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CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton channeling ‘Finding Nemo’ in Wizards leadership
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- CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton channeling ‘Finding Nemo’ in Wizards leadership
The post CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton channeling 'Finding Nemo' in Wizards leadership appeared first on ClutchPoints .
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards lost by a combined 64 points to the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics over the last two games, and Thursday's 141-101 home defeat to the Celtics was soul-crushing. However, veterans CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton won't let the young group lose its way.
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Second-year wing Kyshawn George explained after Friday's practice how their "Finding Nemo"-style approach helps the squad.
"Their consistency in their emotions, I'd say. It's super steady, super calming," the former Miami Hurricane said. "Regardless of what happens, you just keep going, keep swimming. They know what it takes. They come back the next day with the same focus level and precision of being a pro and being able to execute what we have to do."
"Keep swimming" is a phrase popularized by a scene in "Nemo," in which a cheerful Dory tries to cheer up a cranky Marlin. The full saying is "When life gets you down, just keep swimming!"
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McCollum and Middleton do that naturally at this point in their careers, but it's not easy for young players to stay enthusiastic after losing nine of their first 21 games by 20-plus points in addition to three 19-point defeats. Getting blown out doesn't help them develop, as it robs them of experience in clutch-time situations and subjects them to non-competitive minutes in the fourth quarter.
However, George said that the veteran duo's even-keeled attitude keeps them inspired.
"You learn from it on the court. You take example," the 21-year-old continued. "Obviously, they've had longer careers and have accomplished more than most of us in this building. Learning from that, wanting to be ambitious and wanting to do something with your career. You're not trying to mimic, but pick up what you can pick up from those types of people."
George's statement is accurate, as McCollum and Middleton's resumes are on a different stratosphere compared to everyone else on the roster. McCollum won the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2016, has averaged at least 20 points for 10 straight years, and was the second option behind Damian Lillard when the Portland Trail Blazers made the Western Conference Finals in 2019. Meanwhile, Middleton is a three-time NBA All-Star and was the second option behind Giannis Antetokounmpo when the Milwaukee Bucks won the 2021 NBA Finals.
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On the other hand, second-year Washington center Alex Sarr and second-year guard Bub Carrington both earned All-Rookie placements last season, and third-year guard Bilal Coulibaly is a two-time Rising Star. That shows promise, but they haven't learned how to win yet, as the Wizards went 15-67 in Coulibaly's first season and 18-64 last year. Now, they're 3-18 before hosting the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.
The overload of losing is due to Washington's priority of rebuilding through the draft. Finishing with the worst or second-worst record in the NBA ensures that it won't finish below the fifth or sixth picks in the lottery, respectively, and ties it for having the highest odds of getting the top spot. That hasn't happened since it picked franchise legend John Wall No. 1 overall in 2010, but it did select Sarr No. 2 in 2024. It then fell to No. 6 this past summer, but it still landed sharpshooting guard Tre Johnson .
The Wizards will probably end with a similar record this season as they keep try to land their franchise cornerstone. But until then, they must have more competitive showings to help their young core grow.
Although McCollum and Middleton aid that effort with their leadership, they won't be in Washington much longer. They're both on expiring contracts and are top trade/buyout candidates ahead of February's NBA Trade Deadline, per CBS Sports. Luckily, the team's young players have noticed their "keep swimming" way of life, and they can imitate it even after the elder statesmen go to other squads.
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CJ McCollum describes Will Riley 's skill set
© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
One of the few positives over the last two games is rookie wing Will Riley playing more than 12 minutes a night for the first time in his career. The 19-year-old played 26 minutes in Tuesday's 121-102 loss to the 76ers and 27 against the Celtics, combining for 19 points (7-12 FG, 3-5 3-point) with eight rebounds, three assists and one steal. Before that, he logged 36 points (14-24 FG, 4-6 3-point) with five rebounds, seven assists, and one steal over 39 minutes in the G League on Nov. 30.
McCollum spoke about Riley's game after the Boston loss.
"Will can hoop. We said it right away when we seen him in camp," the 34-year-old said. "He's aggressive, he can get downhill, he's got great pivots, good feet, good basketball IQ. Obviously you guys have seen what he did in the G League and college. His game definitely translates to the NBA. As he gets more comfortable and experienced, a lot of people will get to see him develop and grow too."
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Riley was an off-ball shot creator as a freshman for the Illinois Fighting Illini last season, and he's practiced his point guard skills in his three G League appearances this year. However, the 6-foot-9, 180-pounder is making it hard to justify the Wizards not playing him every game, especially with Coulibaly (oblique), Johnson (hip flexor), Sarr (thigh), and veteran guard Corey Kispert (thumb) all sidelined , per the team's injury report. He didn't play in their 129-126 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, but that was before Coulibaly went down.
Riley's development is one of Washington's most important storylines moving forward, as he could establish himself as a main pillar of its rebuild alongside Sarr, George, and Johnson. More losses are inevitable, but the No. 21 overall pick is one of the players who makes the struggle more exciting.
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