Wizards Gov. Leonsis Reflects on Fan Backlash After Winning NBA Draft Lottery amid Dybantsa Rumors

After the Washington Wizards won the NBA draft lottery to secure this year's No. 1 pick, it seems like the light at the end of the tunnel of their perpetual rebuild is finally here.

Wizards governor Ted Leonsis spoke to Barry Svrluga of The Athletic and reflected on the backlash he received from fans during what he called "deconstruction," as the team was one of the league's worst year in and year out.

"There were some moments where people are yelling at you," Leonsis said. "Some of the social media posts were enlightening, I'd say."

Svrluga explained that since Leonsis took full control of the Wizards in 2010, they have had the second-most losses in the NBA behind only the Detroit Pistons. Their 196 losses in the three years since Leonsis hired Michael Winger as the top basketball executive are 20 more than any other team.

"It's never easy, that's for sure, because you can't fake it," Leonsis said. "You've got to go to the games. You've got to go to meetings. You've got to talk to the sponsors. You have to talk to the players and the coaches to assure everyone that you have a strategy, you have a plan and you can speak with some authority that there could be gold at the end of the rainbow — and the only way that you'll know is when you get there."

Still, Leonsis pointed out that there was never a concerted tanking effort for the Wizards, as the franchise had never been fined the way other teams had been for questionable practices.

"These are the rules you gave us, and we have lived up to those rules," Leonsis said. "If we've done anything outside the rules, I understand we deserve to be fined. But you'd better show me where we're outside the lines. Don't fine us because there's a lot of teams that now, perhaps, are trying to replicate this."

The Wizards finished with the worst record in the league this season at 17-65, and they landed the No. 1 pick in the draft for the first time since 2010. B/R's Zach Buckley predicted in his mock draft that Washington would select BYU wing AJ Dybantsa, who leads a deep class of talented prospects.

Leonsis indicated that the Wizards are open to listening to trade offers for the No. 1 pick.

"If we were going to win the lottery, this was a good year to do it — not so much because of the concentration of talent, but it does give these very strategic thinkers lots of options," Leonsis said. "I couldn't tell you today what they will ultimately do. I can tell you how they're thinking about it: They would be open for discussion. … We paid our dues and now we have the options, and we have a month to figure out what to do with that perspective."

The Wizards also acquired veteran stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis to bolster their collection of young talent, so Leonsis feels that the team is finally ready to turn the corner.

"If we're successful, people will want to point to this one moment in time," Leonsis said. "That's just the easy way to look at it. But you know, I don't look at it as though the rebuild has ended. The rebuild is just starting.

"I think it's an important point on this long, long journey that we'll be on," he continued, before adding, "The deconstruction, though, is over."