Introductory Press Conference: Will Dawkins, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, & Kyshawn George

Introductory Press Conference: Will Dawkins, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, & Kyshawn George

good morning and welcome to Union Station and the official press conference to welcome the newest members of the Washington Wizards the draft class of 2024 we appreciate all of you being here and everyone that’s joining us live on Monumental Sports Network I’m Chris Miller joining us on the stage today is the Wizards first round picks we’ll start with second overall selection Alex sar from France a little closer to the DMV 14th pick from West Baltimore Carlton bub Carrington and the 24th pick Kean George from the University of Miami along with Wizards general manager Will Dawkins who will officially tip off today’s event will thank you Chris um um good morning everyone thank you all for joining us thank you for Union Station for hosting us for this event uh I really just want to start first before we officially welcome them just thank a few people thank a few groups that really help with this process I would say first our Logistics team that group probably gets overlooked um unrecognized but the work that they do making sure that people have flights hotels itineraries you can imagine what that that load is really like and I really want to thank them for their work I would say our equipment staff the fellow were hustling throughout this entire process making sure that everybody had gear making sure that everything was stocked we had workouts at different facilities as you guys know and they did a really good job as well our coaching staff we were a little under man this year going through the draft process but I don’t think the players could tell it all they made sure they put workouts together that helped us make decisions and treated the guys well and I think really carried the load for for us on that and I spoke a little bit on Wednesday night about uh the evaluation group and our strategy group and everybody in that draft room coming together um under the leadership of Michael Winger and making sure that we had a had a productive night so I just wanted to make sure I thanked everyone there and I also want to make sure I thank the fans one for kind of understanding where we’re at on this journey but two really embracing these guys they’ve been here for a couple days already I think they’re feeling the love they know the DMVs a basketball City this is a basketball community so continue to show them love and welcome them I think they’ve really felt that so far so I wanted to make sure I thanked everybody on that we walked into Wednesday night and had a plan in place we wanted to to be aggressive and we walked out excited obviously every transaction period there’s difficult decisions that you have to make but we were align from top to bottom we were strategic and like we said we were aggressive and making sure that we accomplished our goal so with these three young men to my left we feel like we’re adding a few more bricks to that base level Foundation that we talked about at the end of the season we feel like they’re our type of people first they are our type of players as well when you kind of look across the board and see them they all are challenge Seekers they all are hard workers they all care and have a passion for basketball so the stuff off the court just check in the boxes there but when you watch them play the athleticism the versatility the two-way potential that they have on both ends of the floor that stuff’s really impressive and really exciting for us so we’re happy to add them all um I do got to show the scouts a little bit of love we had a a retreat in the offseason and talked about getting to players early identifying players early and I promise you to a man these were three of the guys that we were on from the very beginning the texts the phone calls you got to get here you got to see them and that just gives you more time to work with the information and feel more comfortable in your selection so I got to give the scouts a lot of love on that um but lastly before we officially welcome them I want to make sure that we welcome their family we want to make sure I welcome their friends their representatives the support staff because you all really helped them get to this point and they couldn’t have done it without you so I want to thank you guys you guys are going to continue to be the group that supports them and allows them to kind of maximize themselves but these young gentlemen did the work and you get the credit as well and you did most of it so I do want to ficially welcome Alex bub and kesan to the Washington Wizards quick question for you Alex you’ve been in DC for a couple of days now how would you just describe as will said the emotions that you’re getting reactions from the fans and more more importantly what do you think of our beautiful city yeah I mean it feels great to be here um like we went to dinner last night and I was thinking like it feels like home you know like I never been here before but uh feels like a place where you know I can really grow and uh and take the next steps in my game bub for you um you’re from Baltimore a lot of Pride you have in being from that City and the lineage of basketball players that have come from there we talked about that the other day but can you describe playing your professional basketball in DC close to home and being around friends and family oh it’s an amazing feeling to know that you’re never ever going to be too far from home you know I always got a lot of I have a big support system and the ability to play my professional career in front of them basically in they backyard I mean that’s an amazing feeling how many times have you ribbed will about Ravens bills oh all the time he knows he knows who the better football team is we’ll see week three I’ll just leave that one alone and Kean what is something that we don’t know about you that kind of stands out about you um I’m from Switzerland and I could cook uh I like to cook food I love food and yeah that’s a like a hidden talent What’s your go-to dish um it’s a bagel you empty the middle you put some onions cheese and eggs in the middle you close the bagel wrap it around in bacon throw it in the oven and makes you a good little you know just a word of advice the veterans on the team are probably not only going to have you get donuts but you’re probably going to have to cook too so just word to the wise um we’re going to open it up for questions for the assembled media I just please ask you to wait for the microphone and also identify yourself and your affiliation thank you Josh Robbins from the athletic this is for each of the three of you would you please describe what your emotions have been like from the point of right at the start of the draft to up to now uh for me I think uh I first def felt unreal uh you know on draft night it was an amazing feeling uh then you know next morning wake up get on the plane and uh you kind of flip the switch and you realize you know now you’re on a new team and uh you know it’s time to to start um you know a new process in know being an NBA player I would say I felt a lot of excitement like I was like kind of like anxious you know ready to finally be finally be able to like get picked on an NBA team and I was just kind of excited to like finally be able to play for a team go out there and kind of have a whole city kind of know who you are and things of that nature like I was ready yeah I was just grateful overall to be able to you know experience this this setting that everybody is able to experience that and just to picky back it’s just exciting you know starting a new Journey you know to compete against the best of the best and be able to you know get my game to the next level on your left gentlemen no left over here David Aldridge with the athletic uh welcome to DC um you guys all understand that this is a rebuilding situation and this is pretty much the start of the rebuild um just wonder how that impacts your approach to how you’re going to develop as players and as leaders for this team going forward I mean like like uh will said earlier I feel like we all three of us just knowing these guys just for the last couple days I feel like I still get that vibe that everyone here is a challenger like we looking at this as a challenge you know it’s something that we want to attack something that we know we could be successful in and we just got to put the work in every day to accomplish that Alex yeah I mean same you know I haven’t met all my team teammates but just watching the games from last year you can see that it’s all guys that really persevere and uh you know they they never really give up no matter you know how the game go and I think that’s that fits all three of us too so uh you know I think we’re ready for that yeah I think we all ready to compete like we had a little workout and it was really just competitive on some light shooting so it’s really exciting to be able to have a good young group of guys that are ready to you know compete against the best of the best and you know hopefully win a lot of games yeah I’ll just add da when we go through this process you know Michael and I it’s important for transparency like you can ask these young men we tell them this is what we’re about this is what we’re going through and we want people who see this more as an opportunity than like a negative or a challenge they’re like no we want to help Define what the next version of the Wizards looks like and to a man they they Embrace that so we’re going to push them Brian’s met with them and told them what it’s all about they’ve spoken to some of their teammates but they’re embracing that challenge over here here uh welcome to DC everyone Chase Hughes from Monumental the other night on draft night will talked about all your guys skill sets but he said this is going to be a defensive team uh what is each year your reaction to that statement I think defense wins games and to be able to guard multiple position use our size and be able to impact the game on both ends of the floor is very important and it’s going to allow us to win a lot of games yeah I agree uh I mean watch this guy’s highlights played against this guy like I know these guys can defend I know I can defend and like you said we’re in a whole rebuilding process and in the league everyone can shoot everyone can pass but if you can limit that you know you can start winning a lot more games and that’s what we’re kind of trying to bring to the table yeah I mean same for me you know uh like they said I think he all stars on defense you know like no matter if we score offense if you get stops you you get a better chance at winning the game at the end of the day so I think it’s really important Dave Json Wizards radio and and K of it’s okay I’m already working on a sponsorship for a cooking segment on Wizards radio I mean that’s that’s I’m already talking to sponsors and trying to get that uh worked out I I wanted will in your opening remarks you you also thank the fans and I wanted to get just your reaction I don’t you were in the war room and busy but I was M seeing the draft party the other night and I’ve never seen a reaction so positive we had 6,000 people I think at the arena and it was very much a party were you aware of that just the reaction from from the fans and and your thoughts on that and just you know all the players how important the fans are on this this journey now yeah in real time no we weren’t aware of it we were kind of locked in and moving on and trying to figure out a way to go get this young guy at 14 so we kind of just dap everybody up really quick and then move on business as usual but afterwards meeting with ksy and our our media staff and they explained kind of what was going on there this is a basketball City Michael and I talked about it about a year ago when we first got here and the goal is to make sure we’re active in the community we’re make sure that we’re around and available for our fans and they were greeted the very first day they got here while they were walking into a tour for the arena so it’s a passionate fan base um it’s a suppored fan base but it’s also a high basketball IQ fan base and I think they understand what we’re doing and how we’re trying to go about it and I can’t thank them enough for the support that I get when I’m walking through the airports and on the streets and in the arena and I think these guys know how important that is but have felt it already too just for the players any any thoughts on that or Alex I interviewed you in a hologram or something the other night night you could probably see the fan reaction yeah I mean same you know like I think for all three of us there’s kind of an excitement around uh you know this draft and uh we can feel it you know when we go to dinner fans want to like talk to us and get to know us and it’s always a nice feeling seeing how involved they are with the team yeah I agree like will said earlier the second week you know touchdown in DC we already had uh fans line up for us to greet us and take pictures and things like that like you mentioned at dinners the other night we’re getting stopped to take pictures and know you can definitely feel the energy you can feel the excitement the love that DC has for the team and for us and we want to you know reciprocate that that we want to bring some wins to this organization to you know um thank them yeah for sure just to pigy back to add on them I agree with everything they said I’ll just say that without the fans we like this sport wouldn’t be as big like this is the fans Drive the sport and make it grow so I just want to take thank them overall hey guys uh Natalie SP with 7 news here in DC the other night will touched a lot about the pre-draft process what he was looking forward to in each of you guys as players but he also touched on the fact that he was looking for character guys just good people at the end of the day what is something you want the DC Community to know about you guys not as the player but as the person each of you are I’m a very positive guy first of all you know very happy to be here bring that you know young positive energy to wherever I go and whatever happens yeah I feel like we’re all just kind of like uh positive like you said positive guys like I don’t I never once got any type of bad feelings from this guy these guys any type of Bings from any of the coaching staff anyone in this organization so you can tell that they try to lead by example and you can tell they you know they know what they looking for like I know these guys are good guys and I known them for three days so yeah uh I think some something I want them to know is that I’m really caring for people and uh you know if they ever see me outside and they want to talk to me or take a picture that they don’t they don’t feel you know any type of way and I would be happy to do it I would only add to that there’s a string of humility between all three of these young men they’ve all accomplished a lot at a young age and they’ve all taken chances and opportunities to kind of go out on their own a little bit and try different things so the creativity um the humility with the passion and work ethic is something that ties all three of them together for sure hey guys uh sapna bansel from The Washington Post um just you know each of you has come from uh you know different basketball Journey from Australia France West Baltimore Switzerland what’s it been like for you guys the last few days getting to know each other and building the relationship uh it’s been a sense of calmness you know to know that everything that you kind of been through whether it’s the pre-draft process you know where we grew up playing basketball whatever the case may be nice to know that when you finally get here there is still you know great guys so many people people you can just laugh with joke with you know there was a sense of calmness kind of being with these guys in the organization the last few days yeah it’s just been great to be able to have you know these two other guys that were about in the same situation you know coming from different places different experiences and to be able to to relate with the work we have put in to be able to you know be together in this like situation is is super important and I think I’m I’m happy to be with these two other guys yeah I mean same just like they said you know it’s nice knowing that we’re in the same boat um you know like as a prospect some sometimes you can feel like you’re going to go in a team and you’re the only one but you know it’s three of us and uh that’s really great I think we we can push each other up whether it’s on the court of the court so it’s really nice right here guys uh Aiden kasner here with the pit news my question is for Bob Bob you’re the fourth highest draft pick in Pit’s history so what does it mean to you to be able to represent pit now on the biggest stage it’s an amazing feeling you know I love Pittsburgh I love the zoo I love the you know the overall community that Pittsburgh brings especially towards college basketball and I say that I’m kind of proud because I want people to realize that you know pit is a good school they got a great coaching staff um great you know Athletic program and sometimes it can be overlooked but I feel like you know with me kind of going as high as I did and being from the school that I’m from it’ll kind of put pip on the map in a in a way any other questions uh this one’s for Bob and Kean you guys played against each other on January 27th on in an ACC regular season game did you have any thoughts about each other’s games then and then how do you feel about now sharing the court with each other first of all I feel great sharing the court with B you know two tall guards that could very versatile guard both ends and uh playing against him I know he was a very skilled player you know had um you know different aspects of his game to pull up game the jumper pick and roll so I think yeah it’s going to be exciting yeah I felt the same uh going over the Miami Scout and practice um he was actually like kind of like that player that stood out to me because the Scout was make him uncomfortable and that was the first time we ever did that and that’s a testament to his game because you know that he was able to do every aspect of the game you know and I’m super excited to share a court with somebody that doesn’t really have no like uh blundering weakness you know that’s a good quality that he has thank you everybody for the questions it’s time now for the photo op where the players will take photos with their jerseys and then afterwards we’ll have one-on ones if you just look to wizards commom department they will uh point you in the right direction thank you everybody

Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George spoke to the media for the first time following the 2024 NBA Draft.

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