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  6. article_body => "<p>Drew Gooden was nearing the end of his second 10-day contract with the Wizards in the 2014 season when he went off for 21 points against Brooklyn.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It was a game that changed his career, led to being signed to the team for the remainder of that season and ending his career as a Washington Wizard two years later. \u201cMy career was totally reborn as a veteran leader on the Washington Wizards,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s something I never would have thought would come full circle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And now? Gooden will serve as the game analyst on NBC Sports Washington\u2019s Wizards broadcast this season. NBC Sports Washington announced on Wednesday he will join new play-by-play announcer Justin Kutcher as part of the Wizards' game broadcast team. Chris Miller will return in his role as sideline reporter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a dream and I never thought in a million years I would have retired a Wizard and that out of all my teams that I played for, that Wizards would be the favorite organization that I played for, never thought I would be a color analyst for NBC Sports Washington,\u201d Gooden&nbsp;said. \u201cAll of this is a dream.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And while Kutcher may not have the same playing resume that Gooden does, he promises to bring the same passion Gooden does to broadcasts.<\/p>\n<p>During the early days of his career, Kutcher wasn\u2019t just the voice of (and practice player for) the Boston University women\u2019s basketball team. He was such a passionate fan that he was the one making the most noise on the team bus after a big win or a big loss. Now, after decades in the business, he\u2019s not sure he\u2019ll go to that extreme \u2013 but Wizards fans can expect him to be \u201ca fan who\u2019s calling the game,\u201d he said. \u201cI say that about myself all of the time. I think of myself as just this incredibly lucky person that gets to call a sport that I love. When I have a reaction, it\u2019s a genuine reaction. So, I\u2019ll keep everything professional, but I\u2019ll get excited.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kutcher has 17 years of experience as a play-by-play announcer, having spent the last seven years at Fox Sports where he led national coverage of NCAA basketball and football, the NFL and MLB. Prior to FOX Sports, Kutcher served as a play-by-play announcer for ESPN for four years. During that time, he led live coverage for a variety of sports, including basketball, football, baseball, softball, volleyball and hockey, across professional, college and high school leagues and conferences. He also appeared on studio shows during his tenure with ESPN. In addition to FOX Sports and ESPN, he has also called collegiate events for CSTV, now CBS Sports Network, for two years, as well as BTN, and contributed to MLB.com digital programming.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-2409621\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/kutcherjpg\">kutcher.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img title=\"Justin Kutcher\" class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"2\" src=\"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/washington\/2019\/07\/17\/kutcher.jpg\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1111\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have known Justin since he was a runner for us at FOX Sports,\u201d said Joe Buck. \u201cHe\u2019s gone from working hard behind the scenes to one of the best, young voices in sports. Wizards fans are getting a great broadcaster and a better person .\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s five more fun facts about Kutcher and Gooden.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Kutcher\u2019s worked the past five Westminster Dog Shows.<\/strong> \u201cI get more ticket requests for that than any other event I go to,\u201d he said. But, at first he wasn\u2019t sure he was going to stick with it. The first year, he said, was a little tough. \u201cI called my dad after it airs and he said that it was my mom\u2019s favorite thing that I\u2019ve done.\u201d But, he stuck with it. And now? \u201cI love it,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<br><strong>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;His favorite thing in DC is \u2026 the breakfast at Ted\u2019s Bulletin. <\/strong>\u201cThey have a breakfast burrito that I get, I eat two of them at a time and people can\u2019t believe it,\u201d he said. Oh, and also his family. His family in the area includes a 3-year-old nephew, who when asked for real estate recommendations in the area, declared \u201cyou can live at our house!\u201d<br><strong>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, you can find Gooden at his favorite crab shack. <\/strong>\u201cQuarterdeck in Arlington is my favorite, favorite restaurant,\u201d he said. In the two years he\u2019s known about the crab spot, he\u2019s eaten there, he estimates, \u201c800\u201d times.&nbsp;<br><strong>4.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Good news for Wizards fans<\/strong>: He thinks the Wizards will be a team everyone sleeps on \u2013 and that\u2019s great for them. \u201cThey\u2019re going to have the opportunity to surprise a lot of people early,\u201d he predicted.&nbsp;<br><strong>5.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Kutcher expects Rui Hachimura to \u2026 \u201cbe one of the steals of the draft.\u201d <\/strong>Kutcher covered the new Wizard as a play-by-play announcer during Hachimura\u2019s college career. \u201cI would not be surprised if you see Rui average 15-18 points per game and close to 8 rebounds per game. I think he\u2019s that type of player, he\u2019s a really good kid, when I saw the Wizards drafted him I said that\u2019s a great, great pick,\u201d he said.<br>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"
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Wizards

Wizards

Drew Gooden was nearing the end of his second 10-day contract with the Wizards in the 2014 season when he went off for 21 points against Brooklyn. 

It was a game that changed his career, led to being signed to the team for the remainder of that season and ending his career as a Washington Wizard two years later. “My career was totally reborn as a veteran leader on the Washington Wizards,” he said. “And that’s something I never would have thought would come full circle.”

And now? Gooden will serve as the game analyst on NBC Sports Washington’s Wizards broadcast this season. NBC Sports Washington announced on Wednesday he will join new play-by-play announcer Justin Kutcher as part of the Wizards' game broadcast team. Chris Miller will return in his role as sideline reporter.

“It’s a dream and I never thought in a million years I would have retired a Wizard and that out of all my teams that I played for, that Wizards would be the favorite organization that I played for, never thought I would be a color analyst for NBC Sports Washington,” Gooden said. “All of this is a dream.”

And while Kutcher may not have the same playing resume that Gooden does, he promises to bring the same passion Gooden does to broadcasts.

During the early days of his career, Kutcher wasn’t just the voice of (and practice player for) the Boston University women’s basketball team. He was such a passionate fan that he was the one making the most noise on the team bus after a big win or a big loss. Now, after decades in the business, he’s not sure he’ll go to that extreme – but Wizards fans can expect him to be “a fan who’s calling the game,” he said. “I say that about myself all of the time. I think of myself as just this incredibly lucky person that gets to call a sport that I love. When I have a reaction, it’s a genuine reaction. So, I’ll keep everything professional, but I’ll get excited.”

 

Kutcher has 17 years of experience as a play-by-play announcer, having spent the last seven years at Fox Sports where he led national coverage of NCAA basketball and football, the NFL and MLB. Prior to FOX Sports, Kutcher served as a play-by-play announcer for ESPN for four years. During that time, he led live coverage for a variety of sports, including basketball, football, baseball, softball, volleyball and hockey, across professional, college and high school leagues and conferences. He also appeared on studio shows during his tenure with ESPN. In addition to FOX Sports and ESPN, he has also called collegiate events for CSTV, now CBS Sports Network, for two years, as well as BTN, and contributed to MLB.com digital programming.

“I have known Justin since he was a runner for us at FOX Sports,” said Joe Buck. “He’s gone from working hard behind the scenes to one of the best, young voices in sports. Wizards fans are getting a great broadcaster and a better person .”

Here’s five more fun facts about Kutcher and Gooden.

1.    Kutcher’s worked the past five Westminster Dog Shows. “I get more ticket requests for that than any other event I go to,” he said. But, at first he wasn’t sure he was going to stick with it. The first year, he said, was a little tough. “I called my dad after it airs and he said that it was my mom’s favorite thing that I’ve done.” But, he stuck with it. And now? “I love it,” he said. 
2.    His favorite thing in DC is … the breakfast at Ted’s Bulletin. “They have a breakfast burrito that I get, I eat two of them at a time and people can’t believe it,” he said. Oh, and also his family. His family in the area includes a 3-year-old nephew, who when asked for real estate recommendations in the area, declared “you can live at our house!”
3.    Meanwhile, you can find Gooden at his favorite crab shack. “Quarterdeck in Arlington is my favorite, favorite restaurant,” he said. In the two years he’s known about the crab spot, he’s eaten there, he estimates, “800” times. 
4.    Good news for Wizards fans: He thinks the Wizards will be a team everyone sleeps on – and that’s great for them. “They’re going to have the opportunity to surprise a lot of people early,” he predicted. 
5.    Kutcher expects Rui Hachimura to … “be one of the steals of the draft.” Kutcher covered the new Wizard as a play-by-play announcer during Hachimura’s college career. “I would not be surprised if you see Rui average 15-18 points per game and close to 8 rebounds per game. I think he’s that type of player, he’s a really good kid, when I saw the Wizards drafted him I said that’s a great, great pick,” he said.