Jahadi White and Matt Modderno discuss what they heard from Wizards players, coaches, and executives during the team's exit interview / media day sessions. They discuss Will Dawkins and Michael Winger's attempts to improve the organization's reputation around the league, Brian Keefe's reception from players and his likelihood of staying, the front office's decision about who starts at point guard next year including what happens to Tyus Jones this offseason, and much more! This group also seems to really like each other and Jahadi provides some interesting perspective on whether that really matters or not. They also review the performances of the Wizards' two rookies, Bilal Coulibaly and Tristan Vukcevic. Is this the Wizards' best overall rookie class this century? Tune in to find out! Presented by betonline.ag!

Jahadi White and Matt Modderno grade the Wizards' season and how their rebuild is going so far. They talk about which players should be a part of their longer-term future, what they should prioritize in free agency, bright spots this season, why Alex Sarr may be the ideal fit, Jared Butler's new contract, whether they should sell high on certain younger players, and if Brian Keefe has done enough to earn the head coaching job beyond this year. They also weigh in on a recent ESPN article talking about the Wizards' season and whether Wes Unseld Jr. really deserves to be the scape goat the article makes him out to be. Plus, thoughts on the Kentucky coaching search and what it's like to coach college basketball these days. Presented by betonline.ag!

We talk about the emergence of rookie Tristan Vukcevic, whether they've found a diamond-in-the-rough in Jared Butler, and if Jordan Poole has finally turned a corner. We also talked about Deni Avdija's recent play and how he's been the Wizards' best player the last few months. Also, Matt asks what the benefit there is from playing Anthony Gill over some of the young guys, if any other young players have a chance to contribute long term, and gives a recap of the Capital City Go-Go's playoff elimination. We close the show by discussing Ted Leonsis's failed move to Virginia. Presented by betonline.ag!

0:00 - Intro

1:08 - Season overview

1:33 - Jahadi talks Tristan Vukcevic

4:34 - International vs. NBA playing styles

6:06 - Gilbert Arenas's comments on Nikola Jokic

9:48 - Vukcevic’s rookie breakthrough

15:28 - Why play older guys over the young guys still?

18:04 - Gill & Vukcevic dynamic

18:48 - Will Vukcevic’s emergence impact the Wizards’ drafting strategy?

21:09 - Poole’s progress: Has he finally turned a corner?

29:04 - Jared Butler’s development

33:07 - Roster adjustments

41:48 - Keeping the Wizards in the District

55:33 - Outro

American University head coach Duane Simpkins joins the podcast this week. Simpkins provided his perspective on how American's season went, having some key players returning for next year, bringing out the best in his players, and the type of program he wants to build and style of play he wants to implement. He also talks about playing at the University of Maryland for Gary Williams and what he's learned from other coaches he's worked for in the past. Simpkins provides some really detailed insight into what his team is looking to do on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball as well as what he learned in Year 1 as a college head coach. He also shares a story about playing for Boston Celtics great Robert Parish in the USBL and why the DMV is the best basketball area in the country. Presented by betonline.ag!

0:00 - Welcoming American head coach Duane Simpkins

0:36 - Off-season expectations

2:48 - Takeaways on Simpkins’ first season

4:22 - Defensive struggles & offensive strengths

7:21 - Matt Rogers, Lincoln Ball, Colin Small’s fifth-year returns & incoming recruits

9:16 - The value of obtaining an American Univ. degree

11:46 - Simpkins’ overseas experience

13:34 - Recruiting in the DMV

16:39 - Rogers’ improvements, maximizing team efforts

20:05 - Trusting team roles & building relationships off-court

22:25 - Incorporating old with the new like Flex offense wrinkles

24:03 - Simpkins talks playing under coach Gary Williams at Maryland

28:19 - American’s playing style & expectations for next season

29:56 - Impacts of playing a no-middle defense

32:00 - Simpkins’ memories with USBL coach and Celtic great Robert Parish

33:15 - Fun facts about Simpkins

34:33 - Where will American Basketball be in 5 years?

38:10 - What sets DMV basketball apart from the rest?

Domo (@Domo8186 ) of the Wizards of Gallery Place podcast joins Matt Modderno this week to talk about NBA Draft prospects the Wizards could take with their three 2024 draft picks. With the NCAA tournament coming up, this episode is primarily focus on guys who are competing in March Madness this year so Wizards fans will know who to keep an eye on during the tournament. Prospects covered include: Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, Cody Williams, Stephon Castle, Ja'Kobe Walter, Dalton Knecht, Donovan Clingan, Kel'el Ware, Ryan Dunn, Kyshawn George, Carlton "Bub" Carrington, D.J. Wagnerm Justin Edwards, Zach Edey, DaRon Holmes II, Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylon Tyson, Ajay Mitchell, Trey Alexander, Baylor Scheierman, Tyrese Proctor, Aaron Bradshaw, and more. Presented by betonline.ag!

Jahadi White and Matt Modderno break down what they want to see from the Wizards the rest of the year and what they need to address to improve next season. They also talk about the late-season addition of Tristan Vukcevic. Jahadi gives advice to Vukcevic and they go over things the Wizards can do to help him acclimate more seamlessly. Jahadi explains how a young center can improve his defense and rebounding, the two biggest areas for growth in Vukcevic's game. Additional topics will include: Deni Avdija's rebounding, prioritizing Bilal Coulibaly's development, Jordan Poole's confidence, potential coaching staff additions, the importance of defensive communication, Washington as a free agency destination, playing in the NCAA Tournament, and much more! Presented by betonline.ag! 0:00 Intro 1:30 Current team evaluation 8:00 Vukcevic signing reaction 21:00 Jahadi explains the importance of defensive communication 26:00 Deni’s rebounding has helped Washington in multiple ways this season 34:00 Jordan Poole Check-In 44:00 Coaching Candidates 55:00 Wizards Free Agency Appeal 57:00 Jahadi talks about playing in March Madness

In the episode, Matt Modderno and Nick Kalinowski (@kalidrafts) covered NBA draft prospects who are currently playing at schools in the greater DMV area. We break down their games and the likelihood of them making it onto an NBA roster. Find more detailed DMV basketball coverage on our separate Bleav in DMV Hoops feed: https://bleav.com/shows/bleav-in-dmv-hoops/ Virginia: Reece Beekman, Ryan Dunn Maryland: Julian Reese, Jahmir Young, DeShawn Harris-Smith Outside the DMV: Malik Mack (Harvard), Bub Carrington (Pittsburgh) Georgetown: Jayden Epps, Dontrez Styles Virginia Tech: Hunter Catoor George Mason: Keyshawn Hall, Darius Maddox, Amari Kelly, Woody Newton George Washington: Darren Buchanan, Garrett Johnson, James Bishop IV, Maximus Edwards JMU: Terrence Edwards, TJ Bickerstaff Howard: Bryce Harris, Shyheim Odom, Seth Towns, Marcus Dockery American: Matt Rogers, Matt Mayock VCU: Max Shulga Richmond: Jordan King ODU: Chaunce Jenkins Towson: Christian May UMBC: Dion Brown Mount St. Mary's: Dakota Leffew Presented by betonline.ag!

Jahadi White and Matt Modderno covered: -the Lakers game and any positive takeaways -whether Jordan Poole has turned the corner & his fit next to Tyus Jones -what the team needs from Kyle Kuzma moving forward -the positives of Marvin Bagley's game -Is Deni Avdija on the best contract in the NBA? -pregame routines based on an article from Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports -the Wizards giving Johnny Davis every opportunity to show something -what to expect in the Clippers game -Jahadi responds to Charles Barkley's comments on load management Chase's article: https://www.monumentalsportsnetwork.com/article/The-numbers-behind-Corey-Kispert-and-Tyus-Jones-pregame-shooting-routines Presented by betonline.ag!

Jahadi White and Matt Modderno react to the All-Star game, share what they'd do to fix it, and discuss what the top Wizards-related ASG moment is. They weigh in on Jordan Poole being moved to the bench and his post-game comments about the move, while also reviewing the Denver game as a whole. For the last half of the show, new member of the BIW team Laura Shaughnessy joins the show to ask Jahadi and Matt listener questions from the mailbag. Thanks to all who submitted them! Also, please follow the show on all social media platforms (@bleavinwizards). Presented by betonline.ag!

Eran Soroka (@sorokman) of Sport5 in Israel (@sport5il) and the Osim NBA Podcast (@OsimNBA) joins the show to talk about Deni Avdija's breakout and what that means for the Wizards moving forward. Soroka has seen Avdija play from a young age so he's particularly well-suited to point out the areas that he's improved in. We discuss Avdija’s growth, whether his defense has fallen off with his increased offensive role, which lineups best maximize his skills, his pairing with Kyle Kuzma, his coverage in Israel, and just how good he can actually get. We also talk about the team-building strategy of the Wizards' front office and how Avdija fits in with their long-term plans. Plus, which player is most likely to represent the Wizards in the All-Star Game next? Presented by betonline.ag! 0:00 - Intro 0:45 - Eran’s initial reactions to Deni Avdija’s recent development 2:35 - Was Kuzma really taking away Deni’s shots? 5:06 - Will we see another performance like this from Deni again this season? 7:30 - Is Kuzma holding back Deni? 9:06 - “The problem wasn’t always just Kuzma, it was Kuzma and Poole.” - Eran Soroka 11:34 - Ad reads 12:14 - Who is the next Wizard we’ll see representing the team in the All-Star game? 15:00 - “When they have an All-Star it means that the team is in the right direction.” - Eran 17:25 - Wes vs. Keefe’s impact on Deni’s progression 18:54 - Cementing Deni’s place on the team post-trade deadline 21:30 - Keefe’s strategy for minimizing Poole’s losses 24:15 - Matt talks Deni as a focal point for an offense 27:02 - “[Deni] doesn’t have any consequences in the team’s fate.” - Eran Soroka 26:50 - “To move from the third option to the first option is a big jump in any NBA team no matter what.” - Eran Soroka 28:13 - Will the Wizards stick with Keefe? “The next coach of the Wizards will have to be somebody who puts an emphasis on developing players.” - Eran Soroka 30:29 - What is Deni’s long-term ceiling? 33:56 - “Most of the players you see aren’t as strong or as quick [as Deni].” - Eran Soroka 36:04 - Eran speaks on Deni’s offensive arsenal 38:16 - “Landing on 39 to 40 percent from three will definitely change his outlook, and the Wizard’s outlook as well.” - Eran Soroka 39:04 - “When [Deni] shoots more, the efficiency goes up.” - Eran Soroka 39:38 - Deni’s newfound confidence in taking shots 42:21 - “In the NBA, they’re not punishing teams for losing.” - Eran Soroka