Beal honored to be first Wizards player to play for Team USA originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
When Bradley Beal suits up for Team USA at the Olympics, he will be the first active member of the Wizards franchise to do so. Several have played for USA Basketball and then later for the Wizards, players like Michael Jordan, Russell Westbrook and Mitch Richmond. But no one has ever been a member of both teams at once.
That means Beal is representing both the franchise and the city of Washington in a new fashion and he's honored to be the first.
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"I'm definitely happy to represent D.C. in that way. I didn't know that, that's amazing to hear. Obviously, we're all representing our respective teams and cities and things of that nature, so I'm definitely honored in that sense, for sure," Beal said.
Beal, 28, has led the Eastern Conference in scoring each of the last two years. He's a three-time All-Star who started the All-Star game for the first time this past season. He also made All-NBA for the first time.
Related: Beal excited for what playing in Olympics could do for his legacy
Beal continues to take his game to new heights and establish himself as one of the best players in Wizards/Bullets franchise history. He is fourth in games played for the franchise and second in points scored.
Given the United States is a basketball powerhouse, Beal is now playing alongside some of the very best players in the world. He's teammates with future Hall of Famers like Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard, plus some of the league's brightest young stars like Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker.
Beal's name will go down in the exclusive fraternity of USA Basketball, which includes all-time greats like Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
"You don't take it for granted. You understand the history behind it, you understand the importance of how everybody wants to beat us. You have that mindset and that understanding in practice. It starts here and then we carry it over into the games. I'm definitely excited about it," Beal said.
Now, the Wizards franchise will in a way be part of that history, all thanks to Beal.
See more of Chris Miller's interview with Beal Thursday on News4 at 5 and News4 at 6 PM.
