The Wizards present their draft picks and a vision for the future (2024)

The Wizards last won a playoff series in 2017. Ever since, they have struggled to find a sense of direction or identity, and they have posted a losing record in the past six seasons. But with Alex Sarr, Carlton “Bub” Carrington and Kyshawn George in the fold, there is no more ambiguity: The youth movement has arrived, and the franchise is focused on the future.

“We walked into [the draft] Wednesday night and had a plan in place,” Dawkins said. “We were aligned from top to bottom. We were strategic, [and] we were aggressive and made sure that we accomplished our goals. So with these three young men to my left, we feel like we’re adding a few more bricks to that base-level foundation that we talked about at the end of the season.”

The Wizards assembled this draft class from different corners of the world. Sarr, the No. 2 overall selection, grew up in France and most recently played in Australia for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League. Carrington, whom the Wizards grabbed at No. 14 as part of the trade that sent Deni Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers, was born and raised in Baltimore and played his lone college season at Pittsburgh. George, acquired at No. 24 via another draft-night trade, grew up in Switzerland, later lived in France and played collegiately at Miami.

But they share traits the Wizards are prioritizing. For the second draft in a row under Dawkins and Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger, the Wizards sought youth, athleticism, two-way potential and length. Similar to 6-foot-8 forward Bilal Coulibaly, whom Washington added in the first round last year, Carrington (6-4), George (6-8) and Sarr (7-0) bring defensive promise and versatility.

On Saturday, the newest Wizards discussed another trait they share: the patience to endure the frustration and growing pains of a rebuild.

“We’re looking at this as a challenge. It’s something that we want to attack, something that we know we can be successful in,” Carrington said. “And we just got to put the work in every day to accomplish that.”

Carrington and George crossed paths last season in the ACC. But as a draft class, the work of getting to know one another and building chemistry began over dinners, flights, workouts and a sightseeing trip around D.C. in the days after they were selected Wednesday night.

“Not every team [has] three first-round picks, and I think it was just very cool to be able to be with these guys that enjoy the game, are very positive and are easygoing people,” George said. “We’re all in the same boat, and getting to start this rebuild as a young group, young core is very exciting.”

There also have been opportunities to connect with fans, whom Dawkins thanked Saturday for “one, understanding where we’re at on this journey but, two, really embracing these guys.” On Wednesday night, Sarr appeared via hologram at the team’s draft party at Capital One Arena, where thousands of fans filled the lower bowl and showed their enthusiasm for the direction of the franchise.

“For all three of us, there is kind of an excitement around this draft,” Sarr said. “We can feel it. When we go to dinner, fans want to talk to us and get to know us. It’s always [a] nice feeling seeing how involved they are with the team.”

After the pomp and circ*mstance of Saturday’s introductions culminated with each player posing for photos with his new jersey, the focus shifted to basketball. The first opportunity to see the rookies on the court could come as soon as July 12, when Washington begins its Summer League schedule against Atlanta. The matchup could feature the draft’s top two picks: the Hawks’ Zaccharie Risacher and Sarr.

Behind the scenes, the focus will be on player development. Dawkins said Wednesday that the rookies would receive a personalized development plan after they arrived in D.C. And he emphasized the role of Coach Brian Keefe, who was given the full-time job this offseason after he finished last season as the interim coach. Keefe got the job because of his ability to connect with and get the most out of his players.

“They’re all high-character guys who want to work and get better,” Keefe said of this draft class. “They obviously have skills and talents, but really the most important thing for us is these guys are really about the process of improving. So [I’m] just excited to get to work with them [and] get in the gym with them.”