Inside The Wizards

Brian Keefe Proud of Wizards Despite Losing Streak

Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe is looking on the bright side amidst the team's recent skid.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 15, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Washington Wizards Head Coach Brian Keefe and Washington Wizards guard Carlton Carrington (8) in the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Nov 15, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Washington Wizards Head Coach Brian Keefe and Washington Wizards guard Carlton Carrington (8) in the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images / Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
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Brian Keefe likely didn't anticipate his first six weeks of his inaugural season as Washington Wizards head coach to go as poorly as it has.

After going 2-2 in the first four games of the season, the Wizards have dropped 13 consecutive games, going winless in November ahead of tonight's final game of the month against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Keefe knew there would be losing, maybe not to the extent that it has, but he has prepared for the moment, and he is operating the same as he would even if the streak wasn't as long as it is.

“You keep coaching, you keep teaching and you keep showing on the right way to play and we use every moment that we have to take advantage of that,” Keefe said. “Sometimes in these hard moments I think you can grow. You're learning how to get some resolve some resiliency and we’ve shown that this year. I’ve been really proud of our group this year.”

For some coaches in this spot, they would panic. Losing 13 games isn't easy no matter how you slice it. Keefe appears calm on the surface, and there's nothing to suggest that he isn't coming across the same way behind the scenes, but it takes a special kind of resolve to stay calm and operate as-is in this moment.

Keefe and the Wizards are a competitive bunch, and the more these losses begin to pile up, the harder it becomes to stay the course. However, the Wizards need a coach like Keefe that is able to stick with the process no matter how bleak it may be in the moment.

Keefe and the Wizards are back in action tonight against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET inside Fiserv Forum.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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