The Wizards Had One of the Most Underrated Backcourts in NBA History

While it was from a short period in time in mid 2010s, guards John Wall and Bradley Beal had one of the most electric backcourts in the NBA, but they do not get talked about as much. Find out why and how they performed and elevated the Washington Wizards. (Credit: NBC Sports)

I remember during the course of my childhood seeing that the Washington Wizards were horrible. They never were in any postseason contention. In fact, at the time, I just sort of knew them as the team that preceded the Washington Bullets. Heck, I knew Michael Jordan played for them and then Gilbert Arenas kind of brought them back to relevancy, but that was about it. In fact, even with their historic “Bullet” name, the team has an all time record of 864–1752 according to Pro Basketball Reference. But the Wizards landed a spell in the 2010 and 2012 NBA Draft that helped change the culture of their losing ways.

NBA guard John Wall was selected first overall in the 2010 NBA draft and coming from the University of Kentucky, the kid could play. Winning the Adolph Rupp Trophy and being All-American in 2010, the Wizards knew they had a star. Wall’s ability to slash through defenses at a ridiculous speed made him one of the premiere players in the NBA. His rookie year was the 2010–11 NBA season when he averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 assists, and 4.6 rebounds a game in 69 appearances. The Wizards were still bad, so they landed another spell in 2012.

In stepped Bradley Beal, who came from the University of Florida. Beal was selected third overall in the 2012 NBA draft and it was quite understanding of how these two players would dominate in the league. Wall no longer had to do all the scoring himself. Beal was the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2011 and was also All-American and McDonald’s All-American. He was first team in the SEC and had a smooth jumper. He was a sniper from long range and could put up points in bunches.

While Wall (2) had the speed and playmaking ability, Beal (3) was a prolific scorer and these two perks made them one of the best in the mid 2010s that saw the Wizards compete in the postseason. (Credit: Andscape)

When the two came together, they resurrected the Wizards’ franchise. The 2013–14 NBA season saw Washington produce its first winning record since 2005. The team finished the regular season with a 44–38 record and qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2008. They would knock off the Chicago Bulls in the first round to secure their first postseason win in a very long time. But through 2013–2018, no backcourt electrified more crowds than these two.

According to X, the two combined for 73 points in a playoff series win that was their personal high in 2017. Both players were known to ring up the scoreboard. If one was inconsistent, then the other still was unstoppable. Both made plays. Wall was more known for his speed and athleticism, which allowed for him to be the ultimate playmaker. He had the vision that has often been compared to some of the legendary assist leaders in the game and although he was not a consistent jump shooter, he improved on it every year while he continued to slash to the hoop. Beal, on the other hand, was a scorer naturally. He had one of the smoothest jumpers in the league and also contributed on the defensive side of the ball.

Even when Wall became injury prone, Beal continued to elevate his scoring as he averaged over 30 points per game in back-to-back seasons later in his Wizards’ tenure. But what made these two players so underrated?

Lack of a market, tougher Eastern Conference opponents, and no real national television boosts derailed this backcourt from being able to receive their true flowers. They never won a title together, but they made the Wizards the best they’ve been in a very long time. (Credit: Heat Nation)

Well first off you have to know that even though they played in the capital of the United States, the Wizards were not a big market team and with a history of losing, it was hard for top players to decide if that would be an ultimate destination for them to win a championship. The Wizards today still have this issue. The fanbase is also not as strong as some of the other NBA teams and that could have contributed to the team not being inspired to play on some nights. In fact, even when the Wizards were winning, many of their games were not nationally televised. Because of this, even some of the most casual NBA fans may not have known who these players were.

You had so many great backcourts at this time as well. Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, Chris Paul and JJ Reddick are just to name a few. So it was hard for analysts and sports experts to see how dominating they were during the time. The Splash Bros, which were Curry and Thompson usually were eating up the headlines with their historical three point shooting.

I think another reason is because of the Eastern Conference. Sure this was the weakest conference. But you also had teams like the LeBron-led Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics, who were becoming one of the top teams; you also had the Chicago Bulls, who at this point were seeing the last of their winning seasons. The New York Knicks had Carmelo Anthony, while Paul George was becoming a star with the highly competitive Indiana Pacers. So like I mentioned before, the Wizards, although a good team, were not one of the TOP teams in the Eastern Conference, which made it hard for Wall and Beal to see the spotlight.

But when these two hit the court together, they were so fun to watch on a nightly basis.