Will the Washington Wizards be able to select a home-run pick with their potential No. 8 spot in the 2023 NBA Draft?
Guard Bradley Beal, center Daniel Gafford and guard Monte Morris are locked down for the 2023-24 season, while forwards Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma have player options, according to Spotrac. Some of Washington's younger options, forward Deni Avdija, guard Johnny Davis and forward Corey Kispert, will also be locked down next season.
The Wizards hold the 8th-best odds in the NBA Draft, taking a 6.7% lottery probability behind the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers. The Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs are tied with a 14% chance of winning the lottery.
What options should the Wizards watch out for should they remain at the No. 8 spot?
Anthony Black
A former 5-star recruit out of Duncanville, Texas, Black committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks over offers from Georgia, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Duke, Gonzaga, Illinois, Kansas, Memphis, Oklahoma and Texas A&M, among others, according to 247Sports.
Black entered his name into the NBA Draft after he averaged 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game for an Arkansas squad that went 22-14 overall and 8-10 against conference opponents. He dropped 20 points and grabbed five steals against the UConn Huskies in the Sweet 16, leading the Razorbacks in scoring as he knocked down five of his 12 shot attempts and nine of his 11 free throws.
“Black is another eye-of-the-beholder type of player for teams,” The Athletic Senior Writer Sam Vecenie wrote in an April article. “Some see him as a candidate to go as high as No. 5 because his feel for the game is incredible.
“He's maybe the smartest, most reactive player in the class; a genuine point guard who makes rapid decisions on the fly to keep the offense in flow. He's also a very tough, switchable defender.”
Black's playmaking ability will be a welcomed addition to a Wizards team that averaged 25.4 assists per game, good enough for 14th in the NBA with spots over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Charlotte Hornets.
Cam Whitmore
A Big East All-Freshman selection and Big East Freshman of the Year, the 6-foot-7-inch forward averaged 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game for a Villanova team that went 17-17 overall and 10-10 against conference opponents. Whitmore's season was highlighted by a 19-point, 10-rebound performance against the Georgetown Hoyas in the first round of the Big East Tournament. He scored eight of his 11 shot attempts and three of his five shots from the 3-point line as Villanova took an 80-48 win over Georgetown.
Whitmore announced his decision to declare for the draft in an interview with The Athletic Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania earlier this month.
“First, I just talked with my parents just to see if it's the right fit at the right time,” Whitmore said. “They always encouraged me since I was a little kid. Going to the NBA was my dream, and I'm happy I'm making that dream come true.
“I also talked with my coaches, of course. They thought it was the right fit for a time to go. This is my dream. They helped me achieve this dream.”
Once called a “polarizing prospect” by Charania and Vecenie, his potential as a shot-creator could prove beneficial for the Wizards, who finished with the 22nd-highest offensive rating in the NBA last season.
Cason Wallace
Wallace decided to enter the 2023 NBA Draft on April 1, carrying over an impressive freshman season with the Kentucky Wildcats that saw him average 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He forewent his remaining seasons of college eligibility, according to ESPN NBA Draft Analyst Jonathan Givony.
“Cason Wallace, potentially the best defender in this draft, is intriguing to NBA teams with his combination of toughness, feel for the game, shooting, unselfishness and defensive instincts, giving him a high floor as a prospect,” Givony wrote in an April tweet.
Wallace's Kentucky career was highlighted by a 21-point, nine-rebound performance against the Kansas State Wildcats in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. He hit nine of his 11 shot attempts and his only try from the 3-point line, joining forward Oscar Tshiebwe as the two Kentucky players who scored 20 or more points.
“Tough way to end,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said, via the Associated Press. “We had some guys really fight like crazy and then had a couple of guys offensively not play their game the way they played all year.
“But that stuff happens in this tournament.”
Wallace's defensive prowess may impact a Wizards defense that ranked 21st in the NBA in defensive rating with 114.9.
The NBA Draft Lottery will occur on May 16 at 8:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN, according to NBA.com.
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