LIFESTYLES | DINE AND DISH
Post Game:
DISHING WITH THE WIZARDS Washington Wizards Small Forwards Otto Porter Jr. and Jared Dudley chat about their recent travels, how they push through injuries and whom they see as the competition this year. B Y L A U R A WA I N M A N
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y the time I get Washington W i z a rd s n ew c o m e r Jared Dudley and former Georgetown Hoya/fan favorite Otto Porter Jr. to sit down for lunch at 3 p.m. they’ve already been at Verizon Center for six hours. After a grueling practice and treatments for lingering injuries (back surgery for Dudley and a sprained ankle for Porter), they are no doubt exhausted. But over a health conscious lunch prepared by chef Eldridge Betts of Eco Caters, Porter and Dudley are ready to dish about Caribbean vacations, what it was like the first time they experienced a motorcade and how they plan to push to the conference finals this season.
Diego as that is where both our families are.
WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF WASHINGTON? OP: When I first came here it was for college, and there was so much going on in the city which was a pretty big change from life in St. Louis. Obama was running for re-election so there were a lot of political happenings and so much history. It was exciting and something I really wanted to be a part of. JD: I didn’t expect there to be as much culture downtown as there is. Jared Dudley, Laura Wainman and Otto Porter Jr talk basketball over lunch in the I only really knew the Georgetown new Player’s Lounge at Verizon Center. (Photo by Tony Powell) area before I moved here this July around and clear my head, especially when but it was awesome to see people dancing on it’s nice out. the streets outside of Verizon Center and how many different cultures were represented in WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY LIKE DURING THE SEASON? Jared Dudley: You’ll have practice and you DO MOST OF THE GUYS ON THE TEAM HAVE KIDS AND Chinatown. And then, of course, the first time try to get to the gym a few hours before that. FAMILIES? you see a motorcade and all the guys wearing Afterwards you’ll get whatever treatments JD: It’s common in the NBA for people to wires, that’s an experience in itself. you need, maybe an ice down. You’re here have kids at a young age. On this team we have for roughly four to five hours in the gym on a lot of veterans, so I think approximately half WHAT’S THE TEAM VIBE LIKE? DO YOU SPEND A LOT practice days. Everyone is different on what of the team have kids. OF TIME TOGETHER? JD: We tend to do more together when we are they do afterwards. I have kids and they get on the road because you have more free time. out of school at 3 p.m., so I try and go home HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR FREE TIME? and take a nap so I have enough energy to be OP: I enjoy fixing up cars, reading and When you are at home, most of us feel like we able to play with them.We try and do a couple going places I’ve never been, particularly the owe it to families to be with them since we are activities with them early in the day whether museums here. My favorite right now is the gone so much. But even at home, of course, we will have some dinners together or catch some it’s a museum or a park. We want that time Natural History Museum. JD: I’m a big traveler and I try to go overseas games. You always want to have some sort of with them before bed. at least once a year and to a Caribbean island camaraderie with the team. Otto Porter Jr.: I have a girlfriend but she’s once a year. My last trip was to the Dominican still in college, so she’s always pretty busy. Republic for my 30th birthday and before that WHAT CAUSES ARE DEAR TO YOUR HEARTS? When I go home I’ll take a nap too and then I went to Rome, Florence and Venice with my OP: I don’t have a foundation or anything yet, I like to go walking. We have a mall right wife. Greece is at the top of our bucket list but I do appearances, especially with Boys and down the street and I’ll go there and just walk right now. We also spend a lot of time in San Girls Club, just to give back.
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