Trae Young was among the batch of players who received votes for the most overrated players in the league, yet a pair of Washington Wizards were also tabbed among the most underrated players this season
The Washington Wizards got a mix of good and bad news on Wednesday morning after several players were included in The Athletic's anonymous survey diving into the most underrated and overrated players following the end of the 2025-26 regular season.
The bad? Trae Young was tabbed among the league's most overrated players. Young tied Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert as the second-most overrated player in the league after drawing seven of the 81 votes in the survey. Yet this is familiar territory for Young, who led the same poll in 2023 before being among the leading vote getters again in 2024.
Young appeared in just five games for the Wizards in 2025-26, registering double figures scoring and at least five assists in every game before averaging 15.2 points in just 20.8 minutes.
Former Wizard Deni Avdija, who drew criticism for constantly complaining and flopping during the Blazers' short appearance in the playoffs, was also included among the most overrated players in the league after drawing three votes from players.
The good news? A pair of Wizards were praised after Kyshawn George and Justin Champagnie also received one vote each among the players included in the most underrated in the NBA conversation. Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson and Boston Celtics guard Derrick White led the way after both drew 4% of the vote.
It's an encouraging sign for both players, though for different reasons. George was among the batch of Wizards who took a jump in year two after improving every major statistical category and finishing the season averaging nearly 15 points in 29 minutes. George could be the one to emerge as the starter amid the logjam at the wing this offseason where the former Miami (FL) star could emerge as a key part of the offensive identity in 2026-27, capitalizing on improved floor spacing with the arrival of both Young and Anthony Davis while returning to form as an efficient downhill scorer, flashing his offensive versatility once again.
As for Champagnie, who was joined alongside his brother in the group of players who received a vote as underrated players across the NBA, he put together another quietly efficient season where he offers versatility in the rotation.
Champagnie averaged 8.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in his third season with the organization where he showcased himself as an efficient scorer along with a force on the boards, averaging over 5.5 rebounds per game for the second consecutive season. With a chance to play the three and stretch to the four, Champagnie has proven himself as an asset in the Wizards rotation where the Pitt product will look to remain an impact piece in the rotation in his fourth season with the organization and sixth in the league.
Bilal Coulibaly also drew 1.3% of the vote for best defender with Victor Wembanyama dominating the category with 41.1% of the votes.