The Washington Wizards roster is full of young and potential-heavy players looking to find a role in the front office’s vision moving forward. Playing well for the rest of this season could land you a real future in the nation’s capital. On the flip side, you could earn a one-way ticket out if there aren’t real signs of potential. There isn’t one player on the team who understands this more than Justin Champagnie, who is carving himself a future role in D.C.
Wizards’ Justin Champagnie Earning Long-Term Spot In Washington
At the surface level, Washington’s season has been terrible. Once again, they find themselves in the tank race, and are firmly out of the playoff picture at 10-28. However, this season is massively crucial for the Wizards. The front office is identifying future pieces for the next several years in what should be a very competitive era.
Players like Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, and Kyshawn George have proved their worth, and Champagnie’s name should be joining that core after his performance this season.
Justin Champagnie’s Value
After a rough first two NBA seasons, Champagnie has found himself a nice role in D.C. After only playing five total games in his second season, the 24-year-old has played 113 games in his two and a half seasons in Washington.
Last season, he was a huge part of the team’s late-season rotation and secured himself a bid to compete for a similar role heading into this season. Over the course of the 2024-25 campaign, Champagnie averaged 8.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game across 62 appearances, in just around 21 minutes of action. Those numbers aren’t impeccable but he got his real opportunity in the late stages of the campaign.
In April, the last month of the season, Champagnie was granted extra minutes and dominated. He would average 16.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in 34.5 minutes per game. He was the Wizards’ most consistent asset, shooting 58.0% from the field and 41.7% from 3. In the team’s final seven games, he put up 20 points three times and had four double-doubles.
With the addition of Johnson over the offseason, among others, Champagnie’s role would decrease to start the 2025-26 season.
His Shot Has Been
This season, Champagnie has been on both ends of the bench.
In October, he would play only three of the five contests, playing a combined 16 minutes. Slowly, he was reintroduced into the heart of the rotation. His playing time was around 13 minutes per game in November before jumping to 23.6 per range in December. After averaging a near double-double last month (9.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game), Champagnie has been proving he belonged in D.C with his play since the beginning of January.
The Wizards have played six times since the New Year began. Through those games, Champagnie has averaged 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per outing. He’s shooting 60.0% percent from the field and 42.9% from three in that span. He’s top-six in several statistical categories, including field goal percent and rebounds, steals, and blocks per game. While it hasn’t translated to many wins, there’s no denying the impact he’s made on the court.
The Last Word
After their blockbuster trade for All-Star guard Trae Young, most Washington players don’t have time to carve out a spot before the team becomes competitive. In fact, this may be the last season to do it.
Champagnie has done so effectively, even after having almost no time at the beginning of the season. He’s earned a spot in the team’s future plans, and rightfully so.