Wiz of Awes
Fansided

Washington Wizards: Phil Chenier’s jersey retired and John Wall returns

By Jen Julie Smith

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 23: Phil Chenier and John Wall
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 23: Phil Chenier and John Wall /
facebooktwitterreddit
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 23: Phil Chenier is honored during the game between the Denver Nuggets and the Washington Wizards on March 23, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washigton, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 23: Phil Chenier is honored during the game between the Denver Nuggets and the Washington Wizards on March 23, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washigton, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

On Saturday, the Washington Wizards John Wall returned to full practice, after being sidelined for seven weeks recovering from surgery.

On Saturday, the Washington Wizards‘ John Wall returned to full practice after being sidelined for seven weeks. David Aldridge of TNT was the first to report.

The Wizards are currently sixth in the East, and if the playoffs were held today they would be facing the Cavaliers. But the playoffs aren’t today and Washington still has a chance to move up in the standings. They have ten games left before postseason action.

On Friday, the Wizards retired the great Phil Chenier’s jersey and it hangs proudly in the rafters.

They couldn’t have raised the jersey high enough to meet the level of excellence and professionalism that Mr. Chenier has brought to this league, and continues to bring.

When Wall walked out onto the court to congratulate Mr. Chenier, after that heart warming speech, it was a defining moment in sports history. Only Wall knows what Mr. Chenier personally means to him.

But to Wizards fans in D.C. and all over the world, it wasn’t so much of a changing of the guard. But rather a continuation of the legacy that Mr. Chenier and the championship 1978 Bullets means to fans.

A respect for the past that brings such great hope for the future.

When the Celtics played the Lakers for the 2008 championship, Magic Johnson wanted to bring out the Showtime Lakers and the former Celtics champions. Larry Bird said to him, “we had our time, let them have theirs”.  That moment did not remind me of Friday.

Chenier never left the Bullets/Washington organization. When Wall embraced Chenier it was just a continuation of what this organization is trying to achieve.

Yes, both the Lakers and Celtics franchises have banners. But those five jerseys hanging up in Capital One Arena represents so much more.

Yes, it’s a business within the NBA, but seeing Chenier and Wall embrace, that wasn’t a PR move, that’s only something that you would allow family to do–walk out into center court to show love and respect.

It wasn’t rehearsed, it wasn’t planned, it was genuine love.

Only family can interrupt such a solemn occasion. So it wasn’t the Bullets time or the Wizards time. That singular moment was Chenier’s and Wall’s time.

So, yes the Wizards lost to the Nuggets on Friday. Yes, the Wizards are fighting for playoff position.

But for that one moment we remember family isn’t perfect or always right, and we won’t win every battle that comes our way, but in the final analysis—we’re all DC Family.

But most importantly Mr. Chenier is still here working for the Wizards organization. And Wall never left, because on or off the court he is always getting ready for battle.

We still have Mr. Chenier’s smooth and calming voice to remind us how much better the Wizards can be, and Wall to show the rest of the league that we’re still here.

It was Mr. Chenier’s night. No loss, standings, or anything else could take away from someone who is bigger than basketball, and embodies everything that we should all try to be—a calming presence before, during and after a storm.

Whether the Wizards are doing well or bad, Mr. Chenier reminds us to stay cool and enjoy the game and something else we call life.

Home/Wizards News