By Stephen Hunt The Spokesman-Review
DALLAS – It’s a hypothetical that Corey Kispert has occasionally pondered – what if he hadn’t chosen Gonzaga and played under legendary coach Mark Few?
Once he returns to reality, though, he quickly realizes what a great fit he and the Bulldogs were for one another during his four seasons from 2017 to 2021 – culminating in him being named an All-American in 2021 as a senior. That season, he was named West Coast Conference Player of the Year, winner of the Julius Erving Award as the nation’s top collegiate small forward and was ultimately picked 15th in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.
“We travel around the country and practice at some colleges, get workouts in at some gyms in the middle of nowhere and I think about that a lot. I know I would not be as good of a player as I am now, that’s for certain,” Kispert, 26, now in his fifth NBA season, all with the Wizards, said.
“Everyone wants the big football school with the sunshine, the beach when it comes to college, but I wouldn’t have been in the gym as much, wouldn’t have learned hard lessons that have helped me in my career, and wouldn’t have played with amazing people that made me a better player. A lot of guys, their relationship with their college is transactional and that’s fine, but I just wasn’t that kind of player and needed more time to develop. Luckily, I chose a place that invested in me just as much as I invested in it.”
Kispert, who is averaging 8.0 points off the bench for the Wizards through entering Wednesday’s game against the Boston Celtics, is one of 11 former Zags who made NBA opening-night rosters.
“Yeah, it’s a good group to be in,” Kispert said of the former Zags in the NBA. “It shows our longevity, our staying power at the college level, and our ability to create pros. That’s what a high school kid wants to hear when they’re thinking about a place to go to college because everyone has that dream to make it to this level and its shows that’s a place where you can truly do that. If anybody ever thought it was a fluke before, it’s not. The numbers don’t lie.”
When Kispert arrived in DC, he had a familiar face awaiting him in fellow ex-Zag Rui Hachimura, the ninth pick in the 2019 draft. The two were teammates until January 2023 when Hachimura was traded to the Lakers. Having his close friend and fellow Zag traded out west was a reality check, and in the years since, he’s seen countless teammates come and go and even a head coach or two.
But Kispert says he sees a silver lining being by being part of so much change and being one of the few players to stick with the Wizards.
“Yeah, it’s been a blessing and a bit of a challenge to play with so many different people. The blessing part is obviously, you’re going to get to know everybody and the more friends and people you know across the league, the better,” Kispert said. “It (having so many new faces) creates more of a need to get on the same page faster. You have to instill a culture right away. That’s harder to do when everyone’s brand new. It’s an extra challenge. It’s not an excuse because a lot of teams have new players, but it’s something I’ve gotten accustomed to over my five years here. I’ve been really blessed by that because of the people I know and meet.”
One familiar face in Washington since 2023 has been Brian Keefe, who first came to the Wizards as an assistant coach and was elevated to head coach prior to last season. And Keefe, an NBA assistant since 2007 with several franchises, likes the stability which Kispert brings to his roster which has plenty of new faces this season.
“He’s one of the few guys that has been on the team here since the beginning, since I’ve been here. He’s a role model for how we want to behave and act, how he works, how he trains, how he prepares, how he is in our community. He’s top-notch,” Keefe said. “I can’t speak more highly of what he brings to our team and our organization. That’s something I never take for granted. He’s a high-character guy who loves to work and he’s a great example to all our players.”
And Kispert attributes being such a positive example for his teammates to simple lessons learned in Spokane under Few.
“He always says you’ve got to major in the majors and minor in the minors. Most players in the NBA have one or two really elite skills and if you want to stick in the NBA, you got to show why those skills are elite,” he said. “For me, it’s shooting, IQ, spacing, and movement. I’ve doubled and tripled down on those skills in my career. It’s earned me a second contract. It’s earned me five years in the league and it’s all because of Coach Few’s advice.”
Speaking of Spokane, Kispert returned last summer and got a glimpse of this year’s Zags – and loves what he saw.
“I went up there this summer and played a few days of pickup,” he said. “I noticed their edge. I noticed how hard they worked, how tough they played. (They’re) super physical, a lot of guys are dogs on the team. Like usual, we’re going to round into form. We’re going to look really good and make a deep run in March, that’s almost guaranteed. I’m looking forward to how this team is unique. For now, I like where we’re at with how hard these guys work and how much they care. It’s a good place to start.”
_Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas._