The Washington Wizards first game of the season did not go quite as planned with a 142-120 loss to the Indiana Pacers. While their debut may cause uncertainty, Double Take Sports founder Carita Parks spoke to two-time NBA champion Quinn Cook during the offseason and he doesn’t think the Wizards will struggle as much as people may expect.
As a Prince Georges County (MD) native and DeMatha High School standout, Cook is very familiar with the Washington, D.C. sports scene. He also won NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.
When asked his thoughts on the team’s ‘rebuild,’ he quickly interjected and stated he does not think the Wizards are in rebuild mode.
“I don’t think they’re in a rebuild. With Kyle Kuzma, Tyus Jones, and Jordan Poole, you’re competitive every night,” Cook said. “I don’t know the roster off the top of my head right now but just based off those three, they’re going to be competitive. I think the GM has done a great job restructuring the whole franchise.”
A key part of the Wizards restructuring was the addition of rookie Bilal Coulibaly who debuted as the youngest player to appear in a season opener for the franchise when the team took on the Pacers.
Although no one is expecting a playoff caliber season, there are 82 games in a season so the Wizards still time to gel and find their identity. If anything, Wizards fans should find solace in Cook’s outlook for the team.