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Last updated September 14, 2026

Washington Wizards history · NBA regular season

The 25 Greatest Washington Wizards of All Time

Wes Unseld ranks No. 1 after producing 3,998.5 Franchise Value across 13 seasons for this franchise and its included historical identities. Elvin Hayes, John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Greg Ballard complete the top five. This ranking covers 1961–62 through 2025–26.

25 ranked players1961–62 through 2025–26 franchise coverage1,000 minimum minutesRegular season only
See the full top 25How the ranking works

The answer at a glance

The top five

Franchise Value estimates how many regular-season points above a replacement-level player someone produced for this franchise. It rewards both strong seasons and staying power.

  1. No. 1

    Wes Unseld

    3,998.5Franchise Value

    13 seasons · 984 games
    10.8 PPG · 14 RPG · 3.9 APG

  2. No. 2

    Elvin Hayes

    2,251.4Franchise Value

    9 seasons · 731 games
    21.3 PPG · 12.7 RPG · 1.8 APG

  3. No. 3

    John Wall

    1,994.9Franchise Value

    9 seasons · 573 games
    19 PPG · 4.3 RPG · 9.2 APG

  4. No. 4

    Bradley Beal

    1,905.8Franchise Value

    11 seasons · 695 games
    22.1 PPG · 4.1 RPG · 4.3 APG

  5. No. 5

    Greg Ballard

    1,589.4Franchise Value

    8 seasons · 643 games
    13.5 PPG · 6.4 RPG · 2.4 APG

The full list

The full top 25

Every name links to a full career profile. The best-season rank is the player’s leaguewide Impact Rate rank for that season.

  1. 1

    Wes Unseld

    3,998.5 value · 13 seasons · best: 1972–73

    3,998.5Franchise Value
    13 seasons1968–69 to 1980–81
    1972–73Impact Rate No. 6
    10.8 / 14 / 3.9PPG / RPG / APG
  2. 2

    Elvin Hayes

    2,251.4 value · 9 seasons · best: 1974–75

    2,251.4Franchise Value
    9 seasons1972–73 to 1980–81
    1974–75Impact Rate No. 11
    21.3 / 12.7 / 1.8PPG / RPG / APG
  3. 3

    John Wall

    1,994.9 value · 9 seasons · best: 2016–17

    1,994.9Franchise Value
    9 seasons2010–11 to 2018–19
    2016–17Impact Rate No. 22
    19 / 4.3 / 9.2PPG / RPG / APG
  4. 4

    Bradley Beal

    1,905.8 value · 11 seasons · best: 2018–19

    1,905.8Franchise Value
    11 seasons2012–13 to 2022–23
    2018–19Impact Rate No. 23
    22.1 / 4.1 / 4.3PPG / RPG / APG
  5. 5

    Greg Ballard

    1,589.4 value · 8 seasons · best: 1981–82

    1,589.4Franchise Value
    8 seasons1977–78 to 1984–85
    1981–82Impact Rate No. 18
    13.5 / 6.4 / 2.4PPG / RPG / APG
  6. 6

    Gus Johnson

    1,509.5 value · 9 seasons · best: 1970–71

    1,509.5Franchise Value
    9 seasons1963–64 to 1971–72
    1970–71Impact Rate No. 17
    17.5 / 12.9 / 2.7PPG / RPG / APG
  7. 7

    Gilbert Arenas

    1,502.8 value · 8 seasons · best: 2005–06

    1,502.8Franchise Value
    8 seasons2003–04 to 2010–11
    2005–06Impact Rate No. 20
    25 / 4.2 / 5.7PPG / RPG / APG
  8. 8

    Walt Bellamy

    1,337.9 value · 5 seasons · best: 1961–62

    1,337.9Franchise Value
    5 seasons1961–62 to 1965–66
    1961–62Impact Rate No. 8
    27.6 / 16.6 / 2.4PPG / RPG / APG
  9. 9

    Phil Chenier

    1,208.7 value · 9 seasons · best: 1973–74

    1,208.7Franchise Value
    9 seasons1971–72 to 1979–80
    1973–74Impact Rate No. 9
    17.9 / 3.7 / 3.1PPG / RPG / APG
  10. 10

    Chris Webber

    1,106.4 value · 4 seasons · best: 1996–97

    1,106.4Franchise Value
    4 seasons1994–95 to 1997–98
    1996–97Impact Rate No. 10
    20.9 / 9.7 / 4.4PPG / RPG / APG
  11. 11

    Jeff Ruland

    1,040.2 value · 5 seasons · best: 1983–84

    1,040.2Franchise Value
    5 seasons1981–82 to 1985–86
    1983–84Impact Rate No. 18
    18.7 / 10.8 / 3.3PPG / RPG / APG
  12. 12

    Antawn Jamison

    938.2 value · 6 seasons · best: 2008–09

    938.2Franchise Value
    6 seasons2004–05 to 2009–10
    2008–09Impact Rate No. 32
    20.8 / 8.9 / 1.8PPG / RPG / APG
  13. 13

    Rod Strickland

    867.6 value · 5 seasons · best: 1997–98

    867.6Franchise Value
    5 seasons1996–97 to 2000–01
    1997–98Impact Rate No. 27
    15.5 / 4.3 / 8.9PPG / RPG / APG
  14. 14

    Jack Marin

    835.6 value · 6 seasons · best: 1971–72

    835.6Franchise Value
    6 seasons1966–67 to 1971–72
    1971–72Impact Rate No. 38
    16.7 / 6.2 / 2.1PPG / RPG / APG
  15. 15

    Earl Monroe

    817.2 value · 5 seasons · best: 1967–68

    817.2Franchise Value
    5 seasons1967–68 to 1971–72
    1967–68Impact Rate No. 14
    23.7 / 3.7 / 4.6PPG / RPG / APG
  16. 16

    Otto Porter Jr.

    803.0 value · 6 seasons · best: 2017–18

    803.0Franchise Value
    6 seasons2013–14 to 2018–19
    2017–18Impact Rate No. 24
    10.7 / 5 / 1.4PPG / RPG / APG
  17. 17

    John Williams

    784.1 value · 5 seasons · best: 1988–89

    784.1Franchise Value
    5 seasons1986–87 to 1990–91
    1988–89Impact Rate No. 9
    12.4 / 5.8 / 3.4PPG / RPG / APG
  18. 18

    Caron Butler

    714.6 value · 5 seasons · best: 2007–08

    714.6Franchise Value
    5 seasons2005–06 to 2009–10
    2007–08Impact Rate No. 18
    19 / 6.6 / 3.5PPG / RPG / APG
  19. 19

    Darrell Walker

    649.6 value · 4 seasons · best: 1989–90

    649.6Franchise Value
    4 seasons1987–88 to 1990–91
    1989–90Impact Rate No. 24
    8.3 / 6.5 / 6PPG / RPG / APG
  20. 20

    Jeff Malone

    609.0 value · 7 seasons · best: 1989–90

    609.0Franchise Value
    7 seasons1983–84 to 1989–90
    1989–90Impact Rate No. 70
    20.2 / 2.7 / 2.8PPG / RPG / APG
  21. 21

    Bernard King

    587.6 value · 4 seasons · best: 1990–91

    587.6Franchise Value
    4 seasons1987–88 to 1990–91
    1990–91Impact Rate No. 40
    22 / 4.7 / 3.9PPG / RPG / APG
  22. 22

    Larry Hughes

    561.5 value · 3 seasons · best: 2004–05

    561.5Franchise Value
    3 seasons2002–03 to 2004–05
    2004–05Impact Rate No. 14
    17.7 / 5.4 / 3.4PPG / RPG / APG
  23. 23

    Michael Adams

    554.6 value · 4 seasons · best: 1991–92

    554.6Franchise Value
    4 seasons1986–87 to 1993–94
    1991–92Impact Rate No. 28
    13.3 / 3 / 6.6PPG / RPG / APG
  24. 24

    Marcin Gortat

    547.0 value · 5 seasons · best: 2014–15

    547.0Franchise Value
    5 seasons2013–14 to 2017–18
    2014–15Impact Rate No. 70
    11.6 / 9.2 / 1.5PPG / RPG / APG
  25. 25

    Harvey Grant

    541.6 value · 7 seasons · best: 1990–91

    541.6Franchise Value
    7 seasons1988–89 to 1997–98
    1990–91Impact Rate No. 51
    10.7 / 4.6 / 1.8PPG / RPG / APG

What separates the list

Peak and staying power

The main order uses total Franchise Value. These views show who supplied the biggest single seasons and who contributed across the most seasons.

Why No. 1

Why Wes Unseld leads

Wes Unseld produced 3,998.5 Franchise Value, 1,747.0 more than Elvin Hayes. His best team season was 1972–73, when he ranked No. 6 in leaguewide Impact Rate.

If you put more weight on playoff moments, championships, or awards, your order may differ. This list does not quietly fold those judgments into the number.

Most seasons among the top 25

Wes Unseld · 13 seasons

Wes Unseld logged 984 games and 35,832 regular-season minutes across 1968–69 to 1980–81.

Best individual seasons

  1. 1
    Gilbert Arenas2005–06 · Impact Rate No. 20
    450.4
  2. 2
    Wes Unseld1972–73 · Impact Rate No. 6
    425.1
  3. 3
    Gilbert Arenas2006–07 · Impact Rate No. 12
    416.6
  4. 4
    Walt Bellamy1961–62 · Impact Rate No. 8
    413.5
  5. 5
    Elvin Hayes1974–75 · Impact Rate No. 11
    410.8

Franchise Value leaders by decade

  1. 1960s
    Walt BellamyMost value in the decade
    1,337.9
  2. 1970s
    Wes UnseldMost value in the decade
    3,142.5
  3. 1980s
    Greg BallardMost value in the decade
    1,215.5
  4. 1990s
    Chris WebberMost value in the decade
    1,106.4
  5. 2000s
    Gilbert ArenasMost value in the decade
    1,508.8
  6. 2010s
    John WallMost value in the decade
    1,994.9
  7. 2020s
    Bradley BealMost value in the decade
    453.8

Just outside the list

Nos. 26–30

  1. No. 26Terry Dischinger523.2
  2. No. 27Bob Dandridge508.0
  3. No. 28Moses Malone501.3
  4. No. 29Charles Jones487.3
  5. No. 30Pervis Ellison473.7

Method and limits

What this ranking measures

This is a model ranking, not a claim that one number settles every argument about franchise greatness.

01

Count only team value

We add the player’s hussEyquation Season Value only while he belonged to this franchise. A player needs at least 1,000 franchise minutes to qualify.

02

Split traded seasons

When a player changed teams, his season value is divided by the minutes played at each stop. In 1950–51, when minutes were not recorded, games are used instead.

03

Use one clear order

Higher total Franchise Value ranks first. Ties are broken by the player’s best leaguewide Impact Rate rank, then franchise minutes. Peak seasons and per-game stats are context, not hidden inputs.

04

Know what is missing

The model covers NBA regular seasons from 1950–51 onward. Playoffs, championships, awards, cultural importance, and ABA seasons are not inputs.

Sources and historical estimates: Team stints and conventional totals come from Basketball Reference; Franchise Value comes from the hussEyquation model. The site reconstructs missing box-score inputs through 1972–73. Exact Raw BPM inputs begin in 1973–74. In a traded season, the model has one combined season impact estimate; only the value allocation is split by team workload. Data were checked for this release on September 14, 2026. Read the full methodology.

Quick answers

Washington Wizards ranking FAQ

Who is the greatest Washington Wizards player of all time?

Within this NBA regular-season ranking, which begins in 1961–62, Wes Unseld ranks first with 3,998.5 Franchise Value produced for this franchise.

Who had the best single season in this ranking?

Gilbert Arenas has the highest team-season value in this dataset: 450.4 in 2005–06. He ranked No. 20 in leaguewide Impact Rate that season.

How are the top 25 ranked?

The order is total regular-season Franchise Value, which adds up value above replacement produced for this franchise. More value ranks higher.

Which earlier team names and locations are included?

Includes the Chicago Packers, Chicago Zephyrs, Baltimore Bullets, Capital Bullets, and Washington Bullets; it excludes the unrelated 1940s–50s Baltimore Bullets.

Keep exploring

Greatest players for every NBA team

Move from this franchise to any of the other 29 current NBA teams, or compare these players with the leaguewide career ranking.

Leaguewide all-time rankingsCurrent NBA team power rankingsWes Unseld’s full career profile