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Internet-savvy folks have probably seen the above image posted in many places today. It's currently the No. 1 post on Reddit. It's been picked up by Ball Don't Lie and Deadspin.
But it's also not a new thing to those who have been around the team for the past few years. Some more details on it:
- It's hung in the back corner of the Wizards' locker room, away from the showers and the training room. It's right next to the corner locker than Marcin Gortat currently occupies. Previously, Emeka Okafor had it. Before him, Rashard Lewis. Well before him, Gilbert Arenas.
- It first appeared sometime between the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons under Flip Saunders. Back then, it was merely a "charge board" and did not have deflections. Before then, there was still a whiteboard that instead listed key statistical benchmarks like rebounding margin, defensive field goal percentage and the like.
- Randy Wittman took it to another level by adding in deflections and contest percentages. Last year, he added a message at the bottom. I haven't been around the team as much this year, so I'm not sure if he changed it or if it's the same one.
- The contests, deflections and charges include those taken in practice, which explains how Otto Porter has 24 deflections despite barely playing this year.
- John Wall's been on top of the charge count for three years running, but has indeed been relatively low in contests.
I know Bradley Beal was much lower in contest percentage last year than this year.On the whole, the team is doing better in contest percentage this season. (UPDATE: I realize I was mistakenly thinking of Jordan Crawford. Beal's always been high). - The Wizards never would let us take pictures of it. Oops.
I imagine other teams have something similar in their locker rooms, so this isn't particularly unique. Still, it's a nice little glimpse inside a team.
NOTE: Truth About It posted something on the hustle board last year that has more info.