Felix Okpara did not need long to leave a mark in Washington’s preseason win over Detroit.
The Wizards didn’t turn to him until deep in the second half of their 114-108 victory over the Pistons, but once he got on the floor, the rookie gave them exactly the kind of burst you’d expect from a big man whose calling card is effort, length and easy finishes around the rim. Alongside overqualified third-stringer Justin Champagnie, Okpara helped swing crunch-time in Washington’s favor.
That’s the part of the story that matters most for a player like Okpara. He isn’t arriving with the same spotlight as AJ Dybantsa, the franchise centerpiece and the most electric draft prize Washington has landed since the John Wall sweepstakes in 2010. Nor is he expected to get the same kind of nightly runway as stars like Anthony Davis and Trae Young, who continue to draw attention as the Wizards’ new headliners.
Okpara’s appeal is simpler, and in some ways more practical: he runs the floor, finishes plays and gives Washington another frontcourt body built to thrive off passers like Dybantsa and Young. That was on display against Detroit. He finished 3-for-3 from the field, threw down a loud alley-oop poster dunk, picked up a pair of blocks and steals, and even knocked down a corner 3 when the Pistons left him alone.
Felix Okpara's first bucket of preseason game two: a corner three after drifting into the empty corner. The shot won't be foundational to his game or role as the Wizards' deep cut big, but it certainly didn't hurt in last night's eight point, five rebound, four stock outing. pic.twitter.com/TC1gDBw61R
The shot is not going to define his game, and no one is projecting him into Washington’s day-one rotation as a rookie still getting used to the NBA’s speed and spacing. The Wizards have plenty of size already. Davis and Alex Sarr are set to start, Deandre Ayton is expected to serve as the primary sixth-man backup, and Tristan Vukcevic remains another option off the bench as a stretch big.
That kind of depth means Okpara’s path is likely to run through the G League early on. For the Wizards, that makes him more of a luxury than a necessity - a deep-cut frontcourt piece waiting for his turn rather than someone they need immediately.
Still, when his number does come up, the ingredients are obvious. Washington already has the playmakers who can feed a rim-running center, and Okpara showed in a five-minute burst that he can impact a game with defense, activity and simple, violent finishes at the rim. For now, that’s enough to keep him in the conversation as Washington’s next second-round success story.
In Other News...
Anthony Davis Is Already Stirring Reactions Before His Wizards Debut
Anthony Davis has not played a minute for the Washington Wizards yet, but he is already giving the team a little extra buzz. The Chicago native and longtime Packers fan took to Instagram with a challenge tied to the Packers-Bears game, setting off the sort of social-media back-and-forth that only an NFC North rivalry can produce. Bears fans noticed, and the comments quickly turned into playful ribbing over the game and the familiar split loyalties that come with being from Chicago.
The exchange had a little more edge after Green Bay's win, with one Bears receiver stepping in to answer Davis directly and push the trash talk a step further. For Wizards fans, it is a reminder that Davis arrives with plenty of personality attached to his name, and his season opener on October 21 will come with a bit of added attention well before he ever settles into a Washington uniform. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards Young Core Is Starting To Force A Tough Rotation Call
The Wizards preseason is already starting to look like a sorting exercise, with Washington leaning on a group of recent draft picks and young talent that has been piling up over the last few years. In the win over Detroit, the rookie class and the newer faces around the roster gave the team another look at what this next phase could become, as Felix Okpara continued to draw attention and the group around AJ Dybantsa and Anthony Davis kept working into defined roles.
Justin Champagnie also stayed in the mix as one of the more dependable pieces in Washingtons early camp picture, which is where the rotation question gets interesting. The Wizards used a tight group for much of the first half, and that kind of early-season compression tends to put pressure on the fringes fast, especially when younger players keep making enough of an impression to force the coaching staff to think twice about who belongs in the nightly mix. [Read more 🡒]
Bilal Coulibaly Suddenly Has Real Pressure In Wizards Rotation
Bilal Coulibaly is heading into a pivotal season with Washington, and the timing could hardly be less forgiving. The former lottery pick is in the final year of his rookie deal, which puts him on track for restricted free agency next offseason, and the Wizards are already showing they have more wing options to sort through than they did a year ago.
Preseason has only sharpened the pressure around his role. Teammates have stepped forward while Coulibaly has not found the same footing offensively, and Washingtons addition of Khris Middleton adds another veteran wing who can stretch the floor and absorb minutes. For a young player still trying to establish himself, the margin for error in this rotation may be shrinking fast. [Read more 🡒]