The Wizards of Washington ( Washington Wizards in English) are a frankness from Basket-ball of NBA based with Washington, cd..

History of the frankness

Birth of the frankness to title NBA (1961-1978)

The frankness wrote the first pages of its history with Chicago under the name of Packers in 1961. As of the following season, the frankness changes name to become Chicago Zephyrs then Baltimore Bullets following a removal in 1963. Then taken along by Walt Bellamy, the team progresses regularly before the departure of this last towards New York at the beginning of the season 1965-66 does not mark the end of this first time. The drafts of 1967 and 1968 are the occasion to integrate 2 future members of the Hall off Famed: Earl Monroe and Wes Unseld. Their impact is immediate on the frankness which gains the title of the Eastern Division in 1969. Approaching the play-offs with much ambition, Bullets are corrected of entry by Knicks in 4 handles. As of the following season the 2 franknesses are found at the same stage of the competition and they are again Knicks which is qualified in spite of more disputed series. Following the recasting of the NBA in 4 divisions divided into 2 conferences during the summer 1970, Bullets gain the title of the Centrale division in which they were transferred. After having eliminated with difficulty Philadelphia with the first turn, the frankness from Baltimore finds Knicks finally conference. The absence of the star new yorkaise Willis Reed makes it possible Bullets to push their adversaries with the 7th decisive sleeve. Disputed with the Madison Square Garden, this match rocks in the last seconds on a basket of Gus Johnson which gives the victory to its team which reaches for the first time of her history finales NBA. The Milwaukee Bucks of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, coldly elected Better player of the league, break the dreams of Monroe and Unseld in 4 small sleeves.

In spite of the departure of Monroe in 1972, Bullets remain serious candidates with the title. The frankness knows a new removal into 1973 towards Landover to become the Bullets Capital then Washington Bullets. In the wake of Elvin Beam, the frankness realizes in 1974-75 the best season of its history with 60 victories for 22 defeats, record always of topicality. After having brilliantly left the Boston Celtics finally conference, Bullets are regarded as the legitimate favorite ones to take down the title. Unfortunately, the frankness knows same disillusion as a few years earlier while being curtly beaten by the Golden State Warriors in 4 handles.

After 2 seasons buckled on the assessment of 48 victories and 34 defeats, Bullets carry out relatively average 1977-78. They gain only 44 matches and although qualified for the play-offs, nourish only little hope of go far in the competition. And yet, Bullets eliminate successively Atlanta, San Antonio and Philadelphia to reach finales NBA once again. After 7 matches bitterly disputed vis-a-vis the Seattle Supersonics, the frankness brings back the first trophy of professional sport of the history of the town of Washington. The finales of 1979 opponent same the teams make it possible Sonics to take their revenge in 5 handles. This defeat will mark the end of the period more ostentation of the history of Bullets.

A team of medium of classification (1979-1988)

After the departures of Beam and Unseld, the observers predict a dark future with the frankness from Washington. And yet, Greg Ballard and Jeff Ruland lead the team in playoffs since 1982 with an assessment of 43 victories for 29 defeats. In spite of elimination with the second turn by Celtics, Gene Shue receives the title of better trainer of the year. After one year hollow, Bullets consecutively reach the playoffs 5 times between 1983 and 1988, being however eliminated each time with the first turn. In addition to these premature eliminations and the departure of Moses Malone, the second part of the years 1980 is marked by the arrival of the Sudanese Manute Bol. Drafté in 1985, Bol exceeds the 2,30 meters and is essential as of its first year like the defensive player of Bullets in the racket. With 5 counter of average in only 26 minutes of play, it obtains the title of better contror of the league and a nomination in the Defensive All-NBA Second TEAM (the second defensive team-type) in 1986. After 3 years in Washington, Bol takes the direction of Warriors of the State Golden delicious.

The bad patch (1989-1996)

Following the departure of Moses Malone towards Atlanta, Bullets rest on a duet of experienced players: Jeff Malone and Bernard King. Incompetents to build a solid team around her leaders, the frankness enters a spiral of defeats which will lead it in the hollows of the Conference Is. In 1993, in spite of the presence of Pervis Ellison surrounded by young promising players like Rex Chapman or Tom Gugliotta, Bullets return their worst assessment since 1967, not gaining which 22 victories. The arrival of Chris Webber in 1995 shows the will to rebuild a group of quality. In spite of a serious wound which deprives Bullets of their key player for the major part of the season 1995-96, the team, taken along by Juwan Howard, Calbert Cheaney, Gheorghe Mureşan and the beginner Rasheed Wallace, gains 39 victories and passes close to a qualification in playoffs.

Of Bullets in Wizards (1997-2000)

The return of Webber makes it possible the frankness to find the final stages as of the following season. Carried out by Rod Strickland and having in her rows the future AlStar Ben Wallace, the team of Washington is eliminated as of the first turn by the Chicago bulldozers of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. May 15th, 1997, the frankness adopts a new name, judging the word “Bullets” (balls) little adapted to the context of the professional sport, and becomes Washington Wizards. Giving up the traditional colors blue, white and red, the players drape themselves of blue, black and bronzes with the image of the Washington Capitals, team of hockey of the city. To start this new cycle, Wizards carries out one good season 1997-98 with 42 victories for 40 defeats. This positive assessment is not enough nevertheless to reach the playoffs and in May 1998, Webber is sent to Sacramento in exchange of Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe. The Clerc's Office does not take and in one season curtailed for strike of the players, the frankness from Washington gains only 18 matches for 32 defeats before carrying out one season 1999-2000 of poor level.

The new challenge of Michael Jordan (2000-2004)

Hardly a few months after her second sporting retirement, Michael Jordan becomes President of the operations of basketball and minority shareholder of Wizards. The team knows deep upheavals during the season 2000-2001 during which no player will take part in the totality of the matches. The results being always also disappointing, Jordan decides to leave the retirement and to return on the parquet floors at 38 years to shoulder Richard Hamilton and Kwame Brown, number 1 of the last draft. At the time of the AlStar Range 2002, Wizards accumulated 26 victories for 21 defeats and the old number 23 of the bulldozers turns to more than 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 master keys per match. Released by one of its knees at the end of the season, Jordan is constrained to leave its fellow-members who finally do not manage to reach the playoffs. Of return of wound, Jordan works with the reinforcement of manpower by recruiting Jerry Stackhouse and Larry Hughes. Confined with the role of 6th man at the beginning of season, Jordan will finish like the only player of the frankness to take part in the whole of the 82 matches of the season 2002-03. Wizards return a new assessment of 37-45, missing once more the final stages. Tensions within manpower pushes the majority shareholder then to draw aside Michael Jordan of the ground and the executive team. The assessment of the passage of Jordan is criticized enough by the observers. In spite of the renewal of notoriety of the frankness, much think that it would have been more advantageous to rebuild the team patiently in order to profit from high choices of draft allowing the recruitment of major players like Yao Ming or LeBron James. One also reproaches the sextuple champion NBA used the first choice of the lottery 2001 to enlist Kwame Brown rather than Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker or Gilbert Arenas. This last unloads finally in Washington with orée of the season 2003-04. After a first difficult season, the bet proves to be paying.

The return to the foreground (since 2004)

In the wake of the most prolific trio of the league (Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes and Antawn Jamison), Wizards carry out their best season since 1979 with 45 victories for 37 defeats and their first appearance in playoffs under their new name. Hugues leads the league to the average of interceptions per match with 2,89 and Arenas and Jamison become the first duet of Washington invited to the AlStar Range since 1987. Opposed to Chicago bulldozers, Wizards gain the 3rd handle to sign their first success in playoffs since 1988. Three matches later, they become the 12th team of the history to gain a series after having lost the 2 first matches. The second tower vis-a-vis the Miami Heat will be shorter with a dry defeat in 4 handles.

During the summer 2005, Kwame Brown is sent to the Lakers in exchange of Caron Butler while Larry Hughes takes the direction of Cleveland. Wizards are essential like the 3rd most prolific team of the league resting on its new trio Arenas-Jamison-Butler. With a final assessment of 42 victories for 40 defeats, the team qualifies itself in playoffs with the 5th rank of the Conference Is. The first tower vis-a-vis Cleveland Cavaliers is the occasion of a formidable duel between LeBron James and Gilbert Arenas. The 2 players go blow for blow to more than 30 points of average per match but the Riders will be right finally of Wizards in 6 handles.

Current manpower

Prize list

Former players of the frankness

Chicago Packers (season 1961 - 62)

Chicago Zephyrs (season 1962 - 63)

Baltimore Bullets (1963 - 1973)

Capital Bullets (1973 - 1974)

Washington Bullets (1974 - 1997)

Washington Wizards (since 1997)

withdrawn Shirts

  • 11 - Elvin Beams
  • 25 - Gus Johnson
  • 41 - Wes Unseld

External bonds

  • Official site
  • Statistical detailed on basketball-reference.com
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