The Washington Wizards season has been full of ups and down, with injuries, inconsistent play and growing pains pushing the team towards the NBA standings once again.
Along the way though, the team's slow start has given them the opportunity to take a look at young talent that any other season they likely wouldn't have been able to, especially next year, with the team hoping that the superstar duo of Trae Young and Anthony Davis will take them to new heights.
One of those players in specific who's taking full advantage of their opportunity is recently signed two-way prospect Julian Reese, who's not only hit the ground running, but already put himself in a room alone that only the likes of NBA legends Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan can walk into.
Julian Reese joins Shaq and Tim Duncan with this stat line
On Thursday in the Wizards' loss to the Utah Jazz, Reese absolutely dominated the boards putting together not only one of the most impressive performances across the NBA slate, but one of the best showings from any Wizard this season.
Finishing with 18 points and 20 rebounds, while shooting 5-for-7 from field goal range, the Maryland product's activity on the glass and untamed hustle put him in elite company, while also overshadowing Trae Young's debut.
In the last 40 years, only 3 NBA players have had a 20-rebound game within the first 5 games of their career.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) March 6, 2026
Those 3 players are Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan & Julian Reese. pic.twitter.com/jXyA7e0J2b
Reese's performance was impressive in its own right, but considering it quite literally took three games on the active roster for the recently signed DMV native to join the company of NBA legends like Shaq and Duncan is an extremely wild accomplishment.
And if that doesn't prove he's an NBA player after going undrafted, I'm not sure what will.
Wizards have to do what they can to keep Reese in Washington
Reese signed a two-way deal with the Wizards and while Washington has grown a reputation for rewarding two-way standouts over the last month, roster spots are running thin.
Still, it can't be ignored how much potential the former Terrapin possesses and with the Wizards constantly looking for help in the frontcourt, they may have finally found a hidden gem to tie their anchor to.
All that to say, Washington must do whatever they can when the offseason comes to find a way to ink Reese to a standard deal, especially if he continues posting performances like he did on Thursday night.
The chip on the undersized forward's shoulder is obvious and if he plays like there's something to prove on a nightly basis, that desperation could turn him into a big time player for Washington.