A pattern spanning the last eight seasons shows the NBA Finals have consistently included a former Washington Wizards player on the championship roster. As the 2025 NBA playoffs continue, this trend remains in place.
Since the 2017 championship, each team that lifted the trophy has featured at least one player who previously played for Washington. This includes multiple players in some years.
The 2024 NBA Finals champion Boston Celtics had Kristaps Porzingis, a former Wizards center. The Denver Nuggets' title team in 2023 included four former Wizards: Jeff Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ish Smith, and Thomas Bryant.
The streak dates back to the Golden State Warriors teams that won in 2017 and 2018, featuring JaVale McGee and Shaun Livingston. Other former Wizards on subsequent championship rosters include Jodie Meeks (2019 Raptors), Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris (2020 Lakers), Bobby Portis (2021 Bucks), and Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II (2022 Warriors).
This trend persists despite the Wizards' recent performance. Washington finished with one of the worst records in the league this past season and has not made the playoffs since the 2020-21 campaign.
Eighteen former Wizards players began the current postseason scattered across 11 of the 16 qualifying teams. Some remain active in the conference semifinals.
Players with a chance to extend the streak include Porzingis with the top-seeded Celtics in the Eastern Conference and Russell Westbrook with the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is playing for the Orlando Magic.
Other former Washington players participating in the 2025 playoffs include Thomas Bryant (Pacers), Bobby Portis (Bucks), Rui Hachimura (Lakers), and Gary Payton II (Warriors). The presence of these individuals across multiple contending teams keeps the unusual streak alive.
Whether the streak reaches nine consecutive seasons depends on which team ultimately wins the NBA Finals this year.
