Washington Wizards begin Summer League action on Friday

WASHINGTON - The Washington Wizards return to action in their first 2025 Summer League game against the Phoenix Suns on Friday. Among the 15 rostered players, seven were taken in the first round of the past two NBA Drafts. 

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Tre Johnson III (No. 6) and Will Riley (No. 21) represent the 2025 first-round selections. 

The 2024 draftees include Alex Sarr (No. 2), Bub Carrington (No. 14), AJ Johnson (No. 23), Keyshawn George (No. 24) and Dillion Jones (No. 26). 

The Wizards used the No. 43 pick on Jamir Watkins and signed Kadary Richmond to a two-way contract.

The roster is rounded out with Leaky Black, Liam Robbins, Zeke Mayo, Akoldah Gak, Keshon Gilbert, Jonathan Pierre and J.J. Outlaw serves as the head coach. 

READ MORE: Wizards trade Kelly Olynyk to Spurs for Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley

Wizards Summer League

Big picture view:

The most compelling stories of the upcoming games are how Johnson III and Riley compete at the next level and what the second-year players have improved on this offseason. 

Johnson III was a proven shot maker with a smooth deep-range stroke at the University of Texas. It's typical for rookies to struggle converting shots within their first taste of NBA action. Watching his progression through the Summer should be an area of emphasis for Wizards fans.

Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington highlight young roster

Not only will the pace of play differ for Johnson III, but he will play a new role as he will not be as ball-dominant on offense. He joins Carrington in the backcourt, who made a splash in his rookie season. Washington relied heavily on Carrington to control the offense as he averaged 9.8 points on 9.1 shots and 4.4 assists a game en route to a Second Team All-Rookie selection last season. 

Sarr was also featured as a top rookie, with a First-Team selection. He averaged the third-most points on the team, 13, and grabbed the second-most rebounds, 6.5 per game. With the departure of the two leading scorers, Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma, the Wizards needed Sarr to improve his volume shooting, as he held a moderate 39.4% field goal percentage on 12.4 shots per game. 

READ MORE: Washington Wizards select Tre Johnson and Will Riley in 2025 NBA Draft

This summer, Riley may fly under the radar of Johnson III, Sarr and Carrington, but demonstrates large potential. His freshman season numbers at the University of Illinois don't jump off the page at 12.6 and 4.1 rebounds per game. But, with a young Wizards roster, he can blossom into a high-level role player as he showed the ability to handle himself on both ends of the floor, which the Wizards desperately need.

George looks to improve as a bench piece ahead of the 2025-26 season. He appeared in 68 games and saw 38 starts last season. The lengthy wing was fifth on the team (Min. team average 37 games) in three-point percentage at 32.2%. With an improvement in his shot, George provides solid upside as a depth player for years to come. 

Key players that were not featured on the Wizards Summer League roster include CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart, Bial Coulibaly,  Corey Kispert, Cam Whitmore and Richuan Holmes. 

Game information:

When: Friday, July 11 at 9:00 p.m. ET

Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV

How to Watch: ESPN