The 2002–03 NBA season was the Wizards' 42nd season in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Wizards acquired All-Star guard Jerry Stackhouse from the Detroit Pistons, and signed free agents Larry Hughes, Bryon Russell, and Charles Oakley. Retired All-Star center Patrick Ewing was hired as the team's assistant coach. The Wizards got off to a 6–4 start to the season, but then struggled losing six straight games afterwards, and held a 24–25 record at the All-Star break. The team finished fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 37–45 record, which was the same as the previous season.

Jerry Darnell Stackhouse is an American basketball coach and former professional player who most recently was the head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores men's team. Stackhouse played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels and played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was a two-time NBA All-Star. He was the head coach of Raptors 905 and an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors and Memphis Grizzlies. Additionally, he has worked as an NBA TV analyst.