Paul Washington still remembers the first time he saw his son stand on business.
It happened in a game played in Brooklyn, N.Y., that was part of Nike’s EYBL circuit, an under-17 league in which the Washington-coached Dallas Celtics, led by his son P.J., were competing. A big man from the other team, the Arkansas Wings, had fouled the younger Washington hard.
“He kind of stomped on P.J.’s head after (P.J.) fell to the ground,” Paul said. “It was the first time I’ve ever seen (P.J.) like that.”
When P.J. Washington stood up, he had only business in mind.
“I just said, ‘Forget the play,’ and I ran and pushed him as hard as I could in his back,” he recalled. “And I just stood there.”
The benches cleared and Washington received a technical foul, but his team ultimately won. The incident can’t be found online like the one in April against the LA Clippers where he stared down the opposing bench, arms crossed, in what he later called his “standing on business” pose, but one of Washington’s current teammates can vouch for it.
He was wearing an Arkansas Wings jersey when it happened.
“I remember that,” said Daniel Gafford. “It was one of those days where it was real physical, refs were just letting us play. We’re young, our tempers were just flaring. As soon as (P.J. Washington) got fouled, he was always going to go do that.”
Today, Washington and Gafford’s lockers are across from each other in Dallas. The teammates, who arrived in Dallas in separate trade deadline deals with the lottery-bound Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards, have started every game this postseason and helped Dallas reach the NBA Finals.
Their shared traits — physicality, toughness, defense — have transformed the Mavericks into a defensive juggernaut no longer reliant on 3s or a high-powered offense to win.
“You’ve got to have some edge to play defense,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Those two do. We’ve gotten to see a little bit more of that edge being displayed, and it is what we needed. Those two have delivered.”
GO FURTHER
Mavericks’ P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford have stood on business since they were kids