Wizards mix basketball and tourism in London

Thomas Bryant wants some new drip. Further, he wants some “exclusive” drip.

Confused? Don’t be. For a 21-year-old in his second NBA season, the Wizards center can now afford to buy nicer clothes and accessories. That’s why with the Wizards in London for Thursday’s game against the New York Knicks, Bryant was excited to explore the city’s fashion shops.

He’s heard good things.

“Ian (Mahinmi) said he had a couple of places he wanted to take me,” Bryant said with a smile. “I’m going to hold him accountable to that.”

After their trip was initially delayed by a snowstorm, the Wizards are now overseas — taking in the sights and exploring one of the world’s most iconic cities.

On Wednesday, the Wizards took a team photo in front of Tower Bridge. Bradley Beal recreated The Beatles’ famous “Abbey Road” photo alongside Mystics star Elena Delle Donne, mascot G-Wiz and retired NBA player Gheorghe Muresan.

The night before, the Wizards dined at Kensington Palace.

Officially, the Wizards are there for business. They face the Knicks as part of the NBA’s “Global Games” showcase. The two teams play Thursday at 3 p.m. Eastern at O2 Arena.

But before they return the District, guard Tomas Satoransky said he was hopeful the trip would bring them closer together.

“I think it will help, just being in a different city for guys to see,” Satoransky said. “Obviously Europe, that’s perfect. That’s going to be a good thing for us.”

London is also an opportunity for players like Satoransky to spend with family. The 27-year-old said he had 30 members of his family and friends traveling from his native Czech Republic to visit him. Flights, he said, were relatively cheap and took only an hour-and-a-half to complete.

Others, like veteran Otto Porter, are experiencing the city for the first time.

Coach Scott Brooks said he wants his team’s No. 1 priority to be focused on beating the Knicks, but he understands the value of creating off-court memories. When Brooks was a player, he and the Houston Rockets traveled to Japan to take on the Seattle SuperSonics.

“London is one of the greatest cities in the world,” Brooks said Saturday, “and there’s so many things to do.”

The Wizards have held practice during their stay, so this isn’t just all fun and games. But they’ve had special visitors afterward. Soccer stars from Arsenal and West Ham United stopped by and exchanged jerseys with the players.

Mahinmi, for instance, received a customized Arsenal jersey with his name on the back. Satoransky posed for a picture holding a Michail Antonio jersey with the West Ham star.

Mahinmi later toured Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal plays.

Bryant said he’ll cherish this experience because he rarely got to travel growing up in the inner city.

“It’s not every day that everybody gets to do this,” Bryant said. “Just going overseas to play against a great New York Knicks team over there in London. Who gets to do that each and every day?”