Why Should We Care About The Capital City Go-Go’s Inaugural Season
After years of waiting and wondering, the Washington Wizards finally have their own G-League team. The Capital City Go-Go are the 27th team in the NBA’s developmental league aka “The G League” and it gives the Wizards a means to develop their own players in-house. With the season kicking off this past weekend, CiTLR will explain why local fans should invest their time, energy, and effort into the Go-Go’s inaugural season.
- Connection To The City
In an effort to establish a strong connection to the community, Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis wanted to ensure the G-League’s newest franchise embodied the spirit of the Washington, D.C. area. Knowing the first step in establishing this connection would partially depend on the name of this newly created team, Monumental Sports went on a search to find a name suitable for their newest project. The team ultimately decided “Go-Go” was a strong enough theme that had deep enough roots to attract the attention of local basketball fans.
Residents of Ward 8, site of the home arena of the Go-Go, Entertainment and Sports Arena, were surveyed on their opinions of the name and many felt Leonsis made the right decision by considering the identity of the area when thinking of a team name.
Entertainment and Sports Arena
- Players On Assignment
Attending a Capital City Go-Go game will give fans an opportunity to monitor the development of the younger talent in the Wizards system. At the top of this list is 2018 first-round draft pick Troy Brown. On the main roster, Brown most likely won’t see many minutes so spending time with Capital City would be ideal for his development.
Devin Robinson and Jordan McRae are currently under two-way contracts, so they will be spending time with both teams throughout the year. Both players are expected to be key contributors to the success of the Go-Go.
While not under two-way contracts, expect to see regular appearances from Chasson Randle and Thomas Bryant in Congress Heights. Randle’s shooting and play out of the Pick and Roll will keep Capital City in most games, while Bryant will provide an inside presence with his rebounding and shot blocking.
- This Should Be A Successful Season
Expectations should always remain realistic, especially for a team in their first year of existence. However, the Go-Go have a nice looking team that could present problems to opposing G-League squads.
Point guard Chris Chiozza knows how to run a team, as he showed at the University of Florida where he posted a 36.1% assist rate during the 2017-2018 season. The Go-Go will look to him to control the pace and make open shots when needed.
Thomas Welch will bring his soft touch that extends to 15 feet, while Lavoy Allen will provide NBA knowledge and experience to a young team that will look to him for leadership.
These players, combined with Brown, Robinson, McRae, Randle, and Bryant, will provide a tough matchup for most teams on a nightly basis.
There is quite a bit to be excited for during this inaugural season. The combination of youthful talent and players looking to make their mark in the NBA should be enough reason for fans of the community to support the Capital City Go-Go.
