The lowly Washington Wizards lost 115-106 to the lowly Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night in a game that absolutely no one who didn’t care about those two teams was watching.
But that’s besides the point. The Wizards didn’t play any defense. Neither did the Bulls. Zach LaVine chucked up a few shots in the fourth quarter that went in and the Bulls won the game.
The game wasn’t very interesting at all. Bradley Beal’s comments about his team and their culture in the locker room after the game, however, were eyebrow-raising.
Beal took the Wizards to task for losing yet another winnable game.
Bradley Beal was particularly down after tonight’s loss in Chicago.
On why this loss was hitting him harder than usual: “They all do. I don’t like losing. I’m sorry. Especially winnable games.”
On if it builds up: “Yeah, I would hope it does. I don’t like losing.” pic.twitter.com/SYSY1CkQaf
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 16, 2020
“I don’t like losing. I’m sorry. Especially winnable games….I don’t like losing. It’s going to keep building up for me. Until we start winning and changing our culture.
After asking whether the losing builds up for him and calling the team’s culture out, he was asked how the team could change its culture.
“Winning games. You’ve got to have a winning attitude. Winning habits. We don’t have them.”
Ouch. Those are harsh words — especially for a team that you currently play for. Beal seems to be fed up with losing and fed up with doing it with the Wizards.
The irony in all of it? Beal didn’t have to go through this at all. He could’ve been traded this season had he not committed to staying with the Wizards for another season by signing an extension at the beginning of the year. Had he said no? He’d probably be elsewhere by now.
Losing isn’t easy, obviously. Imagine being excellent at doing your job — you’re an All-Star at whatever it is you do. Also imagine that excellence not mattering because the rest of your company stinks and can’t hit their goals. What you’re imagining is being Bradley Beal.
Still, though, it’s hard to feel bad for him. When he signed that extension he called the Wizards turn around a “challenge.” He knew what he was getting into — everyone knew the Wizards were tanking this year.
If we’re being real about it, they’re honestly a bit better than we thought. They have the 9th best offense in the NBA, after all. This serves as a bit of a case study for every NBA star pondering a career move. Sometimes the grass might actually be a bit greener on the other side.
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