Inside The Wizards

Here's 15 Wizards Who Left DC Then Won A Championship... Will Beal Be Next?

An unfortunate trend that continues to happen is that NBA players will come to DC in hopes of a championship, leave DC then win a championship with a different team.

BreAnna Holmes

Here's 15 Wizards Who Left DC Then Won A Championship... Will Beal Be Next?
Here's 15 Wizards Who Left DC Then Won A Championship... Will Beal Be Next? /
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Sunday, as many were celebrating Father's Day, the news broke that Bradley Beal's time in DC was coming to an end. The 3x All-Star and Wizards Franchise player is now a Phoenix Sun! 

An unfortunate trend that continues to happen is that former Wizards will come to DC in hopes of a championship but it doesn't happen, they leave then win a championship with a different team. This has happened with at least 15 ex-Wizards players including this year's NBA Champions, the Denver Nuggets.

RELATED: 15+ Former Wizards Made It Into NBA Playoffs

Jeff Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Thomas Bryant and Ish Smith now join the list of NBA players who played for the Wizards while the team was struggling then leave to almost immediately win the championship in a new city and different jersey. It has become a trend for the Wizards to see players find more success somewhere else after their time in DC. NBC Sports Washington’s Chase Hughes notes that “In fact, [the 2020 Lakers Championship] was the fourth straight year the NBA champion had at least one former Wizards player in the fold. And during that four-year span, no other NBA team has had more former players win rings than the Wizards”.

After Monday night’s win against the Miami Heat, the 2022-2023 Nuggets brought the 1st championship to Denver, Colorado since the team started 47 years ago. Jeff Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Thomas Bryant and Ish Smith are now Wiz kids continuing this streak. Take a look at the list of ex-Wizards and their Larry O’Brien Championship Trophies below…

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope played for the Wizards from 2021-2022 and is now a is now a 2022-2023 NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets.

Jeff Green

Jeff Green played with the Wizards from 2018-2019 and is now a is now a 2022-2023 NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets.

Thomas Bryant

Thomas Bryant played for the Wizards from 2018-2022 and is now a is now a 2022-2023 NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets. 

Denver Nuggets center Thomas Bryant (13) gestures in the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Ball Arena.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Ish Smith

Ish Smith played for the Wizards from 2019-2021 then left for the Charlotte Hornets for 1 season (2021-2022) but returned to the Wizards for the end of the 2022 season. He began in the fall of 2022 with the Denver and is now a 2022-2023 NBA champion.

Otto Porter Jr.

Otto Porter Jr. played for the Wizards since he entered the league in 2013 until 2018 and won his championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2022.

Golden State Warriors forward Otto Porter Jr. (32) celebrates after the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics in game six of the 2022 NBA Finals to win the NBA Championship at TD Garden.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Gary Payton ll

Gary Payton ll played for the Wizards in 2019 and won his championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2022.

Chris Chiozza

Chris Chiozza played with the Wizards/Capital City Go-Go G League Team in 2019 and won his championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2022.

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Bobby Portis

Bobby Portis played with the Wizards from 2018-2019 and then played with the New York Knicks during the 2019-2020 season. Now he is an NBA champion with the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee Bucks center Bobby Portis (9) holds the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy during the Milwaukee Bucks victory parade.
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard played with the Washington Wizards during the 2018-2019 season. He only played 9 games when a required back surgery removed him from the line-up. He then moved on to play for the LA Lakers and winning the 2020 NBA Championship.

Markieff Morris

Markieff Morris played with the Wizards from 2016-2019 then moved around a bit until landing his place with the LA Lakers and winning the championship in 2020.

JaVale McGee

JaVale McGee played with the Wizards from 2008-2011. McGee now has three rings, winning two with the Warriors and one in 2020 with the LA Lakers.

Jared Dudley

Jared Dudley played with the Wizards from 2015-2016 and won his 1st championship with the 2020 LA Lakers.

Nick Young

Nick Young played with the Wizards from 2007-2011. He also hopped around to a few teams but then won his 1st championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2018.

Jodie Meeks

Jodie Meeks played with the Wizards during the 2017-2018 season and won his championship the next season with the Toronto Raptors.

Shaun Livingston

Shaun Livingston played with the Wizards during the 2009-2010 and the 2012-2013 seasons. He won his 3 NBA Championships with the Warriors.

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BreAnna Holmes
BREANNA HOLMES

BreAnna Holmes obtained her bachelors degree in mass communications, graduating with honors from Winston-Salem State University. During her matriculation at WSSU she excelled in academics while remaining involved in various organizations. Since graduating, BreAnna has worked as an editor, director, videographer and producer of short films, PSAs, commercials, music videos, television shows and documentaries. She is currently the Online Editor for Radio One D.C. and has been a credential reporter for the Washington Wizards since 2018.  BreAnna Holmes has covered the Wizards along with the Capital City Go-Go and the Washington Mystics reporting at the WNBA playoffs and the 2019 WNBA championship. BreAnna has been a staff writer for Sports Illustrated Wizards FanNation since 2022. 

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