Thank you Nene.
Four and a half years ago, you were traded from the Denver Nuggets, as they were looking to grow with Kenneth Faried, to the Washington Wizards. You were coming to a team that lacked leadership, talent other than John Wall, an identity and a winning culture.
You took over from Nick Young and JaVale McGee, two players who were knuckleheads and a big part of the problem. As Washington found it was finally time for a change, it was you who was picked to come in and be the one to show the younger guys what it took to be a winner.
No, the Wizards were not an immediate contender. Those pieces came later. However, this trade turned Washington from a laughingstock of the league into a team that nobody could sleep on, and one that was respected around the NBA.
Guys like Paul Pierce and Drew Gooden would have never signed on a team that was goofy and uncompetitive. This culture in this organization that had been so bad for so long had finally changed. Players believed the Wizards could contend for a title, making them a lead destination for veteran free agents.
Hearing stories of you calling out John Wall and Bradley Beal after a 2-6 start in 2014 proved that it was not just the points and rebounds that compile your value, but it’s the locker room presence you brought that made your time in DC have a lasting impact on the franchise.
Those guys, along with Otto Porter, will never forget the time they spent with you, the skills they acquired and the lessons learned playing alongside you. They know your time in DC was not only defined on the court.
In January, I had the pleasure of interviewing you, and it was clear that you are one of the NBA’s best personalities. You took time out of your busy schedule to meet me with, a high school journalist running WizardsTalk.
I will always be thankful towards you for this act, as well as all you did for the Wizards while a member of the team here. It was a honor being a fan of yours throughout your time in DC.
From the standpoint of a fan, it was a pleasure being able to watch you over the course of five different seasons. Fans will always remember the huge dunk on Al Horford in the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals, watching as you match your career high with a game-winning dunk against the New Orleans Pelicans, and your absolute demolition of the Chicago Bulls in the 2014 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
These are the memories that will carry on with fans for a lifetime, but we know there will be more to come. Maybe we will no longer watch you while listening to Steve Buckhantz and Phil Chenier, but there is a guarantee that when you return to Verizon Center, there will be a standing ovation you will never forget.
The Houston Rockets are so lucky to have you on their team. we will surely miss you, but understand that all great things must eventually come to an end. Everybody surrounding the Wizards wish you nothing but the best in your next chapter.
Nene, in DC, we will never forget you. I hope you took as much pleasure playing in front of us as we did watching you.
Thank you Nene.
