Feb 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) attempts to pass the ball in front of Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) during the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Justin Champagnie Continues Earning Respect as Wizards' Hidden Gem

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Feb 23, 2026 6:00 PM ET

For as infrequently as the 2025-26 Washington Wizards have prevailed over their NBA peers, they have a quietly-imposing variety of hidden weapons just waiting to captivate casual fans once the franchise is prepared to prioritize nightly wins over the long-term rebuild.

Many of the Wizards' less-heralded players require regular viewings to understand and appreciate, making it unlikely that LeaguePass scrollers take the time to appreciate the rebounders and defenders who continue to quietly improve D.C.'s odds of offering tangible upside aside from whatever scoring comes from their top prospects.

Justin Champagnie, for one, gives the Wizards everything they could want out of an undrafted scrapper, and his impact is just beginning to escape Washington.

Bleacher Report gave him the nod as the Wizards' best overlooked gem in need of respect, shouting out how much he's impacting a young band of recent draftees with his own mature approach.

"One of the best rebounding small forwards in the NBA, Champagnie is pulling down 10.7 boards per 36 minutes of play," Greg Swartz wrote. "For comparison, 7-footer Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers is collecting just 9.4 over the same stretch of time."

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

"Averaging 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and shooting 37.5 percent from three in his 14 starts this season, Champagnie will be a trade target to keep an eye on this summer due to the Wizards' plethora of wings."

Champagnie's Long-Term Security

He was, indeed, one of the Wizards' most commonly mentioned trade targets to look out for in the weeks leading up to the midseason deadline, but he just means too much to the identity that Washington's attempting to establish for itself. They pride themselves on their defense, and as if the wing's hard-earned rebounds weren't enough, his defense is among the most smothering at his versatile position.

The Wizards signed him to a bargain of a four-year, $10 million contract around this point in the season a year ago, and between his improved jump shot and his matching the rest of the team's young timeline, the period between now and his next extension will fly by.

He was far from the only rotation player to be slowly piquing the interest of the outside world; second-round rookie Jamir Watkins is continuing to come into his own as an even more frightening defender, and fellow first-year professional Will Riley is rapidly shooting up the ranks of the Wizards' best prospects.

But unlike some of his newest teammates, Champagnie's now strung together several campaigns of productive margin play, and he's only just beginning to dine on the newfound spoils that come with recognition as a hard-working hustle player.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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