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2001–02 Washington Wizards season

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2001–02 Washington Wizards season
Head coachDoug Collins
General managerWes Unseld
PresidentWes Unseld
Owner(s)Abe Pollin
ArenaMCI Center
Results
Record37–45 (.451)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Atlantic)
Conference: 10th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionComcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
RadioWTEM
< 2000–01 2002–03 >

The 2001–02 NBA season was the Wizards' 41st season in the National Basketball Association.[1] After finishing 19–63 the previous season, the Wizards won the Draft Lottery and selected high school star Kwame Brown with the first overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft.[2] This season marked the return of All-Star guard Michael Jordan, who came out of his second retirement to play for the Wizards. The team also signed free agent Tyronn Lue, who previously won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Under new head coach Doug Collins, the Wizards struggled with a 10 start, but then posted a nine-game winning streak in December holding a 26–21 record before the All-Star break. However, they lost 24 of their final 35 games finishing the season fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 37–45 record, which was an 18-game improvement. However, they still missed the playoffs even with the help of Jordan, who was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game. Brown failed to live up to expectations only playing limited minutes off the bench.

Following the season, Richard Hamilton was traded along with Hubert Davis to the Detroit Pistons, Chris Whitney was traded to the Denver Nuggets, second-year guard Courtney Alexander was dealt to the New Orleans Hornets and Tyrone Nesby was released.

Offseason

During the offseason, the team fired head coach Leonard Hamilton and replaced him with Doug Collins.

On July 18, the Wizards signed Tyronn Lue, who would be Chris Whitney's backup during the season. A week later, the team waived forward Michael Smith.

On August 1, the Wizards traded Laron Profit and a 2005 1st round draft pick to the Orlando Magic for Brendan Haywood. Haywood would play with the Wizards for almost nine years, until he was traded in February 2010.

On September 25, the Wizards signed Michael Jordan. Jordan, at 38 years old, would be the team's points-per-game leader during the season. He also led the team in assists per game.

On October 8, the Wizards waived small forward Mike Smith.

On October 24, the team released Kornél Dávid.

NBA Draft

Main article: 2001 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 1 Kwame Brown Center  United States Glynn Academy (Brunswick, GA)

Roster

Washington Wizards roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SG 4 United States Alexander, Courtney 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Fresno State
PF 5 United States Brown, Kwame 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 270 lb (122 kg) Glynn Academy (HS)
SG 24 United States Davis, Hubert Injured 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 183 lb (83 kg) North Carolina
SG 32 United States Hamilton, Richard 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 193 lb (88 kg) Connecticut
C 3 United States Haywood, Brendan 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 268 lb (122 kg) North Carolina
PF 54 United States Jones, Popeye 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Murray State
SF 23 United States Jordan, Michael Injured 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) North Carolina
PF 44 United States Laettner, Christian 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Duke
PG 10 United States Lue, Tyronn 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Nebraska
SF 8 United States Nesby, Tyrone 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 225 lb (102 kg) UNLV
SF 21 United States Simmons, Bobby 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) DePaul
C 36 United States Thomas, Etan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 256 lb (116 kg) Syracuse
C 55 United States White, Jahidi 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 290 lb (132 kg) Georgetown
PG 12 United States Whitney, Chris 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 168 lb (76 kg) Clemson
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster

Regular season

Michael Jordan

After retiring from the Chicago Bulls in early 1999, Michael Jordan became the Washington Wizards' president of basketball operations as well as a minority owner in January 2000. However, in September 2001, Michael Jordan came out of retirement at age 38 to play basketball for the Washington Wizards. Jordan stated that he was returning "for the love of the game." Because of NBA rules, he had to divest himself of any ownership of the team. Before the All-Star break, Jordan was only one of two players, along with Kobe Bryant, to average more than 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as he led the Wizards to a 26–21 record, and the only player to average more than 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Tracy McGrady would become the only player to average at least 25-6-5 by the end of the 2001-02 season

However, in the last game before the All-star break, Jordan suffered a knee injury in a collision with Etan Thomas on February 7 against the Sacramento Kings.[3][4] The Wizards would lose 9 of their next 10 games following Jordan's knee injury. It is also worth noting that Rip Hamilton missed 5 weeks of playing time due to a groin injury[5] in the Wizards' 26-21 stretch. Starting with a November 28 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, the Wizards were 15-1 in the last 16 games that Jordan and Hamilton played together prior to Jordan's injury on February 7.[6] After the all-star break, Jordan's knee could not handle the workload of a full-season as he ended the season on the injured list, and the Wizards concluded the season with a 37–45 record. Still, Jordan had led the Wizards to an 18-win improvement from the previous season.

The immediate impact of Jordan's presence was seen on the Wizards' popularity and media presence. The team that ranked 18th in NBA home attendance and 26th in road one rose to third and second respectively, selling out every game at the MCI Center and only failing to do so in the three away games following Jordan's injury. Ratings rose on NBC, TNT and foreign cable.[7][8]

Standings

Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-New Jersey Nets 52 30 .634 – 33–8 19–22 16–8
x-Boston Celtics 49 33 .598 3 27–14 22–19 17–7
x-Orlando Magic 44 38 .537 8 27–14 17–24 12–12
x-Philadelphia 76ers 43 39 .524 9 22–19 21–20 14–11
Washington Wizards 37 45 .451 15 22–19 15–26 12–13
Miami Heat 36 46 .439 16 18–23 18–23 10–14
New York Knicks 30 52 .366 22 19–22 11–30 4–20
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-New Jersey Nets 52 30 .634 –
2 y-Detroit Pistons 50 32 .610 2
3 x-Boston Celtics 49 33 .598 3
4 x-Charlotte Hornets 44 38 .537 8
5 x-Orlando Magic 44 38 .537 8
6 x-Philadelphia 76ers 43 39 .524 9
7 x-Toronto Raptors 42 40 .512 10
8 x-Indiana Pacers 42 40 .512 10
9 Milwaukee Bucks 41 41 .500 11
10 Washington Wizards 37 45 .451 15
11 Miami Heat 36 46 .439 16
12 Atlanta Hawks 33 49 .402 19
13 New York Knicks 30 52 .366 22
14 Cleveland Cavaliers 29 53 .354 23
15 Chicago Bulls 21 61 .256 31

Record vs. opponents

2001-02 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MEM MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA WAS
Atlanta — 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 0–2 2–0 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–0 3–1 1–3 0–2 2–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 1–1 0–3
Boston 2–2 — 2–1 2–2 4–0 0–2 2–0 2–2 1–1 0–2 3–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 1–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 1–1 3–1
Charlotte 2–2 1–2 — 4–0 3–1 0–2 2–0 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–0 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 3–1
Chicago 1–3 2–2 0–4 — 1–3 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 2–0 0–4 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 0–2 0–4 3–1 0–3 1–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–3
Cleveland 1–3 0–4 1–3 3–1 — 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–1 3–1 2–0 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–3 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 1–2
Dallas 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 — 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 2–2 1–3 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 1–1
Denver 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–4 — 0–2 1–3 2–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 3–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 1–1 1–3 0–2
Detroit 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 — 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–1 2–2 1–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–1 1–1 4–0
Golden State 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 3–1 1–1 — 1–3 0–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–4 1–1
Houston 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 — 0–2 1–3 0–4 1–3 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–2 1–3 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–1 2–2 1–1
Indiana 3–1 0–3 1–3 4–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–3 2–0 2–0 — 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–2 1–3 1–1 1–3 2–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–1 3–1
L.A. Clippers 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 1–1 — 1–3 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–1 0–4 1–1
L.A. Lakers 1–1 0–2 2–0 0–2 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 3–1 4–0 2–0 3–1 — 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 3–1 2–0
Memphis 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–3 0–2 1–3 3–1 1–1 1–3 1–3 — 1–1 0–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–4 0–4 1–1 3–1 0–2
Miami 1–3 1–3 0–3 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 1–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 — 3–1 0–2 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–3 0–2 2–2
Milwaukee 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–3 — 0–2 1–2 1–3 2–1 1–3 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–0 0–2 4–0 2–0 3–1
Minnesota 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 1–1 2–2 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–0 — 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 2–0
New Jersey 1–2 1–3 3–1 4–0 3–1 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–1 1–1 — 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 3–1
New York 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 3–1 0–2 0–4 — 0–4 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–0 3–0 1–1 1–3
Orlando 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–2 1–1 1–3 4–0 — 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–2
Philadelphia 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–1 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 0–2 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 1–3 — 2–0 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 0–2 2–3
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 4–0 2–2 1–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 — 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–2
Portland 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–2 2–2 2–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–2 — 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–1 1–3 2–0
Sacramento 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–3 4–0 2–0 4–0 4–0 0–2 3–1 1–3 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–2 — 3–1 2–2 2–0 4–0 1–1
San Antonio 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 4–0 2–0 4–0 4–0 1–1 3–1 1–3 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–2 2–0 2–0 1–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 — 2–2 1–1 4–0 2–0
Seattle 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–3 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 1–3 4–0 0–2 2–0 2–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 — 2–0 1–3 1–1
Toronto 4–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–3 1–3 3–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 — 1–1 1–2
Utah 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–3 3–1 1–1 4–0 2–2 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 0–4 0–4 3–1 1–1 — 2–0
Washington 3–0 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–0 0–4 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 1–3 0–2 1–3 3–1 2–2 3–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–1 0–2 —

Player stats

Note: GP= Games played; MPG= Minutes per Game; SPG= Steals per Game; RPG = Rebounds per Game; APG. = Assists per Game; BPG = Blocks per Game; PPG = Points per Game

Player GP MPG STL RPG APG BLK PPG
Michael Jordan 60 85 5.7 5.2 26 22.9
Richard Hamilton 63 38 3.4 2.7 14 20.0
Chris Whitney 82 72 1.9 3.8 6 10.2
Courtney Alexander 56 35 2.6 1.5 7 9.8
Tyronn Lue 71 49 1.7 3.5 0 7.8
Hubert Davis 51 28 1.5 2.1 3 7.2
Christian Laettner 57 60 5.3 2.6 25 7.1
Popeye Jones 79 50 7.3 1.6 19 7.0
Tyrone Nesby 70 61 4.5 1.3 22 6.3
Jahidi White 71 25 6.3 0.2 75 5.4
Brendan Haywood 62 21 5.2 0.5 91 5.1
Kwame Brown 57 16 3.5 0.8 26 4.5
Etan Thomas 47 17 3.9 0.1 35 4.3
Bobby Simmons 30 13 1.7 0.6 5 3.7

Award winners

References

  1. ^ 2001-02 Washington Wizards
  2. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Three High School Stars Are Among First Four Chosen". New York Times. June 28, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  3. ^ http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/nba/games/2002-02-07-wizards-kings.htm
  4. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgrUd9jUJLc
  5. ^ http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/comment/2002-02-28-oconnor.htm
  6. ^ https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hamilri01/gamelog/2002/
  7. ^ His playing career ends -- with frustration, betrayal and flashes of brilliance
  8. ^ When Nothing Else Matters: Michael Jordan's Last Comeback
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