The Bullets were 9–6 with Webber in the lineup as he averaged a team-high 23.7 points plus 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.80 steals in 37.2 minutes per game when he was able to play. Other players injured includedMark Price (who only played in seven games) andRobert Pack (31 games played out of 82). Bright spots of the season included the selection ofRasheed Wallace in the 1995 NBA draft and the All-Star play of Howard. Howard averaged a career-best 22.1 ppg and 8.1 rpg and kept the Bullets slim playoff hopes alive until the end of the season. CenterGheorghe Mureșan was named Most Improved Player of The Year, averaging 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks.[83] The Bullets improved to39–43 but just missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.[84]
Washington, boasting the league's tallest player (Mureșan, whose height is 7 feet 7 inches or 231 centimetres), two very athletic forwards (Howard and Webber) and one of the league's top point guards (Rod Strickland), started the 1996–97 season at 22–24. That led to the dismissal of head coachJim Lynam.[85]Bernie Bickerstaff, an assistant coach with the Bullets when they won their only NBA championship in 1978, was called upon to resurrect his former team.[86] The Bullets responded, winning 16 of their final 21 games to finish44–38, their best record since 1978–79. The late surge enabled the Bullets to climb within reach of theCleveland Cavaliers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. In a win-or-go-home game with the Cavaliers on the season's final day, the Bullets squeezed past Cleveland 85–81 to end the franchise's longest playoff drought.[87] Whilst the Bullets were swept by the Bulls in the first round, they lost the three games by a total of 18 points.[88]
Webber led the way in scoring (20.1 ppg), rebounding (10.3) and blocks (1.9) and shot 51.8 percent from the floor to make his first All-Star team. Howard averaged 19.1 ppg and 8.0 rpg, while Strickland averaged 17.2 ppg and 1.74 spg and finished fifth in the league in assists with 8.9 per game. Mureşan dominated the middle and led the NBA in field goal percentage (.599). Washington received contributions fromCalbert Cheaney (10.6 ppg) andTracy Murray (10.0 ppg).[89]
The Wizards moved to the MCI Center (later Verizon Center and thenCapital One Arena) in 1997.
In November 1995, ownerAbe Pollin announced he was changing the team's nickname,[90] becauseBullets had acquired violent overtones that had made him increasingly uncomfortable over the years, particularly given the high homicide andcrime rate in the early 1990s in Washington, D.C. The name change was widely and incorrectly believed to be related to theassassination of Pollin's longtime friend,Israeli prime ministerYitzhak Rabin.[91]
A contest was held to choose a new name and the choices were narrowed to theDragons,Express,Stallions,Sea Dogs, and theWizards.[92] On May 15, 1997, the Bullets officially became the Wizards. The new name generated some controversy because "wizard" is a rank in theKu Klux Klan, and Washington has a largeAfrican American population.[92]A new logo was unveiled and the team colors were changed from the traditional red, white and blue to a lighter shade of blue, black and bronze, the same colors as theWashington Capitals of theNational Hockey League (NHL), also owned by Pollin and changed from red, white and blue before the 1995–96 season. Washington forwardJuwan Howard sat on the committee that decided on the logo design.[93] That same year the Wizards moved to the then MCI Center (Capital One Arena), also home to the Capitals and theGeorgetown Hoyas men's college basketball team.[94]
In 1998, they became the brother team to theWashington Mystics of theWomen's National Basketball Association, and remained officially thus until 2005 when the Mystics were sold to Lincoln Holdings (headed byTed Leonsis), parent company of the Capitals.[95] However, upon the purchase of the Wizards by Leonsis in 2010, the Wizards and Mystics again became sibling teams.[96]
The newly named Wizards began the 1997–98 season playing five home games at theCapital Centre before moving to the new MCI Center on December 2, 1997.[94] The Wizards finished the season with a42–40 record including four straight victories to end the season but just missed the playoffs.[97] Highlights of the season includedChris Webber leading the team in scoring (21.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg). Strickland led the league in assists (10.5 apg) before suffering an injury near the end of the season. He was also named on the All-NBA Second Team. Tracy Murray averaged 15.1 ppg off the bench including a 50-point game against Golden State. Off-court distractions led to the trade of Webber to theSacramento Kings forMitch Richmond andOtis Thorpe in May 1998.[98]
After retiring from theChicago Bulls in early 1999,Michael Jordan became the Washington Wizards' president of basketball operations as well as a minority owner in January 2000.[103] In September 2001, Jordan came out of retirement at age 38 to play for Washington.[104] Jordan stated that he was returning "for the love of the game".[105] Because of NBA rules, he had to divest himself of any ownership of the team.[106] Before the All-Star break, Jordan was one of only two players to average more than 25 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds[107] as he led the Wizards to a 26–21 record. After the All-Star break, Jordan's knee could not handle the workload of a full-season as he ended the season on the injured list,[108] and the Wizards concluded the season with a37–45 record but could not make the Eastern Conference playoffs.[109]
Jordan announced he would return for the2002–03 season, and this time he was determined to be equipped with reinforcements, as he traded for All-StarJerry Stackhouse and signed budding starLarry Hughes.[110][111] Jordan even accepted a sixth-man role on the bench in order for his knee to survive the rigors of an 82-game season. A combination of numerous team injuries and uninspired play led to Jordan's return to thestarting lineup, where he tried to rebound the franchise from its early-season struggles. By the end of the season, the Wizards finished with a37–45 record once again.[112] Jordan ended the season as the only Wizard to play in all 82 games, as he averaged 20.0 points,[113] 6.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals in 37.0 minutes per game. Jordan retired from playing for a third and final time after the season.[114]
After the season, majority owner Pollin fired Jordan as team president, much to the shock of players, associates, and the public. Jordan felt betrayed, thinking that he would get his ownership back after his playing days ended, but Pollin justified Jordan's dismissal by noting that Jordan had detrimental effects on the team, such as benching Hughes forTyronn Lue, making poor trades, and using the team's first-round draft pick on high schoolerKwame Brown.[115][116] The Wizards replaced Jordan's managerial role with general managerErnie Grunfeld.[117]
Without Jordan in the fold the following year, the Washington Wizards were not expected to win, and they did not. Despite the signing of future All-Star point guardGilbert Arenas, in a move that was ironically made possible by Jordan's prior cap-clearing maneuvers as a team executive,[118] the team stumbled to a25–57 record in the2003–04 season.[119]
In the off-season, the team traded Stackhouse,Christian Laettner, and the draft rights toDevin Harris to theDallas Mavericks forAntawn Jamison.[120] During the regular season, the scoring trio of Arenas, Jamison and Hughes was the highest in the NBA and earned the nickname of "The Big Three". Hughes led the NBA in steals with 2.89 per game.[121] Arenas and Jamison were both named to the 2005 Eastern Conference All-Star team, marking the first time Washington had two players in the All-Star game sinceJeff Malone and Moses Malone represented the Bullets in the 1987 All-Star Game.[122]
The2004–05 season saw the team (now in the new Southeast Division) post its best regular season record in 26 years (45–37) and marked the first time the franchise had ever made the playoffs as the Wizards.[123] With a 93–82 win over theChicago Bulls on April 13, 2005, the Wizards clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 1996–97.[124] Long-suffering fans celebrated by buying over 16,000 playoff tickets in two and a half hours the day tickets went on sale.[125] In game three of thefirst round against the Bulls, the Wizards won their first playoff game since 1988.[126] Adding to the "long-overdue" feeling was that game three was the first NBA playoff game to be held within Washington, D.C. city limits.[127] In the Wizards' game five victory in Chicago, Arenas hit a buzzer-beater to win the game[128] and the Wizards took their first lead in a playoff series since 1986. In game six, at the MCI Center,Jared Jeffries picked up a loose ball and went in for an uncontested tie-breaking dunk with 32 seconds left, giving the Wizards a 94–91 win and the team's first playoff series win in 23 years. They were only the 12th team in NBA history to win a playoff series after being down 0–2.[129] This playoff series victory ended thesecond longest streak with no postseason series wins in NBA history.
In the conference semifinals, the Wizards were swept by theMiami Heat, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.[130]
Antawn Jamison shooting a free throw in 2006 while wearing the team's gold alternate jersey.
The2005–06 season was filled with ups and downs. During the off-season, Washington acquiredCaron Butler[131] andAntonio Daniels.[132] During the regular season, the Wizards again had the best scoring trio in the NBA, this time consisting of Arenas, Jamison and Butler as the "Big Three".[133] The Wizards started the 2005–06 season at 5–1, but went on an 8–17 funk to go to 13–18 through 31 games. Then, they went 13–5 in the next eighteen games. On April 5, 2006, the team was 39–35 and looking to close in on the 45-win mark achieved the previous year, until Butler suffered a thumb sprain and the Wizards lost all five games without him.[134] Butler returned and the team pulled out their final three games, against the Pistons, Cavaliers and Bucks, all playoff-bound teams, to finish the year at42–40 and clinch the fifth seed in theEastern Conference. They averaged 101.7 points a game, third in the NBA and best in the East and clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1987.[135]
Their first-round match-up with Cleveland was widely seen as the most evenly matched series in the2006 NBA playoffs. The teams exchanged wins during the first two games in Cleveland, with game two highlighted by the Wizards holdingLeBron James to 7–25 shooting from the floor whileBrendan Haywood gave James a hard foul in the first quarter that many cited as the key to shaking up the rest of James's game. In game three at the Verizon Center, James hit a 4-footer on the way down with 5.7 seconds left to take the game and the series lead for the Cavs with a 97–96 win. Arenas missed a potential game-winning three-pointer on the other end to seal the win for the Cavs. Game 4 saw the Wizards heat up again, as Arenas scored 20 in the fourth quarter after claiming he changed his jersey, shorts, shoes and tights in the room and the Wizards won 106–96. Yet in games five and six, the Cavs took control of the series, both games decided by one point in overtime. In game five, despite the Wizards being down 107–100 with 1:18 to play, the team drove back and eventually tied the game on Butler's layup with 7.5 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime, where James scored with 0.9 seconds left to send the Cavs to a 121–120 win. The series returned to the Verizon Center for game six, where the game went back and forth all night. The Wizards blew a 14-point first-quarter lead, then for 24 minutes, from early in the second quarter to early in the fourth, neither team led by more than five points at any time. The Wizards blew a seven-point lead with just under five to play and needed Arenas to hit a 31-foot shot at the end of regulation to take the game to overtime. In overtime, Arenas missed two key free throws. Cleveland rebounded the ball, went downcourt andDamon Jones hit a 17-foot baseline jump shot with 4.8 seconds remaining to give the Cavs the lead for good. Butler missed a three-pointer on the other end to seal the game, and the series, for the Cavaliers.[136]
The Wizards in a home game against theToronto Raptors, March 30, 2007.
The 2006–07 season started out very promisingly for the Wizards. In the off-season they signed free agentsDeShawn Stevenson andDarius Songaila.[137][138] Etan Thomas beat out Haywood for the starting center job.[139] After starting the season 0–8 on the road, Washington rebounded to win 6 of 7 away from Verizon Center. After a November 4–9, Washington went 22–9 through December and January. Arenas scored a franchise-record 60 points against theLakers on December 17.[140] He and Eddie Jordan were named player of the month and coach of the month for December, respectively. On January 3 and again on January 15, Arenas hit buzzer-beating three-pointers to beatMilwaukee andUtah.[141]
On January 30, Jamison went down with a sprained left knee in a win againstDetroit.[142] Washington went 4–8 in the 12 games without him. On February 3, Songaila made his Wizards debut against the Lakers. On February 18, Eddie Jordan became the first Wizards/Bullets coach to coach in theNBA All-Star Game sinceDick Motta in 1978–1979. Arenas played in his third straight All-Star game and Butler made hisAll-Star Game debut.[143]
On March 14, Butler went out with a knee injury that kept him out of the lineup for six games.[144] He returned for only three games until he fractured his right hand on April 1 against Milwaukee.[145] On April 4, Arenas suffered a season-ending knee injury, of the meniscus. An April 15 article inThe Washington Post pointed out that with Arenas and Butler gone, the team had lost 42.3% of their offensive production, quite possibly "the most costly" loss for any team in the midst of a playoff hunt in NBA history.[146]
Despite their late-season struggles without Arenas and Butler, the Wizards still managed to make the Eastern Conference playoffs, taking the 7th seed at41–41.[147] They were swept four games to none in a rematch of the previous year's first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite a depleted roster, the Wizards still managed to keep things close in every game in the series and only lost the final three games by a combined 20 points.[148] The team enjoyed their best attendance figures in the post-Jordan era with a season attendance of 753,283 (18,372 per game).[149]
The team began the season starting 0–5, but rebounded to win six straight. After eight games, Arenas underwent surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his left knee,[154] as well as a microfracture surgery.[155] This was the same knee he had injured the previous year. The injury forced Arenas out for a total of 68 games. Midway through the season, Butler was forced to the sidelines for a total of 20 games with what initially was a strained hip flexor, but turned out to be a labral tear.[156] Despite all of the injuries, the Wizards managed to finish43–39 on the regular season, good for 5th place in the Eastern Conference and a first-round playoff matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third straight season.[157] However, the Wizards lost that series in six games.[158]
During the off-season, Arenas signed a six-year, $111 million contract, while Jamison signed a four-year, $50 million contract.[159][160] The Wizards did not re-sign guardRoger Mason, who signed with theSan Antonio Spurs. The Wizards added guardsDee Brown andJuan Dixon, and draftedJaVale McGee 18th overall[161] in the 2008 NBA Draft.
In September, Arenas underwent a third operation on his surgically repaired left knee to clean out fluid and debris, and was expected to miss at least the first month of the season.[162] The forecast came in longer than expected, as Arenas missed five months of action due to concerns about his knee, before returning on March 29, 2009.[163] In the first game of the preseason, Jamison suffered a right knee contusion, and was expected to miss the rest of the preseason.[164] Haywood announced that he would undergo surgery on his right wrist and was expected to miss four to six months.[165] The preseason marked the return of Etan Thomas who had missed all of the 2007–2008 season while recovering from open-heart surgery. The Wizards added guard Fenny Falmagne from the Dakota Wizards on August 23, 2008, who was later waived by the team after a knee injury.
Gilbert Arenas in November 2010
The Wizards opened the season on October 29 with a loss againstNew Jersey, and dropped fifteen of their first nineteen games. Head coachEddie Jordan was fired on November 24 after a 1–10 start, and was replaced by interim coachEd Tapscott.[166] On December 10, Washington acquired guardsJavaris Crittenton andMike James in a three-team deal that sent Antonio Daniels toNew Orleans.[167] The team waived guardDee Brown. They won just 14 of their first 60 games and in the end tied a franchise-worst record of19–63.[168]
One of the few high points of the season came on February 27 when recently inaugurated President Barack Obama attended a Wizards game against the Chicago Bulls, sitting in a northeast court-side seat. The Wizards produced their second-biggest victory margin of the season with a 113–90 win; Jamison paced the side with 27 points.[169][170]
On April 2, the Wizards shut down the Cleveland Cavaliers, who came in with a record of 61–13, and ended Cleveland's franchise-best winning streak at 13.[171]
Flip Saunders reached an agreement to become the new coach of the team in mid-April 2009.[172] Despite having the second-best chance at obtaining the number one overall pick in the 2009 draft, the Wizards were randomly chosen to pick fifth overall in the NBA Draft Lottery.[173] This pick was later traded to theMinnesota Timberwolves, along with Songaila, Thomas, andOleksiy Pecherov, in exchange forRandy Foye andMike Miller.[174] On May 21, 2009, Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld announced that the team had namedRandy Wittman andSam Cassell as assistant coaches.[175]Then on August 11, 2009, the Wizards signedFabricio Oberto, many weeks after he committed to signing with the team.[176]
In November, majority owner Abe Pollin died at the age of 85. At the time of his death, he was the longest-tenured owner in NBA history.[177] Control of the franchise passed to his widow Irene, though minority ownerTed Leonsis was known to be preparing a takeover bid.[177]
On December 24, 2009, it was revealed that Arenas had admitted to storing unloaded firearms in his locker atVerizon Center and had surrendered them to team security. In doing so, Arenas violated both NBA rules against bringing firearms into an arena and D.C. ordinances.[178] On January 1, 2010, it was reported that Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton had unloaded guns in the Wizards' locker room during a Christmas Eve argument regarding gambling debts resulting in Arenas's suspension.[179] Despite Stern's longstanding practice of not disciplining players until the legal process played out, he felt compelled to act when Arenas' teammates surrounded him during pregame introductions prior to a game with thePhiladelphia 76ers and he pantomimed shooting them with guns made from his fingers.[180] The Wizards issued a statement condemning the players' pregame stunt as "unacceptable".[181]
Leonsis completed his takeover of the Wizards and Verizon Center in June through his newly-formed holding company,Monumental Sports & Entertainment.[187] He had previously purchased theWashington Capitals andMystics from the Pollin family.[188] Leonsis took a fan-centric approach to running the franchise, by listening and responding to the concerns of Wizards supporters through his email and personal website.[189] He wrote a manifesto of 101 changes he hoped to implement during his ownership, including changing the team's colors back to the red, white and blue of the Bullets era, and possibly changing the team nickname back to "Bullets" as well.[189] Team presidentErnie Grunfeld later confirmed that the franchise's colors would revert to red, white and blue from the 2011–12 season onwards. The team also adopted new uniforms that were very similar to the ones they wore from 1974 to 1987. Although the Wizards did not change their name to the Bullets again, they adopted a variation of the 1969–1987 Bullets logo with "wizards" spelled in all lowercase letters like the "bullets" logo was printed.[190]
Despite having only the fifth-best odds of obtaining the No. 1 pick (10.3%), the Wizards won the2010 NBA draft lottery and selected All-American Kentucky point guardJohn Wall with the first overall pick.[191] Later in the off-season, the team acquired theChicago Bulls' all-time leader in three-point field goals,Kirk Hinrich and the draft rights to forwardKevin Seraphin in exchange for the draft rights toVladimir Veremeenko.[192]
Hyper-athletic point guardJohn Wall led the Wizards to 4 playoff appearances during the 2010s
The Wizards returned to the playoffs in the 2014 season.
On February 3, 2014, the Wizards defeated thePortland Trail Blazers to improve to a 24–23 record. The win marked the first time the team had held a winning record since 2009.[207]
On April 2, 2014, the Wizards defeated theBoston Celtics by a score of 118–92 to clinch the team's first playoff berth since the 2007–08 season.[208] Led by first time All-Star John Wall, on April 29, 2014, the Wizards defeated theChicago Bulls in game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals by a score of 75–69 to win the series 4–1. This was the Wizards first series victory since the2005 NBA playoffs when they defeated the same team in 6 games.[209] The Wizards advanced to the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Indiana Pacers. The Wizards won game one 102–96. In Game 2, the Wizards lost a 19-point second-half lead, as they dropped the game 88–82. After being routed by Indiana in game three 85–63, they also lost game four 95–92. They showed grit and determination as they staved off elimination with a 102–79 game five win. They were behind most of game 6, but battled back to take the lead late in the game. However, Indiana closed out the series with a 93–80 win.[210]Trevor Ariza would leave in the off-season.[211]
After the departure ofTrevor Ariza, the Wizards signed veteran small forwardPaul Pierce to a two-year contract.[212] Pierce's veteran leadership proved to be a major factor on and off the court in the team's improvement. On November 12, 2014, the Wizards defeated the Detroit Pistons 107–103, extending their record to 6–2 for the first time since the 1975–76 season.[213] The following game three days later, the Wizards defeated the Orlando Magic 98–93 as they won their third straight and moved to 7–2, their best start since opening 7–1 during the 1974–75 season.[214] With a 104–96 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on December 12, the Wizards moved to an 11–2 record at home to start the season for the first time in franchise history.[215] They would struggle throughout the later months of the season but the Washington Wizards would finish the season with a46–36 record, their best record since the 1978–1979 season.[216] They played the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the NBA Playoffs and won in four games, marking their first sweep in franchise history.[217] Following the victory over Toronto, the Wizards next had to play the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks. The Wizards managed to take the first game in the series, but suffered the loss of Wall due to a fractured wrist.[218] Although small forward Paul Pierce made several big shots throughout the series, the loss of Wall proved too much, and Atlanta took the series in six games.[219]
However, the 2015–16 season was much less successful. The Wizards finished 10th in the Eastern Conference with a41–41 record, and missed the playoffs.[220] On April 13, 2016, the Wizards fired head coach Randy Wittman.[221][222]
On April 21, 2016,Scott Brooks, the former head coach of theOklahoma City Thunder, agreed to a five-year, $35 million deal to be the head coach of the Wizards.[223] On September 8, 2016, the team unveiled new alternative jerseys.[224] From 2015 on, their logo was the "monument ball" with "Navy Blue, Red, Silver, White" colors.[225] In October 2016, they were ranked 93rd of 122 worst franchises in major sports by Ultimate Standings.[226]
Scott Brooks served as head coach from 2016 to 2021.
The 2016–17 season would prove to be the most successful in recent Wizards history, following a49–33 record and winning the Southeast Division for the first time since 1979.[227] This came off the breakout of Bradley Beal who averaged a then career-high 23.1 points. Beal's rise matched the continued All-Star play of John Wall who averaged career highs in points and assists with 23.1 and 10.7, respectively, earning him an All-NBA team spot.[228]
Despite starting the season 1–5, the Wizards would defeat the Boston Celtics 118–93 on November 9.[229] After mediocre play through much of the early part of the season, after December the Wizards would turn their season around, holding a record of 34–21 at the All-Star break. The Wizards finished the season 49–33, their highest win total since 1979.
In the first round of the playoffs the 4-seed Wizards were matched against the 5-seed Atlanta Hawks. After winning the first two games at home, the Wizards struggled on the road as the Hawks tied the series 2–2. The Wizards went on to win the next two games to close out the series at home behind stellar play from their backcourt of Wall and Beal who dropped a combined 73 points in the closeout Game 6 win.[230]
In the second round, the Wizards faced the first-seeded Boston Celtics. They would go on to lose the series in 7 games.[231]
For the2017–18 season, the Wizards would play their next season in the newly namedCapital One Arena.[232][233] The Wizards finished with a 43–39 record, which was good for the 8th seed, but lost the first round in six games to the top-seededToronto Raptors.[234] Bradley Beal made his first All-Star team this season along with John Wall, who made his fifth in a row and last.
In the off-season, the Wizards picked upThomas Bryant off waivers and Troy Brown in the draft with the 15th pick in the2018 NBA draft.[235] Despite Bryant becoming a valuable asset andBradley Beal having a career season, the season would end up being an underwhelming one full of turmoil and on-court troubles. The Wizards also went through injuries, includingDwight Howard playing 9 games before missing the rest of the season due to back problems and losingJohn Wall who underwent a season-ending surgery on his left Achilles which he injured while recovering from a previous injury,[236] while tradingKelly Oubre Jr.,Otto Porter Jr., andMarkieff Morris at the same time.[237][238][239] As a result, the Wizards would miss the playoffs for the first time since the2015–16 season. Bradley Beal made his second All-Star Team.
In April 2019, the Wizards fired general managerErnie Grunfeld, who had been with the team since 2003, withTommy Sheppard taking over as interim general manager until being officially hired fulltime in July 2019.[240][241] Alongside other front office moves, the Wizards selected Japanese playerRui Hachimura with their 9th pick in the2019 NBA draft, as well as acquiring thePhiladelphia 76ers' draft rights to 42nd pickAdmiral Schofield in a trade.[242]
Following thesuspension of the 2019–20 NBA season, the Wizards were one of the 22 teams invited to theNBA Bubble to participate in the final eight games of the regular season,[243] where the Wizards went 1–7 and missed the playoffs.
In the2020 NBA draft, the Wizards draftedDeni Avdija andVít Krejčí;[246] Krejčí's draft rights were later traded to theOklahoma City Thunder for the rights toCassius Winston.[247] Avdija fractured his ankle in April 2021, effectively ending his season.[248] Bradley Beal had a career season, making All-NBA Third Team for the first time of his career. Russell Westbrook averaged a triple double for the fourth time in his career, despite not making the All-Star team.
The Wizards returned to the playoffs this season, but were defeated by thePhiladelphia 76ers in five games.
On June 16, 2021, Brooks and the Wizards agreed to part ways after not being able to agree to a new contract.[249]
After a hot start to the season, the Wizards record slowly slipped. Notable losses include a 35-point lead blown to the Clippers and a loss to the 76ers which started a fight betweenKentavious Caldwell-Pope andMontrezl Harrell. The Wizard's woes continued as a wrist injury that required surgery kept the team's scoring leader, Beal, out for the remainder of the season.
The trade deadline of the 2021–22 season saw a major roster change. The Wizards acquired All-StarKristaps Porziņģis in a trade for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans, a sharpshooter whose 5-year, $80 million contract yielded lackluster results during his time in Washington.[251]
On April 19, 2023, after a consecutive season of 35-47 and missing the playoffs, the Wizards fired GMTommy Sheppard.[252]
During the off-season of the 2023–24 season, the Wizards started a rebuild, trading their franchise player Bradley Beal to thePhoenix Suns for a 12-time All StarChris Paul and traded Porziņģis to the Celtics in a three-team trade forTyus Jones,Danilo Gallinari,Mike Muscala and draft picks. Chris Paul was then traded to the Warriors forPatrick Baldwin Jr.,Jordan Poole, draft picks and cash considerations.
On January 26, 2024, head coachWes Unseld Jr. was fired and replaced by assistant coachBrian Keefe for the rest of the season. During February, the Wizards became just the 15th team in NBA history to go winless for a month. The Wizards finished with a record of 15–67, led in scoring byKyle Kuzma with 22.2 points per game, his career high, in 70 games.
On June 26, 2024, the Wizards draftedAlex Sarr from France in the NBA draft with the second overall pick. They also acquired the fourteenth pick in the draft,Carlton Carrington as well as 2023 Sixth Man of The YearMalcolm Brogdon and future first round picks forDeni Avdija.[253] Brian Keefe was also promoted from Interim Coach to full-time Head Coach.
After moving from Chicago in 1963, the Baltimore Bullets originally went with a blue and orange scheme, which matched the city'sOrioles baseball team (orange) andColts football team (blue). The Bullets initially wore blue and white uniforms with orange trim, but in the early 1970s, orange supplanted blue as the primary color. During this era, the Bullets also wore unconventional uniforms, featuring three thick stripes which ran from the right leg up to the left side of the jersey. Beginning with the1973–74 season, coinciding with the team's move toLandover, Maryland, to become the Capital Bullets, they changed their colors to red, white and blue to match the American flag. Those uniforms also featured large horizontal stripes on the chest of the jerseys, and three stars on the side panels of the shorts. The uniforms were kept when they changed their location identifier a year later to the Washington Bullets.[254]
The Bullets kept the "Stars and Stripes" uniform until 1987, although they made a minor adjustment prior to the 1985–86 season with additional thin stripes, the "Bullets" logo on the right leg, and thin shorts stripes replacing the three stars. In 1987, the Bullets changed their logo and uniforms, going with red uniforms on the road and white uniforms at home. With the exception of a switch to block lettering and numbers before the 1990–91 season (switching over from the Serpentine font used for both elements, with the player name on back rendered in lower case as well), the Bullets kept these uniforms until 1997.
In 1997, the team owner,Abe Pollin, decided to change the club's nickname from "Bullets" to "Wizards". The reasoning behind the name change was because Pollin did not want the team's name to continue to be associated with any violent connotations.[255] The name change also included new logos, colors and uniforms, coinciding with the team's move to the new MCI Center (nowCapital One Arena); though they would not play in the new arena until December 2, during which they played their first few home dates at the USAir Arena. The new team's colors were blue, bronze and black, the same colors used by the Capitals which they first unveiled two years earlier. The primary logo depicted a wizard conjuring a basketball with a quarter moon. In 2007, the Wizards made minor modifications on their team jerseys and logos. To accommodate the gold–black alternate jerseys they introduced the previous season along with the design change on the Verizon Center floor, they changed their secondary team colors from bronze to metallic gold, and the player's name on the back of the jersey was changed from white and blue with bronze trim to gold (blue on home uniforms) with a change in lettering; the road uniform name lettering changed back to white with gold trim before the 2010–11 season.
The old Washington Wizards Logo from 2011-2015.The current wordmark for the Wizards
On May 10, 2011, the Wizards unveiled a new color scheme, uniforms, and logo. David Safren, Pat Sullivan, and Michael Glazer were the product designers for the new jerseys which include theWashington Monument as an alternate logo. The team of product designers was led by Jessie Caples, who made most of the design decisions. James Pinder was also an essential part of the team, as he helped to engineer the jerseys to meet the players' standards. The team reverted to its traditional red, white and blue colors, which are the colors of the U.S. flag. The uniforms are based very closely on those worn from 1973 to 1987, during the team's glory years. Leonsis said the throwback to the old Bullets' uniforms was intentional; the only difference between those uniforms and the current ones is the team name on the jerseys. The colors were also used by Leonsis' other franchises, the Capitals and the Mystics, who adopted those colors in 2007 and 2011, respectively. Another Washington-based team, baseball'sWashington Nationals, also use this scheme; theWashington Commanders (burgundy and gold) andD.C. United (red and black) are currently the city's only professional sports teams not to adopt the red, white and blue scheme.[3]
On July 23, 2014, the Wizards unveiled a new alternate uniform. The uniform was similar to the club's road set, with the navy and red colors switched, so that navy was the predominant color instead of red.[256]
The Wizards in their alternate white uniforms in a 2017 playoff game against the Celtics
On April 15, 2015, the Wizards unveiled a new primary logo. The new logo features the Washington Monument ball logo set in aroundel, with the striping pattern from the team's uniforms, three stars (each representing Washington, D.C.,Maryland, andVirginia, similar to that of the NHL's Capitals), and the team's wordmarks.[257][258] The team also said it would immediately discontinue the use of the wizard-partial moon logo, which had been used since 1997.
On September 30, 2015, the Wizards unveiled a new alternate uniform. Called the "Baltimore Pride" uniform, the uniform was intended to be worn for six select games during the Wizards'2015–16 season.[259]
On September 8, 2016, the Wizards released a second white uniform to honor the United States Armed Forces. The side stripes pay homage to the American flag.[260]
The Wizards in their white "City" uniforms during a 2018 playoff game against Toronto.
The Wizards kept their existing uniforms (minus the two alternate uniforms) whenNike took over as uniform supplier in 2017. Along with the white "Association", red "Icon" and navy "Statement" uniforms, a "City" uniform was also released as part of the collection. The 2017–18 "City" uniform featured a white base, "The District of Columbia" wordmark in navy and numbers in white. The uniform paid tribute to the Washington Monument.[261] The "City" uniform for 2018–19 was similar to the previous set, but with a black base, white letters and orange trim. The uniform paid homage to theNational Mall at night.[262] A red version of the 2017–18 "City" uniform served as the team's "Earned" uniform, which was a reward for making the 2018 playoffs.[263]
Prior to the 2019–20 season, the navy "Statement" uniform received a minor adjustment as the city name was replaced with "The District of Columbia" wordmark previously used on the team's "City" uniforms.[264]
For the Wizards' 2019–20 "City" uniform, they brought back the white alternate uniform design worn in the 2016–17 season, but with the "dc" alternate logo in front and red numbers.[265] The same design was carried over to the 2020–21 "City" uniform, but with a grey base.
In the 2021–22 season, the Wizards were one of 27 teams to wear mashup "City" uniforms in commemoration of the NBA's 75th anniversary. This uniform featured a lighter blue base and red stripes (a nod to the 1973–1985 Bullets uniforms), gold trim and stylized uniform numbers (acknowledging the 1997–2011 Wizards uniforms), the stylized "Washington" typeface (like the present-day uniforms), and a tribute to the recently deceased Wes Unseld along the jock tag. Three mashup logos were also added. The alternate, "Monument", logo on the waist was altered to feature the throwback ball from the 1973–1987 Bullets logo, while the logos on the shorts feature the alternate "dc" logo in the shape of the Bullets logo, and the "DMV" logo modeled after the alternate 1997–2011 Wizards' "dc" logo.[266]
The 2022–23 "City" uniform was unveiled alongside the Washington Nationals' "City Connect" uniform; both the NBA andMajor League Baseball currently have uniform deals with Nike. This uniform, which is predominantly pink with blue accents, pays homage to thecherry blossoms which permeate Washington, D.C. in the spring.[267]
The "City" uniform used for the 2023–24 season featured a black and anthracite base with red, bronze and patina accents. The uniform was a nod to the history of Washington, D.C. with blackletter lettering based on the original prints used in the 1700s, three red stars representing thecapital flag, red diagonal stripes representing the original map of the district, and boundary stones represented by the bronze and patina gradients.[268]
Ahead of the 2024–25 season, the Wizards changed their "Statement" uniform, taking cues from theWashington, D.C. flag with three red stars and two thick red stripes. "The District of Columbia" wordmark remained on the uniforms, with the only white elements being on the numbers and letters.[269] Their "City" uniform for the season kept last year's blackletter lettering but with a hydrogen blue base, red letters and blue trim. The uniform was nicknamed the "Beyond Boundaries" uniform.[270]
The 2025–26 "City" uniform brought back the template of the 2021–22 "City" uniform, but with gold and black elements inspired by the team's 2006–2009 alternate uniform.[271]
US Airways Arena (originally Capital Centre) (December 1973 – November 1997)
Capital One Arena (formerly MCI Center and Verizon Center) (December 1997–present)
In December 2023,Monumental Sports & Entertainment founder and team ownerTed Leonsis engaged in a non-binding partnership with Virginia governorGlenn Youngkin to move the Wizards andWashington Capitals to a planned arena inPotomac Yard inAlexandria, Virginia, by 2028.[272] The structure would be part of an arts and entertainment district at the site, which would include a practice facility, restaurants, an esports venue, concert hall, and a new headquarters for Monumental.[273] In March 2024, after officials in Alexandria announced that the $2 billion entertainment and sports complex plans were scrapped, Washington, D.C. mayorMuriel Bowser announced she has signed a deal with both teams' majority owner, Ted Leonsis, to keep the Wizards and Capitals in the District "at least until 2050."[274]
The Wizards hold the draft rights to the following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA. A drafted player, either an international draftee or a college draftee who is not signed by the team that drafted him, is allowed to sign with any non-NBA teams. In this case, the team retains the player's draft rights in the NBA until one year after the player's contract with the non-NBA team ends.[275] This list includes draft rights that were acquired from trades with other teams.
^ab"Wizards Unveil New Logos and Uniforms".WashingtonWizards.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. May 10, 2011.Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. RetrievedJune 2, 2016.The Washington Wizards unveiled the team's updated look featuring a red, white and blue color scheme today during a special event on the Verizon Center practice court.
^"NBA LockerVision - Washington Wizards - Icon Edition - Story Guide".LockerVision.NBA.com. NBA Properties, Inc.Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. RetrievedJune 27, 2023.The Washington Wizards Icon Edition is bursting with color, taking the same shoulder-and-stripe design as the Association Edition, but flipping it to primarily feature the bold red and blue components of the team's color scheme.
^"Rockets' Hayes Sent to Bullets".The New York Times. United Press International. June 24, 1972.Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. RetrievedDecember 9, 2022.
^"1972 NBA Draft".Basketball Reference.Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. RetrievedDecember 9, 2022.
^"Bullets change name again".Morning Record. Meriden, Connecticut. Associated Press. April 23, 1974. p. 15.Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. RetrievedDecember 19, 2015.
^"Bullets change name".Wilmington Morning Star. North Carolina. UPI. April 23, 1974. p. 16.Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. RetrievedDecember 19, 2015.
^"1979 NBA Finals".Basketball Reference.Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. RetrievedDecember 9, 2022.
^Minami, Kazushi (2024).People's Diplomacy: How Americans and Chinese Transformed US-China Relations during the Cold War. Ithaca, NY:Cornell University Press.ISBN9781501774157.
^"Bullets will change nickname".Gadsden Times. Alabama. Associated Press. November 10, 1995. p. D4.Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. RetrievedAugust 3, 2016 – via Google News Archive.
^Bucher, Ric (May 15, 1998)."WEBBER TRADED TO SACRAMENTO".The Washington Post.Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. RetrievedDecember 13, 2022.
^"Wizards Sign Guard Larry Hughes".The Associated Press. Washington. The Associated Press. July 19, 2002.Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. RetrievedDecember 14, 2022.
^Morrissey, Rick (September 10, 2009)."Washington, D.C."Chicago Tribune.Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. RetrievedDecember 14, 2022.
^Hernandez, E. (June 30, 2003)."Wizards Hire Ernie Grunfeld".Washington Wizards. NBA.Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. RetrievedDecember 14, 2022.
^Jones, Mike (September 18, 2008)."Gilbert Arenas' injuries".The Washington Times.Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. RetrievedDecember 14, 2022.
^"Behind The Name – Wizards".NBA.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. August 22, 2015.Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. RetrievedAugust 22, 2015.
^"Wizards Unveil New Primary Logo".WashingtonWizards.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. April 15, 2015.Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. RetrievedMarch 10, 2017.
^Coon, Larry."NBA Salary Cap FAQ – 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement".Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. RetrievedApril 13, 2014.If the player is already under contract to, or signs a contract with a non-NBA team, the team retains the player's draft rights for one year after the player's obligation to the non-NBA team ends. Essentially, the clock stops as long as the player plays pro ball outside the NBA.
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