The Washington Wizards are coming fresh off their worse loss of the season falling to yet another rebuilding team 129-106.
Not only was the team's blowout loss disappointing coming at the hands of a struggling Brooklyn Nets team, but the lackluster effort was the boiling point for head coach Brian Keefe.
Keefe made it a point to speak to his team following the loss and not only issue a challenge for his young squad to look in the mirror, but he also asked the core to re-evaluate exactly what they were hoping to build in Washington.
As a rebuilding team, wins aren't exactly expected, at least not yet.
Looking at the gap of experience and talent between some rosters in comparison to the rebuidling Wizards, losses are expected along the way.
However, losing due to a shortage of effort is the last thing that the coaching staff wanted to deal with at this point of the rebuild.
Fortunately, Keefe's challenge to his players opened eyes.
With young players and veterans stepping up to the plate, the team executed a players only meeting allowing for the team's leaders to emerge and say their peace following the bizarre loss.
When talking to third-year man Bilal Coulibaly about the players only meeting, the French product made it clear that the meeting was needed.
“We needed that talk, I think,” Coulibaly said afterward. “The guys just stepped up, the vets, the guys that have been used to winning. That’s what we’re trying to do here in the next year. So they had to talk to us, and they did a great job about this and everybody was listening.”
As mentioned above, the Wizards lack experience and for a young squad that hasn't grown accustom to winning, it's hard to take a step back and evaluate the issues from within leading to those losses.
Nonetheless, for veterans like Khris Middleton and CJ McCollum, who's managed their fair share of success throughout. their NBA career, hearing from those vets could prove to be beneficial for the team's young core.
That's the exact reason general manager Will Dawkins made it a focal point to surround his core with veterans throughout this rebuilding movement.
This players only meeting may not exactly salvage the Wizards season in terms of making a run for a playoff spot, but it could be the difference maker for the long-term future of the team's rebuild.