Washington Wizards: 3 Reasons Scott Brooks Deserves More Credit For the Wizards’ Success
By Ben Mehic
Brooks shows faith in young players
Speaking of Wittman – the Washington Wizards experienced a culture shift once they fired their old coach.
Wittman was labeled as an old, grumpy coach who refused to allow young players to play through their mistakes, which is the best form of development.
The likes of Jan Vesely, Shelvin Mack and even Kevin Seraphin weren’t allowed to develop because they were treated like veterans, instead of letting them learn through trial and error.
Brooks, for a short time, carried a similar energy with him in Washington.
Marcus Thornton became the Wizards’ primary backup shooting guard and the team was losing games.
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It wasn’t a direct correlation, but unlike Wittman, Brooks knew when to pull the plug.
Brooks was playing the veterans for different reasons, too. He was playing Thornton over the younger players because he thought Thornton could be more productive.
When Thornton still struggled, he decided to make the switch – something all successful coaches tend to do.
Now, Tomas Satoransky and Sheldon McClellan – both rookies – have been given an opportunity to showcase their talents.
Satoransky is coming off a 10-point and 10-rebound game on Monday afternoon. He sat on the bench for weeks, desperately waiting to hear his name get called.
The past coach never would’ve called his name, making it difficult for someone like Satoransky to stay confident. But when that call came, Satoransky was ready and made the most of the playing time.
Oubre’s production has been erratic, but he’s also been given the nod this season. He can expect to be a consistent part of the rotation because Brooks makes it clear that his tools are needed.
Washington is no longer a place where young players rot. They can expect to learn through the best practice, which is to actually play during the regular season.