Oct 22, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton (22) former teammates talk to each other after their game at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Three Things Wizards Can Learn From Opening Night Loss

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Owen Jury | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Washington Wizards dropped their 2025-26 season with a 120-133 loss on the road to the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite the demoralizing defeat, there are still plenty of things that the Wizards learned. The old saying that you learn more from your losses then wins stands true and if the Wizards can capitalize on the things that they learned, they could turn this season into an overall positive.

Keyshawn George is That Guy

Keyshawn Geroge is elite and there is no hiding it anymore. The days of George hiding in the shadows as one of the league's more underrated young players are numbered. The sooner that head coach Brian Keefe and the rest of the Wizards staff can come to this conclusion the better. The biggest goal for Washington this season should be the progression of their young talent and there is arguably nobody on the roster with a higher upside than George. Washington should lean in on developing him as much as possible, giving him reps as the teams lead initiator and going all in on his progression.

Corey Kispert Has to Go

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Wizards were in a very similar predicament last year to the one they are in right now. Washington had a player on the team in Kyle Kuzma, who was neither young enough to warrant developmental minutes, nor impactful enough to contribute to team success. Washington finds themselves in a very similar situation right now with Corey Kispert. He isn't young enough to be considered a part of the team's future plans, nor is he good enough to impact winning basketball. A lot of Kispert's lack of impact may lie within the situation he is in, as his skillset relies heavily on playmakers setting him up for success. However, that is no excuse for him to be stealing valuable developmental minutes from young players on the team. Kispert's value is higher than it will ever be right now, so there is no better time than now to find a suitable trade spot for the 26-year-old.

This Team Can Compete

Above all, the most important thing that Wizards fans learned from night one is that they can compete. Despite a very slow start — particularly on the defensive end — the Wizards young core showed heart and fought back, bringing the game back down to single digits in the fourth quarter. In the end, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo did his thing, dominating down the stretch and helping Milwaukee pull away. Although it may be disheartening, Washington should not be discouraged. A lot of times close basketball games come down to which team has the better player, and nobody will argue that Antetokounmpo wasn't the best player on the floor last night. The Wizards fandom should walk away from last night's game thankful that the team fought with a true championship contender and excited for success down the line.

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

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