National Basketball Association

Washington Wizards: Johnny O'Bryant Is a Perfect Fit in D.C. (or Anywhere)

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Washington Wizards signed Johnny O’Bryant right before training camp began and the former Milwaukee Bucks forward is playing well in D.C.

Ti Windisch, the head honcho of FanSided’s Milwaukee Bucks site, tried to convince me that Johnny O’Bryant is legit several weeks ago.

The former Bucks forward had inked a deal with the Washington Wizards shortly before training camp began. Admittedly, it doesn’t take a lot for me to fall in love with a player. If the man hustles and waves a towel, I’ll contemplate buying his jersey.

I’ve always enjoyed following the lesser known players. While the public will always care about the elite players, it’s the obscure ones that are often the foundation of a team’s locker room.

John Wall and Bradley Beal deserve all the credit they get for helping the Wizards become a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference a few years ago, but they got support from players that no one besides the diehard fans and reporters knew.

It was Martell Webster, Drew Gooden, Trevor Ariza, Al Harrington and the other veterans that created a culture of winning, and quite frankly, fun. Without their presence, the Wizards wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable to watch during their winning seasons.

O’Bryant fits that sort of mold.

In 66 appearances with the Bucks, the 6-foot-9 forward averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds on less than 41 percent shooting from the field.

Those numbers don’t exactly jump off the screen. Having not watched O’Bryant play very much, I had a tough time understanding why Ti loved him in Milwaukee.

Against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, I learned quickly why O’Bryant was a fan favorite during his stint with the Bucks.

Not sure there's a spot for him on the #Wizards but Johnny O'Bryant has impressed during limited preseason … https://t.co/NCiBk77N1r

— Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) October 11, 2016

After playing just 11 minutes against the Miami Heat last week, Scott Brooks released “JOB” against the New York Knicks and the 23-year-old made the most of the opportunity.

O’Bryant scored 10 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench.

Now, you’re probably saying to yourself: “it’s just preseason.”

Sure – and you’re right. It is just preseason.

But O’Bryant has traits that are directly transferable to the games that matter.

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It’s the exact reason why people like Ti and other Bucks fans, for that matter, wanted him to be a Buck until death.

There’s something comforting about watching players who just know and accept their roles on the team.

O’Bryant realizes that his offensive game is limited – one of the two shots he missed was an airball from a wide open mid-range look – and rarely steps outside of that box.

The coaching staff knows what they’re going to get from O’Bryant.

With that said, O’Bryant doesn’t have much of a chance to make the Washington Wizards’ roster.

The team already has five big men under guaranteed contracts. If there’s going to be a player that forces the staff to keep him on the roster despite the odds, though, it’s going to be O’Bryant.

Against the Knicks, O’Bryant checked in and immediately made an impact by doing the little things. He stopped Kristaps Porzingis, who apparently developed a crossover this summer, from scoring on multiple occasions. Then, he raced up the court and got baskets after cleaning up the glass.

Having a player like O’Bryant on the bench is a luxury, even. It’s hard to think of a reason why Jason Smith, who got a multi-year contract from the Washington Wizards, is a better fit on the team than O’Bryant.

Quietly, O’Bryant has been impressive for the Wizards during preseason. The coaching staff has some tough cuts to make. When they evaluate O’Bryant, they’ll have a difficult time thinking of a situation where he botched a play or wasn’t in the right spot.

As cliche as it sounds, O’Bryant just knows how to play the game and produce without demanding too much from his teammates. You can’t ask for much more from a 14th or 15th man.

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