Inside The Wizards

Wizards Must Tune Out Critics

The Washington Wizards cannot listen to the outside noise.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Dec 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards are 3-21 through the first 24 games of the season, putting them on pace to not only be the worst team in the league but one of the historically poor squads in NBA history.

While the losses continue to mount, the Wizards are still fighting as they continue to try and build some value.

The Athletic insider Josh Robbins believes the Wizards are on the right track, so they need to not pay attention to what critics may say in regards to their poor performances.

"It’s no secret the Wizards have many significant on-court needs," Robbins writes.

"But more important to the long-term health of the franchise is for team officials to stick to their rebuilding plan. No one enjoys losing. Losing is awful. But as more losses pile up, outside noise will increase about how historically bad this team may be. While accurate, it’s important for everyone within the team — players, coaches and executives alike — not to internalize that noise. For the players and coaches, keep trying to get better. For the executives, don’t deviate from the plan now."

The Wizards are going out every night trying to win basketball games, but their current setup makes it a challenge each and every night. Sometimes, they will be able to prevail, but that won't always be the case.

Wins and losses won't be what defines Washington's season in the long run. It's about the bigger picture, and the Wizards can benefit in the long run from the growth and resolve that is formed during this season filled with trials and tribulations from start to finish.

The Wizards are back in action on Thursday when they take on the Charlotte Hornets at home. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET inside Capital One Arena.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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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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