RizDaPrince

[GM Rizzo]

The grind continues. Rough set of games in that last 10 update, but Riz ended it on a semi-high note with 9 pts and 13 reb. Hopefully he can string together more consistent stretches of games like that.

It was a tougher stretch than I would have liked but I’m coming out on a vengeance! The goal is to bump up to 6th man by season’s end.

[GM Rizzo]

I can’t believe we dealt away our boy Corey Krispie but this is a business. I have grown up loving the game but when moves like that happen it reminds me we aren’t just in this for the love of the game anymore. Either the squad is competing for the playoffs or we are retooling. Being in the middle is not where anyone wants to be.

With Kispert off to Memphis, we were able to bring in Brandon Clarke. While I know I can play some power forward, as some of my best moments have come playing the four, I’d be lying if I said we didn’t need another big on the team to do the dirty work. When B-Clarke is healthy, that dude only knows how to produce!

Playing behind both Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr, I figured BC would be seeing much of the same minutes on the floor as I was seeing so I wanted to be the first to greet him at the team hotel. We hit it off pretty well, helped him find a new pad in D.C. We caught up at shoot around the next day and gelled pretty well during light scrimmages.



We got a rare win the next night, this time over the lowly Utah Jazz. Me and BC had an instant chemistry on the second unit as I was able to find him on a few cuts or run outs for easy buckets. With him at the five and me at the four, we are very much able to be switchable 2-5 on defense and really stress opposing defenses. This front court duo just felt right.

After the win, Coach Keefe pulled me aside on the flight to Phoenix. He was real with me, saying the season has gone sideways real quick and it’s time to invest in the youth of this team. After dealing Kispert, there was no secret that McCollum and Middleton would be out the door if a deal worth taking came across their desk. But until then, the coaching staff was encouraged by my defensive and rebounding efforts lately and wanted to reward me with honorary sixth man status. The other two off the bench with me would be Clarke and Middleton, a trio that should be able to put in work against opposing 2nd units.

My first game as a 6th man was frustrating. That dude Mark Williams must have swatted my shit four different times tonight. My jumper and my shooting in general was a real struggle, going 2-12 overall and 1-3 from deep. I did grab ten boards and dished out eight dimes. My favorite part was half those assists went to Clarke. I really like how the two of us work together and if I was ever to move to a different squad, I may request him to join me.



While Mark Williams did get me on a few blocks, I did get some revenge with a two-handed slam that actually pulled down the rim. I haven’t been hitting the weights as much as I would have liked so far, it’s clear my body is changing for the good. Once I add some good muscle weight, I really hope to get some interior scoring going much more than I do now.

[redsox907]

damn the shooting numbers have been rough as of late, but even with off-scoring nights you're still filling up the stat sheet

[Agent]

Pretty close to cracking the starting lineup

[GM Rizzo]

damn the shooting numbers have been rough as of late, but even with off-scoring nights you're still filling up the stat sheet

I dislike the shooting meter with a passion in 2k25. I just don’t understand the timing on it very well at all. My player also has a super quick release - one that I didn’t choose but want to stick with to keep the difficulty up. I’m really going to need to hit the practice court to improve my release timing.

[GM Rizzo]

Pretty close to cracking the starting lineup

Very true, but not sure Prince is ready to be a starter. Though it could be a great season to take my licks and really learn how to maximize my abilities in a lost season. Those steals and blocks will not be easy to come by though.

[GM Rizzo]

It’s been a minute since I last updated you all on my rookie season and a lot has changed with the squad over the last couple weeks. No, the losing still continues as we dropped six of these last nine games en route to the trade deadline and approaching the All-Star Break. Being straight up: we stink.

It seemed inevitable but it really hit hard when we got the word that we were dealing C.J. McCollum away before the deadline. He’s been as steady as they come and while we understand that this is a business and we aren’t winning right now, it still hurts to see the OG out the door. We brought back Jerami Grant from Portland as well as a 2nd round pick from Memphis this season. Picks are whatever, but I don’t know how my game will mesh with Grant.

Regardless, I’m going to show the front office that I’m the future of this squad.

I think they are starting to see that as well because over these nine games I have had some of my biggest moments and best performances of my young career.



Reverse jam on Cooper Flagg!



A snatch block on Onyeka Okongwu!




Diming up Alex Sarr for my first career triple-double and Player of the Game!



A shot-clock beating triple over Wemby!

The season is going to start getting weird as we come down the stretch with nothing to play for, so here’s to hoping that Coach leans into me getting more minutes and more control of the offense!

[chosenone58]

Yeah, it's been typical Wizards basketball. Nice job dropping that trip-dub and picking up the dub.

[GM Rizzo]

Yeah, it's been typical Wizards basketball. Nice job dropping that trip-dub and picking up the dub.

For sure a typical Wiz season. I know right now I’m just playing to get my numbers but I wonder how that will change if/when I’m in a winning situation and making the right play matters more than getting another shot up.

The triple-double definitely felt good. My rebounding has been great lately (I actually think it is wayyyy too easy for a user to grab a lot of rebounds) but the jumper is starting to come along and was finally making good reads off the bounce.

About time I started putting some legit performances together.

[GM Rizzo]

Doing the little things. That’s never been my calling card since I was a kid gifted with great size and skills. But now I realize I’ve got to do what it takes for Coach to get me on the floor. While I was in my bag doin’ my thing on offense - dropping 21 against the Pacers - the play that got me a shout out from Coach in the locker room was drawing a charge against Pascal Siakam late in the 4th quarter to stop their run and secure the dub.

While my chest was a bit sore after the game because he dropped his boney ass shoulder into me, getting that acknowledgement from the coaching staff made it all worthwhile.

The next day we had a very light practice with Khris Middleton and Jerami Grant getting the day off being vets and deserving an off day right before the All Star Break. Coach had me and my boy B-Clarke teamed up against basically all the damn starters: Bub, Tre J, Bilal, Kyshawn and Big Sarr. It was like he was trying to prove a point or something, or maybe just trying to boost the morale of the starters.

Brandon and I, we weren’t here for that shit mane. We busted they collective asses up and down the floor and really put them on notice that we weren’t here to be their backups. We wanted to start and we are a package deal. Our chemistry continues to grow and our ability to play off each other is off the charts. If I can ever get my timing down, throwing lobs to him is going to be hella fun.

After practice, Coach pulled me, Bub, Kyshawn and Sarr to the side and wanted to congratulate us as we were all selected for the Rising Stars Challenge as the rookies took on the sophomores. That basically meant we were running back practice as I would represent the rooks and they would be on the sophomore squad.

This game was usually played a bit harder than the real deal All Star Game, but tonight with us four on the floor, it seemed to get a bit personal. The three of them all took turns trying to D me up, really getting after it and trying to rough me up. While I didn’t have my boy to run with, Dylan Harper and I seemed to gel early. That boy was was cookin’ early and got us up on the sophomores in the first quarter and we never really looked back.

Jared McClain did his best to shoot the older squad back into the game but a late jumper by Kyshawn George was no good as I was able to get a strong closeout and make him miss it just short. He dapped me up after but it felt…cold.



Maybe it was the earlier sequence in the game that got him all tight. He went up for another three, after having already missing mad shots early in the 3rd quarter. I sprung up out of my stance and got a great contest, blocking the shot and having it land behind him. As I swatted it, I immediately started to chase it down.



I made sure nobody was catching me as I went up and tomahawked that bitch with the loudest yell I could give. The fans were up on their feet going nuts as I just poured gasoline on the fire that the Rookies were here for ball. As we celebrated our win, I couldn’t help but feel like my Wizards “bruthas” weren’t all that excited about any of it. I hope this doesn’t mess up with what we have in the locker room, but I make no apologies for any of it. I’m here to play and if they don’t like it, they can leave. I want to put the Wizards back on the map!