Most children that dream of becoming a professional athlete want to play for their local sports team and Roger Mason, Jr. is living that dream.

   
The Washington Wizards are at a crossroad this off-season.  With all-star leaders such as forward Antawn Jamison and guard Gilbert Arenas  becoming free-agents, the future is overcast.  While the departure of one may not be bad, both could be prove fatal for a perennial playoff team that needs all they can get and then some to move in the upper tier of the Eastern Conference.  We don’t know if Jamison and Arenas really want to stay, but we do know that D.C.’s native son, Mason, does.  “I know it’s a business, but I would like to stay with my family and be apart of the future for the Wizards”.

   Roger Phillip Mason, Jr. was born in Washington D.C. and whose stepfather, Otis Wonsley, was a former running back for the Washington Redskins.  Mason attended Good Counsel High School in Wheaton, Maryland.  Mason played at the University of Virginia and holds the highest career free-throw percentage in school’s history, (318-366, .869).  Mason was drafted 31^st overall (2^nd round) by the Chicago Bulls in 2002 and in 2003, he was traded to the Toronto Raptors for Rick Brunson.  Mason spend two years overseas playing professionally in Israel, prior to signing with the Wizards in 2006.

      It is important for the Wizards to keep either Jamison or Arenas or both, but the Wizards need to make a sincere effort to re-sign Mason.  Teams around the NBA have their eyes on him.  Mason can help a franchise improve or put a franchise over the hump.  NBA teams are going to throw money at Mason and it’s a perfect time because he’s getting married this summer to a Miss Lauren Manning. Mason is a great outside shooter and this season, he hit 130 three-pointers, which help set a franchise record for three-pointers made-575.  Mason makes very few mistakes and takes good shots.  Mason averaged 9.1 points per game this season, but as a starter, he averaged double-digits.

      
         Mason is a bonafide player in the NBA.  Mason’s coming out party was on February 29^th when the Wizards played the Bulls.  The Wizards were trailing the Bulls by 18 points, 52-34, at the half.  All-star forward Caron Butler and Arenas were out with injuries and guard DeShawn Stevenson was ejected late in the 2^nd quarter.  Mason scored 12 points in the 3^rd quarter, finished with 17 points, and helped the Wizards rally for the largest come-from-behind win of the season.  Mason scored in double figures 45 games this season, including the playoffs, with career highs of 32 points against the Golden State Warriors on February 11^th and 18 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference first round.

        
       Star players are better with a good supporting cast.  The Wizards will keep at least one of their star players.  Let’s hope the Wizards don’t forget Mason because he’s the type of player that can come back and haunt you. Remember Rip Hamilton? Ben Wallace? Rasheed Wallace?

Written By Barry Barnes