It wasn’t long ago that Justin Champagnie’s place in the Washington Wizards’ rotation looked uncertain.
Throughout the preseason, Washington’s crowded roster created questions about where Brian Keefe would find minutes for everyone. Champagnie occasionally appeared to be one of the players who could get squeezed out despite consistently producing whenever he got an opportunity.
Three games into the regular season, that conversation looks very different.
Champagnie has quickly become one of Washington’s most impactful reserves, and his latest performance may have been his best yet.
Coming off the bench in Washington’s 124-120 win over the Chicago Bulls, Champagnie finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds. His impact went well beyond the box score, continuing an impressive start in which the Wizards have consistently performed well with him on the floor.
Wizards podcaster Corey Lewis on a recent episode of the Wizards Latest believes Champagnie has already shown exactly why Keefe continues turning to him.
“Justin Champagnie… Eleven points and 14 rebounds off the bench. JC, what in the world, man? I see why… BK has you one of the first men coming off the bench. Justin Champagnie, 11 and 14. He completely changed the game. He had a plus-18, the previous game a plus-17. So anytime — if you want to know what that means — anytime Justin Champagnie is on the court, positive things are happening. We’re getting points, the other team is not getting points. His energy, his offensive rebounding, and his defensive grit single-handedly stabilized our offense while he was on the floor. We need that.”
Champagnie’s emergence shouldn’t necessarily be surprising.
His energy, rebounding and defense give Washington exactly what it needs from a player who doesn’t require the basketball to make an impact. He can enter alongside different combinations of starters and reserves without the Wizards needing to change how they play.
That versatility is already earning recognition from Washington’s biggest names.
Anthony Davis recently praised Champagnie for doing the “intangibles,” noting his ability to consistently be in the right place at the right time. Keefe has similarly praised Champagnie as a player who makes winning plays and can fit alongside different lineups.
The numbers have followed.
Through Washington’s first three games, Champagnie leads the Wizards at plus-36. More importantly, his production is helping anchor a second unit that has been one of the biggest surprises of Washington’s encouraging start.
There will still be difficult rotation decisions once AJ Dybantsa returns and Washington has its full collection of wings available.
Champagnie, however, is making one of those decisions increasingly easy.
If he continues rebounding, defending and impacting games the way he has through the opening week, Keefe may have a hard time finding any reason to take him off the floor.
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