Washington Wizards Rave About Tomas Satoransky During Media Day 2016

Washington Wizards spoke very highly of Tomas Satoransky, who finally joined the Wizards this past summer, during the team’s media day.

“Optimism” could be used to describe every media day. Teams, even the ones entering a losing situation, are confident that the moves they made will result into positive results during the season.

The Washington Wizards aren’t much different.

On Monday, media members surrounded a brand new Wizards team – one led by the same core of John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat.

Washington’s second unit, with just Marcus Thornton returning, has been completely revamped. Gone are the days of depending on veterans like Trevor Ariza, Nene and Jared Dudley.

Wall and Beal, who are entering their seventh and fifth seasons respectively, are being handed the keys to the team.

The second unit is now comprised of young, unproven talent.

Ernie Grunfeld and the rest of Washington’s brass is hoping that Scott Brooks, known for his player development chops, will help the youthful group grow together in D.C.

Tomas Satoransky, a 24-year-old rookie, became a part of Washington’s youth movement after agreeing to a three-year deal this summer. The Czech guard was picked by the Wizards in 2012 and spent years overseas, most notably with Barcelona.

Standing near teammates whom he’s worked out with this summer – the same players he watched on television for years – Satoransky was undoubtedly the most soft-spoken player at Wizards media day.

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The 6-foot-7 guard stood tall on the Wizards’ practice court inside Verizon Center, waiting for reporters to surround him with questions.

First, he introduced himself by letting the media know how his name was pronounced.

Then, he talked about Wall and how much the All-Star has helped him with his transition to the league.

Satoransky’s media scrum, all two minutes of it, didn’t offer much insight into his off-season nor what he’ll bring to the Wizards.

But, his teammates did.

Marcin Gortat has been one of Satoransky’s biggest supporters and played a major role in convincing the fellow European in finally coming to the NBA.

“He’s a bright guy. I know everything about him. He just got another offer from Barcelona and decided to come here. This is huge,” Gortat told reporters on Monday. “It’s a great opportunity for him. If you have an opportunity to go to the NBA, you have to use this opportunity. I’m excited to have him here. I’m excited to have another white guy on the team,” Gortat said while laughing.

Knowing the struggles that Satoransky will inevitably encounter during his first season, Gortat has taken it upon himself to become his veteran.

“I will definitely show him around. I feel like I’m responsible for him here. Hedo Turkoglu did that for me when I was with the Orlando Magic, so I’m going to do the same for Tomas. I’m definitely going to take care of him,” Gortat said.

“He’s a bright guy. He doesn’t need a lot of guidance. He’s here every day two hours before practice. He knows what he’s doing. He’s going to have a nice battle with Trey Burke to back up John.”

Burke, who Gortat noted will compete for minutes in healthy competition during camp, also had nothing but positive things to say about his new teammate.

“Tomas can play, man. He’s an athletic guard,” Burke emphasized. “He can shoot the ball. He’s a versatile guy who can help us on both ends of the court.”

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