Wizards Set to Become Globe-Trotters

After watching his team barely score 62 points and miss 30 of its 40 second-half shots in what he called "the most non-exciting" preseason game he's ever been a part of, Washington Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan made light of the loss to Detroit on Friday by quickly looking ahead to the future. Jordan's first comment after approaching the podium was, "We're ready to go to Europe."

The Wizards departed yesterday afternoon for a week-long trip through Berlin and Barcelona, where they will play two exhibition games against the New Orleans Hornets as part of the third NBA Europe Live Tour. They also will participate in a series of basketball clinics in each city, with former NBA players John Havlicek and Detlef Schrempf joining the teams for activities in Germany.

"It's going to be a good thing for the NBA to hopefully play well over there and hopefully enjoy the experience," Jordan said. "The trip is like, you want to succeed logistically, you want to go these appearances and clinics, go from place to place, not lose anybody -- keep the sheep together. Just move them, get through it, have them enjoy the experience. Don't have any mishaps. Be professional. Play well if you can and get back next Saturday. Then, we're really into the business of going back out there."

The other participants in the NBA Europe Live, Miami and New Jersey, will complete their tour through Paris and London with an exhibition game today. The Boston Celtics traveled to Europe last season and went on to win the NBA championship.

Caron Butler is one of many Wizards players who have never been to Europe. He was excited that the Wizards allowed the players to bring their spouses on the trip. Butler said his wife, Andrea, speaks a little Spanish, and added that the two plan on studying Spanish and German translation dictionaries on the flights. Since no members of the Wizards have represented the NBA in Europe, Butler said his teammates are embracing the opportunity.

"It's going to be major," Butler said. "It will be cool. Obviously, you want to see the world and have fun."

Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood will stay behind; Arenas to rehab his left knee, and Haywood plans to have surgery to repair to the torn ligament on his right wrist.

Antawn Jamison won't play in either game, but he wasn't going to change his plans with his parents, Albert and Kathy, who are joining him on the trip. Jamison said the trip will be a great bonding experience for the team, but he also plans on visiting his former North Carolina teammate and friend, Ademola Okulaja, who grew up in Berlin. "It will be great to hang out with him and his family," Jamison said. "I'm always excited about going to new surroundings. I have never been to Spain before. I always wanted to go to Barcelona."

Etan Thomas also has never been to Barcelona or Berlin and said he was looking forward to visiting museums and "soaking up" the culture of both cities. "There is a lot of culture and history there," Thomas said. "Just seeing different places, seeing how they live. It's a great opportunity. It's something that will help you see the world."

Darius Songaila, a native of Lithuania who spent one season playing in the Euroleague with CSKA Moscow, was pleased about returning to "familiar territory." Songaila played for the third-place team of the 2003 Euroleague Final Four at Barcelona's arena, St. George Palace. Songaila said his mother called him about possibly coming to see him in Berlin, but when he told her about his schedule -- which includes team clinics and a Coca-Cola sponsored individual clinic with Lithuanian children -- she elected not to come. "Three days is not enough time," Songaila said.

Andray Blatche is looking forward to being in Berlin and Barcelona, but not thrilled about the process of actually getting there. Blatche, who has never been overseas, said that he hates long flights. When a reporter reminded him that Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld compared the trip to taking a West Coast trip, Blatche frowned. "That ain't no West Coast trip," Blatche said of the nine-hour flight from Dulles International Airport to Berlin. "That's far. It's a long flight."

DeShawn Stevenson was less than enthusiastic about the trip, as he has never left North America. The only non-American cities he's ever visited were Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Vancouver, B.C., and Toronto (the last two only because of NBA games). Stevenson said he never had any interest in going to Europe.

"Crazy, right?" Stevenson said. "I don't like going overseas, man. It's kind of weird for me. I don't like going anywhere I don't know. I'm old-fashioned. I'm excited to see new things, but I'm not looking forward to it."