Washington Wizards facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Washington Wizards
Conference	Eastern
Division	Southeast
Founded	1961
History	Chicago Packers 1961–1962 Chicago Zephyrs 1962–1963 Baltimore Bullets 1963–1973 Capital Bullets 1973–1974 Washington Bullets 1974–1997 Washington Wizards 1997–present
Arena	Capital One Arena
Location	Washington, D.C.
Team colors	Navy blue, red, silver, white
Main sponsor	Robinhood
President	Michael Winger
General manager	Will Dawkins
Head coach	Brian Keefe
Ownership	Monumental Sports & Entertainment (Ted Leonsis)
Affiliation(s)	Capital City Go-Go
Championships	1 (1978)
Conference titles	4 (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979)
Division titles	8 (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 2017)
Retired numbers	5 (10, 11, 25, 41, 45)
Association Icon Statement

The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team located in Washington, D.C.. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as part of the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. Their home games are held at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. This arena is also home to the Washington Capitals (NHL) and the Georgetown University men's basketball team. Ted Leonsis owns the team through his company, Monumental Sports & Entertainment.

The team began in 1961 as the Chicago Packers in Chicago, Illinois. The next season, they changed their name to the Chicago Zephyrs. In 1963, the team moved to Baltimore, Maryland, and became the Baltimore Bullets. They took this name from an older Baltimore team. In 1973, the team moved to the Washington metropolitan area. They first changed their name to the Capital Bullets, then to Washington Bullets the following season. In 1997, they changed their name again to the Wizards.

The Wizards have played in four NBA Finals. They won the championship in 1978. They have reached the playoffs 28 times. They have also won four conference titles (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979) and eight division titles (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 2017). Their best season was in 1975, with 60 wins and 22 losses. Wes Unseld is the only player in the team's history to win both the NBA MVP (1969) and Finals MVP (1978) awards.

Team History

Starting the Team

Bellamy (No. 8) was a star in his first season.

The Wizards started as the Chicago Packers in 1961. They were the NBA's first new team created to expand the league. Walt Bellamy was their first star player. In his first year, he scored 31.6 points and grabbed 19.0 rebounds per game. He was named the league's Rookie of the Year. However, the team had the worst record that season, with 18 wins and 62 losses.

The team's first name, "Packers," was not very popular. It was the same name as the NFL's Green Bay Packers, who were rivals of the Chicago Bears. So, after just one year, the team changed its name to the Chicago Zephyrs. They also moved to a different arena. In 1963, the team moved to Baltimore, Maryland. They became the Baltimore Bullets, named after an older team. The NBA later returned to Chicago in 1966 with the Chicago Bulls.

In their first year in Baltimore, the Bullets finished fourth in their division. Before the 1964–65 season, the Bullets made a big trade. They sent some players to the Detroit Pistons and got Bailey Howell and Don Ohl. This helped the Bullets reach the playoffs for the first time. In the 1965 NBA playoffs, they surprised the St. Louis Hawks by winning 3–1. They then moved on to the Western Conference finals. There, they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 4–2.

The Wes Unseld Era (1967–1981)

Wes Unseld played his entire career with the Bullets.

In the late 1960s, the Bullets picked two future Hall of Fame players in the draft. They drafted Earl Monroe in 1967 and Wes Unseld in 1968. The team improved a lot. They went from 36 wins to 57 wins in the 1968–69 season. Unseld won both the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. The Bullets made the playoffs but lost to the New York Knicks. The next season, they met the Knicks again and lost in seven games.

In the 1970–71 season, the Bullets played the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals. The Knicks' star player, Willis Reed, was injured. The Bullets took advantage of this. In game seven, Gus Johnson made a key shot. This helped the Bullets win 93–91 and reach their first NBA Finals. They were swept in four games by the strong Milwaukee Bucks. That Bucks team had future Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson.

Even after trading Earl Monroe and Gus Johnson, the Bullets remained a strong team. In 1972, Baltimore got Elvin Hayes from the Houston Rockets. They also drafted Kevin Porter. After a slow start in 1972–73, Baltimore played very well in December. They won the Central Division title for the third year in a row. But they lost to the Knicks again in the playoffs.

In February 1973, the team announced they would move. They moved about 30 miles southwest to the Capital Centre in Landover. This was a suburb of Washington, D.C. They became the Capital Bullets. After the 1973–74 season, they changed their name to the Washington Bullets. The Capital Centre opened on December 2, 1973. The Bullets won their first game there against the Seattle SuperSonics.

Elvin Hayes was a key player for the Bullets.

The Bullets had a great season in 1975, winning 60 games and losing 22. They made it back to the 1975 NBA playoffs. They won a tough seven-game series against the Buffalo Braves. Then, they beat the defending champion Boston Celtics in six games. This sent them to the NBA Finals. The Bullets were expected to win the championship. However, they were swept by the Golden State Warriors in four games.

The loss in the NBA Finals affected the team in the 1975–76 season. They won 12 fewer games. In the playoffs, they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. After the season, the Bullets fired their coach, K.C. Jones.

In 1976–77, under new coach Dick Motta, the Bullets again missed winning their division. Elvin Hayes was sixth in the league in rebounds. They won their first playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But they lost to the Houston Rockets in the next round.

Winning the NBA Championship (1977–78)

Even with future Hall of Famers Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld, the Bullets finished the 1977–78 season with a 44–38 record. Many people did not expect them to win the NBA Finals. But they had a great playoff run. They defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games. This brought a professional sports championship to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 36 years. It is still the team's only NBA title.

Back to the Finals (1978–79)

In the 1978–79 season, the Bullets moved to the Atlantic Division. They won the division title in their first year there. They entered the 1979 NBA playoffs with a 54–28 record. In the playoffs, they almost lost a 3–1 lead against the Atlanta Hawks. But they won in seven games.

In the Eastern Conference finals, they were down 3–1 to the San Antonio Spurs. But they came back to win two games in a row. This forced a game seven at their home arena. The Bullets won again, beating the Spurs 107–105. This was one of the NBA's greatest games. They advanced to the NBA Finals for a rematch with the Seattle SuperSonics.

In Game 1 of the finals, the Bullets won 99–97. But they lost the next four games and the series to Seattle. The Bullets were the only team to play in the NBA Finals four times in the 1970s.

Playoff Struggles (1979–1988)

In August 1979, the Bullets were the first NBA team to visit China. They played and won against Chinese teams.

The team's older players and injuries started to cause problems. In the 1979–80 season, they barely made the playoffs. They had a losing record of 39–43. They were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in two games. The next year, the Bullets missed the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. Wes Unseld retired, and Elvin Hayes was traded.

A ticket from a 1988 Bullets game.

In 1981–82, Washington played well under coach Gene Shue. They finished with a 43–39 record. They reached the Eastern Conference semifinals in the playoffs. But they were not as strong as they had been in the late 1970s. The 1983 Bullets had a winning record. However, they finished last in their tough division and missed the playoffs.

The next two years, the Bullets continued to play average basketball. They had losing records but made the playoffs due to a new format. They were eliminated in the first round both years.

In 1985, the Bullets got Manute Bol in the draft. He was very good at blocking shots. That year, he blocked 397 shots, a team record. But the Bullets still had a disappointing season. They lost to the 76ers in the first round of the playoffs. The next season, the Bullets got Moses Malone from the Philadelphia 76ers. Malone led the team in scoring. The Bullets' 42–40 record was their last winning season until 1996–97. They lost to the Detroit Pistons in the playoffs.

In the 1987 NBA draft, the Bullets picked Muggsy Bogues. He is the shortest player in NBA history. The team started slowly, and coach Kevin Loughery was fired. Wes Unseld became the new coach. Under Unseld, the Bullets improved and reached the playoffs again. They lost to the Detroit Pistons in five games. It would be nine seasons before they returned to the playoffs.

The End of the Bullets Name (1989–1997)

The Bullets started the 1988–89 season well but then lost many games. They began playing some home games in Baltimore again. They finished with a 31–51 record. Jeff Malone and Bernard King had great seasons, leading the team in scoring.

A highlight of the 1990–91 season was Bernard King's comeback. He recovered from knee surgery and finished third in the NBA in scoring. In 1990, Susan O'Malley became the team president. She was the first female president of an NBA team.

The Bullets continued to struggle with injuries and inconsistent play. They had a 25–57 record in the 1991–92 season. Pervis Ellison was named the Most Improved Player. Larry Stewart became the first undrafted player to make an All-Rookie Team. The Bullets drafted Tom Gugliotta in 1992. They finished the 1992–93 season with a 22–60 record.

Injuries continued to hurt the team in the 1993–94 season. Key players Rex Chapman and Calbert Cheaney missed many games. Pervis Ellison also missed almost the entire season. The team finished with a 24–58 record. Don MacLean was named Most Improved Player.

The Bullets drafted Juwan Howard in 1994. They also traded Gugliotta for Chris Webber. The season started well, but Webber got a shoulder injury. He missed 19 games, and the team struggled. They finished with a 21–61 record, their worst at the time.

In the 1995–96 season, Webber again had a shoulder injury. He missed most of the season. Other players like Mark Price and Robert Pack also got injured. Bright spots included Rasheed Wallace joining the team and Juwan Howard's All-Star play. Howard averaged 22.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Center Gheorghe Mureșan was named Most Improved Player. The Bullets improved to 39–43 but missed the playoffs for the eighth year in a row.

In the 1996–97 season, Washington had the tallest player in the league, Mureșan (7 feet 7 inches). They also had athletic forwards Howard and Webber, and a top point guard, Rod Strickland. They started the season 22–24. Coach Jim Lynam was fired. Bernie Bickerstaff, who was an assistant coach when they won the championship in 1978, took over. The Bullets played much better, winning 16 of their last 21 games. They finished with a 44–38 record, their best since 1978–79. This allowed them to make the playoffs. They lost to the Bulls in the first round, but all three games were close.

Becoming the Wizards

The Wizards moved to the MCI Center (now Capital One Arena) in 1997.

In November 1995, owner Abe Pollin announced he was changing the team's name. He felt the name "Bullets" had become too linked to violence. This was especially true because of the high crime rate in Washington, D.C., in the early 1990s.

A contest was held to choose a new name. The choices included the Dragons, Express, Stallions, Sea Dogs, and Wizards. On May 15, 1997, the Bullets officially became the Wizards. The new name caused some discussion. This was because "wizard" is a rank in the Ku Klux Klan, and Washington has a large African American population.

A new logo was shown, and the team colors changed. They went from red, white, and blue to a lighter blue, black, and bronze. These were the same colors as the Washington Capitals (NHL), also owned by Pollin. That same year, the Wizards moved to the MCI Center (now Capital One Arena). This arena was also home to the Capitals and the Georgetown Hoyas college basketball team.

The Wizards Era Begins (1997–2001)

The newly named Wizards started the 1997–98 season. They played five home games at the Capital Centre before moving to the new MCI Center in December 1997. The Wizards finished the season with a 42–40 record. They won their last four games but just missed the playoffs. Chris Webber led the team in scoring and rebounding. Rod Strickland led the league in assists. Off-court issues led to Webber being traded to the Sacramento Kings in May 1998.

The Wizards finished the short 1998–99 season with 18 wins and 32 losses. Mitch Richmond led the team in scoring. In the 1999–2000 season, the Wizards finished with a 29–53 record. In the 2000–01 season, under new coach Leonard Hamilton, Richard Hamilton led the team in scoring. But the team finished with 19 wins and 63 losses. This was their most losses ever in one season.

The Michael Jordan Years (2001–2003)

Michael Jordan played for the Wizards after retiring from the Bulls.

Playing for the Wizards (2001–02)

After retiring from the Chicago Bulls in 1999, Michael Jordan became the Washington Wizards' vice president of basketball operations in January 2000. In September 2001, Jordan came out of retirement at age 38 to play for Washington. He said he was returning "for the love of the game." Because of NBA rules, he had to give up his ownership in the team. Before the All-Star break, Jordan was one of the best players in the league. He led the Wizards to a 26–21 record. After the All-Star break, Jordan's knee was injured. He ended the season on the injured list. The Wizards finished with a 37–45 record and missed the playoffs.

Second Season and Retirement (2002–03)

Jordan announced he would return for the 2002–03 season. He wanted to have more help on the team. He traded for All-Star Jerry Stackhouse and signed Larry Hughes. Jordan even agreed to play a smaller role at first to protect his knee. But many team injuries and poor play led to Jordan returning to the starting lineup. He tried to help the team recover from a bad start. By the end of the season, the Wizards again finished with a 37–45 record. Jordan was the only Wizard to play in all 82 games. He retired from playing for the third and final time after this season.

Jordan's Departure

After the season, owner Pollin fired Jordan as team president. This surprised many people. Jordan felt betrayed because he thought he would get his ownership back. But Pollin said Jordan had a bad effect on the team. He said Jordan made poor trades and drafted a player who wasn't ready. The Wizards hired Ernie Grunfeld to replace Jordan.

The Gilbert Arenas Era (2003–2010)

The Wizards G-Man, one of the team's mascots.

Gilbert Arenas Arrives (2003–04)

Without Jordan, the Washington Wizards were not expected to win much. They finished with a 25–57 record in the 2003–04 season. This was despite signing future All-Star point guard Gilbert Arenas.

Return to the Playoffs (2004–05)

Before the next season, the team traded Stackhouse for Antawn Jamison. During the season, Arenas, Jamison, and Hughes became a high-scoring trio. They were called "The Big Three." Hughes led the NBA in steals. Arenas and Jamison were both chosen for the All-Star team. This was the first time Washington had two All-Stars since 1987.

The 2004–05 season was their best in 26 years. They won 45 games and lost 37. This was the first time the team made the playoffs as the Wizards. Fans were very excited. In game three of the first round against the Chicago Bulls, the Wizards won their first playoff game since 1988. This game was also the first NBA playoff game played in Washington, D.C. In game five, Arenas made a shot at the buzzer to win the game. The Wizards won the series in game six, their first playoff series win in 23 years. They were only the 12th team in NBA history to win a playoff series after being down 0–2.

In the next round, the Wizards were swept by the Miami Heat. The Heat were the top team in the Eastern Conference.

More Playoff Appearances (2005–08)

Antawn Jamison shooting a free throw in 2006.

The 2005–06 season had many ups and downs. Washington got Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels. Arenas, Jamison, and Butler became the new "Big Three." They started the season well but then struggled. They finished with a 42–40 record and made the playoffs for the second year in a row. This was the first time since 1987.

Their first-round series against Cleveland was very close. The teams traded wins. In game three, LeBron James made a shot with 5.7 seconds left to win for the Cavs. The Wizards won game four. But in games five and six, the Cavs won by one point in overtime. The Wizards lost the series.

The Wizards playing the Toronto Raptors in 2007.

The 2006–07 season started well. They signed DeShawn Stevenson and Darius Songaila. Arenas scored a team-record 60 points against the Lakers in December. He and coach Eddie Jordan won player and coach of the month awards. Arenas also made two game-winning shots in January.

Then, injuries hit the team. Jamison, Butler, and Arenas all suffered season-ending knee injuries. Despite these problems, the Wizards still made the playoffs. They finished with a 41–41 record. They were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round again. Even with many injured players, the Wizards kept the games close.

In the 2017–18 season, the Wizards played in the newly named Capital One Arena. They finished with a 43–39 record. They were the 8th seed in the playoffs. They lost in six games to the top-seeded Toronto Raptors. Bradley Beal made his first All-Star team this season. John Wall made his fifth in a row.

Challenges and Changes (2008–2010)

Before the 2008–09 season, Arenas signed a big contract. Jamison also signed a new deal. Arenas had a third surgery on his knee and missed most of the season. Butler also missed many games with a hip injury. Despite the injuries, the Wizards finished with a 43–39 record. They made the playoffs but lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers again in six games.

The Wizards continued to face challenges. In November, owner Abe Pollin passed away. His wife, Irene, took control of the team. Ted Leonsis was a minority owner and wanted to buy the team.

Gilbert Arenas in 2010.

In December 2009, it was reported that Gilbert Arenas had brought unloaded firearms into the team's locker room. This was against NBA rules. He was suspended by the league.

In February 2010, the Wizards made big trades. They sent Butler, Haywood, and Stevenson to the Mavericks. They also traded Antawn Jamison to the Cavaliers. The Wizards finished the season with a 26–56 record. They missed the playoffs.

The John Wall Era (2010–2019)

A New Beginning (2010–2013)

Ted Leonsis bought the Wizards and the Verizon Center in June 2010. He also owned the Capitals and Mystics. Leonsis wanted to connect with fans. He planned to change the team's colors back to the red, white, and blue of the Bullets era. The team president confirmed the colors would change for the 2011–12 season. The team also got new uniforms that looked like the ones from 1974 to 1987.

The Wizards won the 2010 NBA draft lottery. They picked John Wall as the first overall pick. Later, they got Kirk Hinrich and Kevin Seraphin in a trade.

John Wall led the Wizards to the playoffs.

In December, the Wizards traded Gilbert Arenas to the Orlando Magic for Rashard Lewis. The Wizards finished the season with a 30–52 record. They were at the bottom of their division.

After a bad start to the 2011–12 season, coach Flip Saunders was fired. Assistant Randy Wittman took over. The Wizards made a three-way trade. They sent JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf to the Nuggets. They also sent Nick Young to the Clippers. In return, they got Nenê and Brian Cook. The Wizards finished the season with a 20–46 record. This season was shorter because of an NBA lockout.

In the 2012 NBA Draft, the Wizards picked Bradley Beal and Tomáš Satoranský. They also signed A. J. Price and Martell Webster. The Wizards finished the season with a 33–49 record.

In May 2013, the Wizards got the third overall pick in the NBA draft again. They used it to draft Otto Porter from Georgetown University. In October, the Wizards traded Emeka Okafor to the Phoenix Suns. They received Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, and other players.

Back to the Playoffs (2013–14)

The Wizards returned to the playoffs in 2014.

On February 3, 2014, the Wizards beat the Portland Trail Blazers. Their record improved to 24–23. This was the first time the team had a winning record since 2009.

On April 2, 2014, the Wizards beat the Boston Celtics. This secured their first playoff spot since the 2007–08 season. Led by first-time All-Star John Wall, the Wizards beat the Chicago Bulls in game 5 of the first round. They won the series 4–1. This was the Wizards' first series victory since 2005. The Wizards moved on to play the Indiana Pacers. They won game one. But they lost a big lead in game two and lost the game. They lost games three and four. They won game five to avoid being eliminated. But Indiana won game six to close out the series.

More Playoff Runs (2014–17)

Bradley Beal in 2013.

After Trevor Ariza left, the Wizards signed veteran player Paul Pierce. Pierce's leadership helped the team improve a lot. In November 2014, the Wizards started the season with a 6–2 record. This was their best start since 1975–76. They finished the season with a 46–36 record. This was their best record since 1978–79. They played the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. They won in four games, which was their first sweep ever.

After beating Toronto, the Wizards played the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks. The Wizards won the first game. But John Wall got a fractured wrist. Even though Paul Pierce made some big shots, losing Wall was too much. Atlanta won the series in six games.

The 2015–16 season was not as good. The Wizards finished 10th in the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs. On April 13, 2016, the Wizards fired coach Randy Wittman.

Scott Brooks coached the Wizards from 2016 to 2021.

On April 21, 2016, Scott Brooks became the new head coach. On September 8, 2016, the team showed off new alternate jerseys. Their logo became the "monument ball" with navy blue, red, silver, and white colors.

The 2016–17 season was the most successful in recent Wizards history. They finished with a 49–33 record. They won the Southeast Division for the first time since 1979. This was thanks to Bradley Beal's great season. He scored a career-high 23.1 points per game. John Wall also continued his All-Star play. He had career highs in points and assists.

Despite starting the season 1–5, the Wizards improved a lot after December. They finished the season with 49 wins, their highest total since 1979. In the first round of the playoffs, the Wizards played the Atlanta Hawks. They won the first two games at home. But the Hawks tied the series 2–2. The Wizards then won the next two games to win the series. Wall and Beal played great in the final game.

In the second round, the Wizards played the Boston Celtics. They lost the series in 7 games.

End of the Wall Era (2018–19)

In the 2018–19 season, the Wizards picked up Thomas Bryant and Troy Brown. Bradley Beal had a great season. But the team had many problems and injuries. Dwight Howard played only 9 games due to back problems. John Wall had season-ending surgery on his Achilles tendon. The team also traded away Kelly Oubre Jr., Otto Porter Jr., and Markieff Morris. As a result, the Wizards missed the playoffs.

The Bradley Beal Era (2019–2023)

Bradley Beal in 2019.

In April 2019, the Wizards fired general manager Ernie Grunfeld. Tommy Sheppard took over. The Wizards drafted Japanese player Rui Hachimura in the 2019 NBA draft.

After the NBA season was paused in 2020, the Wizards were invited to the "NBA Bubble." They played eight more regular season games. They won only 1 of those games and missed the playoffs.

In December 2020, the Wizards traded John Wall to the Houston Rockets for Russell Westbrook. In the 2020 NBA draft, the Wizards drafted Deni Avdija. Bradley Beal had a career-best season. Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double for the fourth time in his career.

The Wizards returned to the playoffs this season. But they were defeated by the Indiana Pacers in five games. On June 16, 2021, coach Scott Brooks and the Wizards decided to part ways.

On August 6, 2021, the Wizards traded Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers. In return, they got Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell.

The Wizards started the next season well but then struggled. They lost a 35-point lead to the Clippers. Beal also had a wrist injury that ended his season. At the trade deadline, the Wizards got All-Star Kristaps Porziņģis. They traded away Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.

On April 19, 2023, after two seasons of 35 wins and 47 losses, the Wizards fired GM Tommy Sheppard.

Rebuilding the Team (2023–Present)

Kyle Kuzma joined the team in 2021.

During the 2023–24 off-season, the Wizards began to rebuild their team. They traded their star player Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns. They also traded Porziņģis to the Celtics in a three-team trade. They received Tyus Jones, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, and draft picks. Chris Paul was then traded to the Warriors for Patrick Baldwin Jr., Jordan Poole, and draft picks.

On January 26, 2024, head coach Wes Unseld Jr. was fired. Assistant coach Brian Keefe took over for the rest of the season. In February, the Wizards did not win any games. The Wizards finished the season with a record of 15 wins and 67 losses. Kyle Kuzma led the team in scoring.

Arrival of Alex Sarr (2024)

On June 26, 2024, the Wizards drafted Alex Sarr from France with the second overall pick in the NBA draft. They also got the fourteenth pick, Carlton Carrington. They also acquired Malcolm Brogdon and future draft picks by trading Deni Avdija. Brian Keefe was promoted to full-time Head Coach.

Recent Seasons

Here are the results for the last five seasons the Wizards have played.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage

Team Look: Names, Logos, and Uniforms

Washington Wizards G-Wiz, the team's current mascot.

When the team moved from Chicago in 1963, the Baltimore Bullets used blue and orange colors. These matched the city's baseball team, the Orioles (orange), and football team, the Colts (blue). The Bullets first wore blue and white uniforms with orange trim. In the early 1970s, orange became the main color. During this time, the Bullets also wore unusual uniforms with three thick stripes. These stripes went from the right leg up to the left side of the jersey.

Starting with the 1973–74 season, the team moved to Landover, Maryland. They became the Capital Bullets and changed their colors to red, white, and blue. These colors matched the American flag. Their uniforms had large horizontal stripes on the chest and three stars on the shorts. They kept these uniforms when they became the Washington Bullets a year later.

The Bullets used the "Stars and Stripes" uniform until 1987. In 1987, the Bullets changed their logo and uniforms. They wore red uniforms for away games and white for home games. They kept these uniforms until 1997.

In 1997, the team owner, Abe Pollin, decided to change the team's name from "Bullets" to "Wizards." He did not want the team's name to be linked to violence anymore. The name change also brought new logos, colors, and uniforms. This happened when the team moved to the new MCI Center. The new team colors were blue, bronze, and black. The main logo showed a wizard making a basketball. In 2007, the Wizards made small changes to their jerseys and logos. They changed their secondary colors from bronze to metallic gold.

The current wordmark for the Wizards.

On May 10, 2011, the Wizards showed off new colors, uniforms, and a logo. The new jerseys included the Washington Monument as an alternate logo. The team went back to its traditional red, white, and blue colors. These are the colors of the U.S. flag. The uniforms look very similar to the ones worn from 1973 to 1987. The only difference is the team name on the jerseys. These colors are also used by Leonsis' other teams, the Capitals and the Mystics.

On July 23, 2014, the Wizards showed a new alternate uniform. It was similar to their away uniform, but navy was the main color instead of red.

The Wizards in their alternate white uniforms in a 2017 playoff game.

On April 15, 2015, the Wizards showed a new main logo. The new logo has the Washington Monument ball logo inside a circle. It has stripes from the uniforms and three stars. Each star represents Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The team also said they would stop using the wizard-moon logo from 1997.

On September 30, 2015, the Wizards showed a new alternate uniform. It was called the "Baltimore Pride" uniform. It was meant to be worn for six games during the 2015–16 season.

On September 8, 2016, the Wizards released a second white uniform. This one honored the United States Armed Forces. The side stripes look like the American flag.

The Wizards in their white "City" uniforms during a 2018 playoff game.

The Wizards kept their existing uniforms when Nike became the uniform supplier in 2017. Along with their main uniforms, a "City" uniform was also released. The 2017–18 "City" uniform was white. It had "The District of Columbia" written in navy. It honored the Washington Monument. The "City" uniform for 2018–19 was black with white letters and orange trim. It honored the National Mall at night.

Before the 2019–20 season, the navy "Statement" uniform was changed. The city name was replaced with "The District of Columbia." For the 2019–20 "City" uniform, they brought back an older white alternate design. It had the "dc" alternate logo and red numbers. The same design was used for the 2020–21 "City" uniform, but with a grey color.

In the 2021–22 season, the Wizards wore special "City" uniforms. These celebrated the NBA's 75th anniversary. This uniform had a lighter blue color and red stripes, like the old Bullets uniforms. It also had gold trim and special numbers.

The 2022–23 "City" uniform was pink with blue accents. It honored the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. The "City" uniform for the 2023–24 season was black and dark grey. It had red, bronze, and green accents. This uniform honored Washington, D.C.'s history.

For the 2024–25 season, the Wizards changed their "Statement" uniform. It looks like the Washington, D.C. flag with three red stars and two thick red stripes. Their "City" uniform for the season kept the older style lettering. It had a hydrogen blue color with red letters and blue trim. This uniform was called the "Beyond Boundaries" uniform.

Home Arenas

• International Amphitheatre (1961–1962)
• Chicago Coliseum (1962–1963)
• Baltimore Civic Center (now CFG Bank Arena) (1963–1973, and some games from 1989 to 1997)
• Cole Field House (1973)
• US Airways Arena (originally Capital Centre) (December 1973 – November 1997)
• Capital One Arena (formerly MCI Center and Verizon Center) (December 1997–present)

In December 2023, team owner Ted Leonsis talked about moving the Wizards and Washington Capitals to a new arena in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Virginia, by 2028. This new area would include a practice facility, restaurants, and a concert hall. However, in March 2024, officials in Alexandria stopped these plans. Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser then announced a deal. The Wizards and Capitals will stay in Washington, D.C. until at least 2050.

Images for kids

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  Washington Wizards logo