FBI Director Christopher A. Wray stood on the sidelines, cheering each time the announcer called out a player’s name on the high school basketball team.
Washington, D.C
Shooting hoops, changing perceptions: D.C. students face off vs. FBI
The FBI basketball team faced off Friday afternoon against a group of high-schoolers from across D.C. on an indoor basketball court at the agency’s downtown headquarters. The FBI employees scrambled for loose balls against their faster opponents, groaned at what they viewed as referees’ bad foul calls, and used their bodies to block the shots of the still-lanky teenagers half their size.
The agents took an early lead in the competitive 30-minute game.
“The longer the game goes on, the more youth is likely to triumph,” Wray quietly commented to the FBI workers standing with him on the sidelines.
The basketball game was a few years in the making and part of top FBI officials’ efforts to build relationships between the powerful law enforcement agency and young people in the D.C. region.
FBI agents and leaders typically don’t wear uniforms and aren’t visible in communities like local police departments are. The idea was to find ways to show students FBI facilities, explain to them the scope of the agency’s work — and introduce them to different FBI career paths, informing them of the education decisions they would need to make for various jobs.
The dozen-plus teenage boys in Friday’s game were members of the basketball team at Roosevelt High School, a public campus in Northwest Washington where the majority of students are Black and Hispanic and come from low-income families.
The event was organized with the city’s Department of Park and Recreation. The Roosevelt players also participate in that agency’s Roving Leaders program, which connects youths with mentors and outreach workers to help them develop skills to nonviolently defuse conflicts.
D.C. Public Schools was closed for a staff work day Friday, and the students arrived to the FBI headquarters in the early afternoon. They first heard speeches from FBI employees, then took a tour through an interactive museum in the building, learning about hidden cameras, the FBI’s 10 most wanted list, and how a case moves from its early investigative stages to a trial. FBI employees took the tour with them, chatting with the students and answering questions along the way.
The students said in interviews that they hadn’t thought much before Friday about what the FBI actually does on a day-to-day basis. Some said they had a negative perception of the agency’s work. They were aware the agency had a particularly fraught past with Black communities, with the FBI historically devoting resources to covertly surveil Black activists, including Martin Luther King Jr.
FBI officials acknowledged that history and said that part of building a stronger agency relies on recruiting agents from diverse backgrounds who can bring different ideas and experiences to investigations.
“I’m surprised by how many African American people work at the FBI,” said 17-year-old Brendan Grant. “I didn’t expect so many people who look like me and my teammates.”
Fifteen-year-old James Johnson, who spent part of the day carefully reading details of the FBI’s most famous cases, said he was considering applying for the FBI’s summer program for high-schoolers after learning about the different careers the agency offered.
“I just knew the FBI seemed harsh and violent,” Johnson said. “I definitely have new ideas now. They said there’s more than 2,000 different job roles.”
D.C. and FBI officials at Friday’s event stressed to the teenagers that community relationships were critical to the success of the FBI’s solving crimes. They said, whatever career path the students choose, building relationship with leaders and neighbors in their communities would be key to making positive decisions.
Robert J. Contee III — the FBI’s assistant director of the Office of Partner Engagement who was the D.C. police chief until 2023 — stopped by in the afternoon to speak with the students. As he entered the room, he spotted the students’ basketball coach, Rob Nickens, and tapped his shoulder and greeted him as Coach Rob. While growing up, the two men played on the same basketball team at the now-closed Spingarn High School in Northeast Washington. They didn’t know they would run into each other Friday.
“Some people don’t think too highly of the FBI,” Contee said. “These men and women come here every day and work hard just for you guys.”
Nickens jumped in and said his friendship with Contee underscores the importance of maintaining positive relationships throughout life — even if they are with people in law enforcement. Nickens said that he once called Contee directly when he was police chief to talk about two fighting teenagers whose dispute he feared could turn deadly. Contee provided resources for the involved families and helped them resolve the conflict before anyone was hurt.
He said that relationship saved the lives of those children.
After the tour and speeches, it was time for the basketball game.
David Sundberg, who heads the FBI’s Washington Field Office, showed up and watched the entire game. Wray’s top deputies, including his deputy director and chief of staff, also took a break from work to catch the action.
They said they hope to turn the experience into a regular event, with children from schools across the D.C. region traveling to FBI headquarters to play volleyball and basketball games against agents.
“The FBI looks more opaque in the communities we are in than local police departments,” Sundberg said. “This puts a human face to it.”
The FBI employees were far more skilled and competitive than the teens had expected. They didn’t seem to know that the FBI hosts its own basketball league among staff.
But in the end, Wray’s prediction was right: The high-schoolers triumphed and beat the agents 35 to 31.
“It was a competitive game,” said 15-year-old Sean Hall. “They were better than I thought.”
“I was shocked. I thought they were going to be a little slower,” Johnson said. “But they were balling.”
Wray briefly addressed the students. He said he hopes to seem them again — either at another basketball game, or through one of the agency’s high school and college programs.
“Or maybe at Quantico,” he said, referring to the FBI’s training headquarters in Virginia. “receiving your FBI credentials.”
The memorial service will be held at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial at 1 p.m.
WASHINGTON D.C. – A brave K-9 hero from the region will be honored at the Annual National Police K9 Memorial Service on Monday afternoon.
K-9 Knox died in the line of duty last year after he was accidentally hit by a police vehicle while pursuing a suspect involved in a stolen vehicle incident. He was a 3-year-old German shepherd and had served as a narcotics detection and patrol apprehension K-9 for the Roanoke Police Department since May 2023.
The memorial service will include a wreath-laying ceremony and will be held at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., at 1 p.m. The event will open with a musical performance by Frank Ray, and the guest speaker will be Deputy Jared Hahn of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit.
The San Antonio Police Department Blue Line Choir will sing the national anthem, and the Emerald Society Pipes & Drums band will also perform.
Copyright 2026 by WSLS 10 – All rights reserved.
4 things to know about the weather:
- Shower chance Monday morning
- Cooler Monday
- Midweek rain chance
- Warmer end to the week
Showers continue to move west with a cold front tonight. There will be a break in the rain overnight, but showers return for the start of the day on Monday. Monday afternoon will be dry, but noticeably cooler.
Sunshine returns Tuesday, but the break in the rain will be short-lived with rain chances on Wednesday
Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.
QuickCast
TONIGHT:
Showers early
Mostly cloudy
Wind: N 5-10 mph
LOW: Low 50s
MONDAY:
Morning shower chance
Wind: N 5-10 mph
HIGH: Upper 60s
TUESDAY:
Sunny
Wind: N 5-10 mph
HIGH: Near 70°
WEDNESDAY:
Shower chance
Wind: S 5-10 mph
Gusts at 20 mph
HIGH: Low 70s
SUNRISE: 5:59 a.m. SUNSET: 8:10 p.m.
AVERAGE HIGH: 75° AVERAGE LOW: 56°
Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.
Washington, D.C
BXP Headquarters Shift Highlights Tenant Strategy And Washington DC Portfolio Choices
- BXP (NYSE:BXP) is relocating its regional headquarters to make room for major tenant the Washington Commanders in Foggy Bottom.
- The company is moving into a newly renovated downtown Washington, DC office building as part of this shift.
- The relocation aligns with recent leasing activity and capital deployment in the DC market.
For investors watching NYSE:BXP, this move ties directly to how the company is using its portfolio to support active leasing and tenant relationships. The stock last closed at $59.46, with a 15.0% return over the past 30 days and a 1.7% return over the past week, while the return over the past 5 years is a 27.4% decline. These mixed signals highlight why operational updates like this relocation can matter alongside price performance.
The decision to prioritize space for an NFL franchise tenant and occupy a freshly renovated downtown asset provides additional context on how BXP is positioning its DC footprint. As more details emerge on leasing terms, occupancy, and future capital plans around these properties, investors can use this event as another data point when assessing how the company is managing growth and risk in a key office market.
Stay updated on the most important news stories for BXP by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on BXP.
3 things going right for BXP that this headline doesn’t cover.
This headquarters move sits at the intersection of BXP’s tenant strategy and its capital deployment in Washington, DC. By giving the Washington Commanders a larger footprint in Foggy Bottom and shifting its own team into a recently refurbished, US$25 million downtown building, BXP is effectively using its portfolio as a tool to secure and retain high profile tenants. That matters for a company whose first quarter 2026 revenue of US$872.15 million and net income of US$101.58 million depend heavily on occupancy and long term leases. It also aligns with management’s comments about portfolio performance contributing to an increased full year 2026 EPS guidance range of US$2.15 to US$2.29 per diluted share, where gains on sales and operating trends both play a role.
How This Fits Into The BXP Narrative
- The relocation supports the narrative catalyst around a flight to quality, as BXP is concentrating activity in well located, premier DC assets that can appeal to blue chip tenants such as the Commanders.
- At the same time, shifting internal space and accommodating a large tenant concentrates exposure in a single market and property cluster, which could challenge assumptions about diversification and leasing flexibility if demand softens.
- This news adds detail on how BXP is using headquarters space as part of broader leasing negotiations, a nuance that may not be fully reflected in narrative discussions focused on development projects and capital recycling.
Knowing what a company is worth starts with understanding its story.
Check out one of the top narratives in the Simply Wall St Community for BXP to help decide what it’s worth to you.
The Risks and Rewards Investors Should Consider
- ⚠️ Higher tenant concentration in a single NFL franchise could increase earnings sensitivity to one lease, especially if sector headwinds or usage changes affect long term space needs.
- ⚠️ The move comes against a backdrop where analysts have flagged occupancy pressure and interest coverage as key risks, so additional capital tied to renovations and relocations may constrain flexibility if conditions tighten.
- 🎁 Hosting the Commanders in Foggy Bottom may support occupancy and brand appeal across nearby properties, which can help leasing in a competitive office market.
- 🎁 Moving into a newly renovated downtown office can signal confidence in DC as a core market and help BXP’s own staff operate closer to tenants and development activity.
What To Watch Going Forward
From here, keep an eye on leasing metrics and disclosed terms around the Commanders’ space, including remaining lease length, rent levels, and any associated capital commitments. It is also worth watching how occupancy and cash flow from the renovated downtown building show up in future quarterly results, alongside the company’s EPS guidance for 2026 of US$2.15 to US$2.29 per diluted share. Any commentary on additional relocations, asset sales, or redevelopment plans in DC will help you judge whether this move is part of a broader repositioning of the portfolio or a one off response to a single tenant opportunity.
To ensure you’re always in the loop on how the latest news impacts the investment narrative for BXP, head to the
community page for BXP to never miss an update on the top community narratives.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data
and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your
financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data.
Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Valuation is complex, but we’re here to simplify it.
Discover if BXP might be undervalued or overvalued with our detailed analysis, featuring fair value estimates, potential risks, dividends, insider trades, and its financial condition.
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