P. J. Washington
A versatile NBA forward whose defensive grit and evolving offensive game made him a crucial piece for a championship-contending Dallas Mavericks team.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American basketball player·Birthday: August 23·Generation Z
Biography
P.J. Washington Jr. carved his path to the NBA through a standout single season at the basketball powerhouse University of Kentucky, where his two-way potential was immediately clear. Selected 12th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, he announced himself with a stunning debut, scoring 27 points and setting a league record for three-pointers in a first game. In Charlotte, he developed into a reliable starter, known for his defensive versatility, capable of guarding multiple positions, and a floor-spacing shot that kept defenses honest. His career reached a new stage in 2024 when a trade sent him to the Dallas Mavericks. In Dallas, his role crystallized as the essential, hard-playing forward alongside stars Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, where his defense, rebounding, and timely scoring became key ingredients in the team's run to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
P. was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When P. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
P.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Set an NBA record for most three-pointers made (7) in a player's debut game in 2019.
- Traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 and became an integral starter in their run to the NBA Finals that same year.
- Averaged a career-high 14.5 points per game during the 2022-23 NBA season with the Charlotte Hornets.
- Was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020.
Did You Know?
His father, Paul Washington Sr., played professional basketball overseas for over a decade.
He wears jersey number 25 in honor of his childhood friend and former teammate, who passed away at that age.
He was a McDonald's All-American in high school and won a gold medal with the USA Basketball U18 team in 2016.
“I just try to come in and do whatever the team needs me to do to win.”
