» NBA Basketball » Wizards Ready to Rule in 2007-08, Players Think So As Training Camp Starts Tomorrow in Richmond
Wizards Ready to Rule in 2007-08, Players Think So As Training Camp Starts Tomorrow in Richmond
Story by: Erin zollars
Posted October 01, 2007
Photos by: Sol tucker
Washington, DC--
Many of the Washington Wizards players who were on hand today for the annual media day at Verizon Center came with the intentions that last season needed to be mastered. There is no just going to the playoffs this season, it is about making to the title game for them this season.
So what can fans expect from the Wizards this season? Well a few new faces to start. Gone are Jarvis Hayes and Calvin Booth and here are players like Oleksiy Pecherov and 2007 Draft Pick Nick Young that have the Wizards talking about a little more than just making it the playoffs.
"We obviously want better than last season. We had some hard breaks towards the end last season and we hope that we can make better things happen with some of the new faces added to players like myself and Gil, " said Wizards Forward Caron Butler.
The Wizards have also signed a couple players a day before training camp opens in Tony Massenburg Jamon Gordon and Willie Deane.
Massenburg, who played college basketball at Maryland, is a 13-year NBA veteran who has averaged 6.2 points and 4.3 rebounds over his career. A former Toronto Raptor, Massenburg last played in the NBA in 2004-'05 with San Antonio.
Gordon is an undrafted rookie who averaged 11.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists as a senior at Virginia Tech.
Deane is an undrafted free agent who played college basketball at Purdue.
The second biggest event of the day was the re-emergence of Brendan Haywood to the media. This was the first time that he has openly talked about what happened last season the possibiltiy of him not returning to the team for this season.
"There was a lot said in the media that I didn't want to be here in Washington anymore. I never said that. If it didn't come directly from me then it was all speculation. What Ernie and I discussed last season in his office wasn't any of what was published. I was going to do what was best for Brendan Haywood. Whether it was in Washington or somewhere else. Right now I am focused on this season and getting ready tomorrow," said Haywood.
The Wizards open training camp tomorrow at VCU in Richmond, Virginia with the Wizards holding an open scrimmage on October 5th at 5:00pm. All practices are closed to the public.
2007-08 Washington Wizards Training Camp Roster
#PlayerPos.Ht.Wt.DOBFrom
0 Gilbert Arenas G 6-4 215 01/06/82 Arizona
32 Andray Blatche F 6-11 248 08/22/86 South Kent Prep (CT)
3 Caron Butler F 6-7 228 03/13/80 Connecticut
6 Antonio Daniels G 6-4 205 03/19/75 Bowling Green
15 Willie Deane G 6-1 196 02/23/80 Purdue
22 Jamon Gordon G 6-3 212 07/18/84 Virginia Tech
42 Mike Hall F 6-8 230 06/05/84 George Washington
33 Brendan Haywood C 7-0 263 11/27/79 North Carolina
4 Antawn Jamison F 6-9 235 06/12/76 North Carolina
8 Roger Mason Jr. G 6-5 212 09/10/80 Virginia
44 Tony Massenburg F/C 6-9 250 07/31/67 Maryland
5 Dominic McGuire F 6-9 220 10/20/85 Fresno State
14 Oleksiy Pecherov C/F 7-0 234 12/08/85 Ukraine
9 Darius Songaila F 6-9 248 02/14/78 Wake Forest
2 DeShawn Stevenson G 6-5 218 04/03/81 Washington Union HS (CA)
21 Donell Taylor G 6-5 193 07/26/82 UAB
36 Etan Thomas C 6-10 260 04/01/78 Syracuse
1 Nick Young G/F 6-7 200 06/01/85 Southern California
