The Wizards tip off game three of their 2025 Summer League tonight with a contest against the Philadelphia 76ers. The game will start around 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Exact tip-off depends on when earlier games wrap up. We’ll get started with the Playback watch party around 8:25.
The Sixers were somewhat unexpectedly terrible last season. They began the season thinking about contending for a championship and ended the year 24-58. And they just released news that Paul George, the 35-year-old forward they need if they have a shot at contending, had surgery for a knee injury sustained in a workout.
I say “somewhat” because any team reliant on the health and durability of Joel Embiid has to grapple with the fragility of their hopes. To some extent, every team gambles on the health of its stars. Nowhere is that gamble more front and center than Philadelphia.
Embiid and George don’t have much to do with tonight’s game, of course. Still, it’s worth keeping in mind how tenuous success is in the NBA, and how slim the margin can be from competing at the highest levels to participating in the NBA Draft Lottery.
The Sixers got some lotto luck this year, moving up to the third pick where they selected Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe. Wizards fans may be fortunate — Edgecombe, who’s been out for a few days with a thumb injury, was a full participant in practice yesterday and is expected to take the court against Washington.
Wizards to Watch
- Tre Johnson — Solid first outing. Terrific second outing. He gave a good defensive effort, moving his feet and following force rules against Brooklyn. I want to see him do more playmaking and cut back on the turnovers (4.4 per 48 minutes).
- Alex Sarr — Sarr is the only Wizards player with a block in summer league so far. He set a summer league record eight rejections against the Nets. He was so dominant, that we actually talked for a few minutes in the Playback about him trying to do like Bill Russell and block shots more gently instead of swatting the ball out of bounds. Let’s see him keep up the defensive effectiveness while making shots. And cutting back on the turnovers.
- Will Riley — Showed some flashes of potential against Brooklyn. I need to see some kind of non-scoring production.
- Bub Carrington — Poor first game followed by a solid second game. He looks about the same in summer league as he did in regular season games, which was fine for the regular season. Is it a little worrisome he can’t seem to drive against summer league competition? A bit.
- Kyshawn George — The offensive inefficiency (93 offensive rating) would be more concerning if I thought there was a chance he could be asked to play a similar role at the NBA level. Last season, his usage was around 16% (it’s up to almost 27% in summer league), and it’ll probably end around that level next season. What I like is the non-scoring production, and the defensive effort (though I’d like to see him foul less).
- Someone Else — The Wizards used just 10 players through the first two games. I’d like to get a look at some of the guys they haven’t used yet like, Kadary Richmond, Akoldah Gak, Zeke Mayo, and Dillon Jones (just under 9 minutes of action in one game so far).
76ers I’m Interested in Seeing
- VJ Edgecombe — Billed as “hyper-athletic,” he tested as normal for an NBA guard prospect. I guess that’s hyper-athletic in comparison to normal people. What YODA liked about him was strong rebounding from the backcourt, enough assists to suggest playmaking potential, and 2.5 steals per 40 minutes.
- Johni Broome — And not because his name is kinda like mine. Broome ranked 17th overall in YODA. The Sixers got him with the 35th pick. I love that he ended up in Philly — for them and him. His summer league numbers are similar to what he did in the NCAA — good rebounding, steals and blocks. His matchup with Sarr should be interesting.
Where to watch
The game will be broadcast on ESPN. You can also join me (Kevin Broom) on Playback for tonight’s event. We’ll talk draft, Wizards, basketball history, movies, trivia, and other stuff, including the game.
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Wizards Summer League Roster
- 5 — AJ Johnson, G, 6-5
- 7 — Bub Carrington, G, 6-4 **
- 12 — Tre Johnson, G, 6-5 **
- 17 — Leaky Black, W, 6-6
- 18 — Kyshawn George, W, 6-7 **
- 19 — Kadary Richmond, W, 6-6
- 20 — Alex Sarr, C, 7-0 **
- 27 — Will Riley, F, 6-8 **
- 30 — Jamir Watkins, F, 6-7 **
- 31 — Liam Robbins, C, 7-0
- 33 — Dillon Jones, W, 6-5
- 35 — Zeke Mayo, G, 6-4
- 47 — Akoldah Gak, F, 6-11
- 55 — Keshon Gilbert, G, 6-4
- 59 — Jonathan Pierre, F, 6-9
** = Wizards draft selections
76ers Summer League Roster
- 17 — Jalen Hood-Schifino, G
- 18 — Jalen Slawson, F
- 19 — Justin Edwards, W
- 22 — Johni Broome, C
- 26 — Izan Almansa, F
- 27 — Keve Aluma, W
- 29 — Stefan Todorovic, F
- 30 — Adem Bona, C
- 33 — Judah Mintz, G
- 35 — Jack Clark, F
- 38 — Saint Thomas, F
- 41 — Dominick Barlow, F
- 45 — Hunter Sallis, W
- 50 — Andrew Funk, G
- 51 — Landers Nolley II, W
- 52 — Mark Armstrong, G
- 65 — Alex Reese, F
- 77 — VJ Edgecombe, G