WASHINGTON — Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis made official the leadership structure of Monumental Basketball, the newly formed umbrella organization for the Wizards, Washington Mystics of the WNBA, Capital City Go-Go and Wizards District Gaming.
The group made it official Monday that Tommy Sheppard will serve as general manager of the Wizards, while announcing that Sashi Brown will be the chief planning and operations officer for Monumental Basketball, and Daniel Medina will have the title of chief of athlete care and performance.
“We have formed a new leadership team with a forward-thinking structure to adapt to the ‘new NBA’ that requires every possible strategic advantage to compete and win,” Leonsis said. “We are building a leadership brain trust with deep Wizards/NBA experience and with sports professionals from inside and outside the NBA to challenge our thinking and adapt to an ever-increasing competitive environment.”
Sheppard will lead strategy, analytics, player personnel, scouting and coaching for the Wizards, the Go-Go of the G-League and District Gaming. Brown will be in charge of all staff in technology, finance, communications, security, research and player engagement areas, and Medina will lead medical, training, mental health, strength and conditioning, nutrition and physical therapy/recovery efforts.
Additionally, the organization hired former Georgetown and Princeton coach John Thompson III to head the newly formed athlete development and engagement department.
The Wizards recently named Sheppard, entering his 17th year with the team, as its general manager, removing the “interim” tag. Brown formerly was the executive vice-president and general counsel of the Cleveland Browns, and Medina spent the past two seasons as the vice-president of athlete care for the Philadelphia 76ers.
WIZARDS EXPECTED TO OFFER BEAL AN EXTENSION
The Washington Wizards are expected to offer All-Star guard Bradley Beal a three-year $111 million extension this week, although there are no indications he will accept immediately, ESPN reported Monday.
Beal, 26, still has two years and $55.8 million remaining on his current contract. He will be able to receive an extension offer on Friday and then would have until Oct. 21 to sign it. Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein said careful consideration will be given to any extension offer.
“There are moments in a career where there are big decisions to make, and Brad will work through everything and figure out the right thing to do,” Bartelstein said, according to ESPN. “There are nothing but great feelings for (chairman) Ted (Leonsis), (general manager) Tommy (Sheppard) and (head coach) Scott (Brooks). They’ve treated Brad wonderfully.”
Beal scored a career-best 25.6 points per game with 5.5 assists this past season. In seven seasons with the Wizards, the former No. 3 overall selection in the 2012 draft has averaged 19.8 points and 3.7 assists. He was an All-Star in each of the past two seasons.
Not agreeing to an extension now still might not indicate that Beal has intentions to leave down the road. If he earns all-NBA status in the upcoming season, he could then be eligible for a five-year, $254 million supermax contract next summer.
On Monday, it also was reported that Beal will opt out of playing with Team USA in the upcoming FIBA World Cup in China. The Lakers’ Anthony Davis, the Rockets’ James Harden and Eric Gordon, and the Trail Blazers’ CJ McCollum also have opted out of playing for Team USA. — Reuters
