Anthony Davis Seeks To Lead Wizards Towards A Competitive Season Next Year

Anthony Davis is targeting a sharp rise in standards for the Washington Wizards next season, while accepting that turning a 17-65 team into a genuine NBA contender will be a demanding process after another difficult campaign.

Davis was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Washington Wizards in February and has not yet played for the Eastern Conference franchise, but the forward is already pushing a message of optimism. "When the trade happened and I got here, I've said this place is not what people make it seem," Davis said. "It's a testament to the organisation, the coaching staff, the players, everybody here."

The latest season closed with a 130-117 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, which sealed the Washington Wizards’ 65th loss of the 2025-26 schedule. That result confirmed a 17-65 record, the worst mark of any NBA team, and capped a 10-game losing streak that also delivered a third straight season with at least 64 defeats.

Washington Wizards officials and supporters watched another year drift away, yet the front office reshaped the core during the season. Trae Young arrived in January, followed by Anthony Davis in February, while the roster already contained promising talents Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson, giving the group a mix of experience and youth heading into the next campaign.

Davis highlighted the environment around the team as a reason for belief, stressing that personal growth and competition matter as much as results. "I want to be able to have fun where I am. I want to be able to compete where I am. I want to be able to learn wherever I am - and this organisation has that. They know that I want to win. I'm sure that they want to win as well. Nobody wants to lose. I know we have a lot of young guys, but like I said, I mentioned it about the young guys - how talented they are. Adding Trae and myself kind of can help change that."

The eight-time All-Star also pointed to long experience in the league as a warning that progress can be slow. "But I also understand I've been in this league a long time. I've been on losing teams, and it's very hard to be a losing team and then a championship contender." Those words underline the scale of the rebuild facing Washington Wizards decision-makers and players.

Davis’ comments, combined with the presence of Trae Young and the developing trio of Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson, show that the Washington Wizards are planning to build around a clear core. The challenge now is turning that belief into wins after three straight seasons heavy with defeats.