Inside The Wizards

Wizards Get Surprise Contribution vs. Mavs

The Washington Wizards are relying on their depth.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 5, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) leaps to pass the ball as Washington Wizards guard Jaylen Nowell (5) defends in the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Dec 5, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) leaps to pass the ball as Washington Wizards guard Jaylen Nowell (5) defends in the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Washington Wizards are filling up their injury report, which means new players will be given opportunities that they wouldn't have otherwise gotten.

Among those who saw expanded minutes in the team's last game against the Dallas Mavericks was two-way forward Justin Champagnie.

Champagnie, 23, appeared in two games earlier this season as part of garbage time, but against the Mavs, he logged 29 minutes of action, scoring nine points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists.

“I thought he was great,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe said of Champagnie. “This is an example of our symbiotic relationship with our [G League affiliate] Go-Go like he's played great minutes down there. He was prepared. He played a lot of minutes down there so he was ready to play high minutes tonight. He was able to step in that role with some bodies down and I thought he really contributed and gave us a good little push tonight.”

Champagnie saw action as a result of injuries to Kyle Kuzma (rib), rookie Kyshawn George (ankle) and Corey Kispert (ankle). There is no timetable for a return for any of those players, so Champagnie may get a chance at some more reps and minutes over the course of the next few games.

Last season with the Wizards, Champagnie appeared in 15 games close to the end of the season, averaging 5.9 points per game. His Achilles' heel has always been his 3-point shooting, where he is a career 30.5 percent shooter from distance.

If Champagnie can find a way to improve his shooting with this opportunity to play, he may eventually earn a spot on a 15-man roster in the near future.

Champagnie and the Wizards return to the floor tomorrow as the Denver Nuggets come to town. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

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

Published
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.

Home/Washington Wizards News