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The Washington Wizards used their No. 43 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to select Florida State wing Jamir Watkins, strengthening their backcourt with a player known for his physicality, versatility, and maturity. The pick, acquired via a trade with the Utah Jazz that also involved swapping the No. 18 pick for No. 21 and additional assets, made Watkins the third addition to the Wizards' 2025 draft class, joining top picks Tre Johnson (No. 6) and Will Riley (No. 21).
Watkins is coming off an exceptional final season at Florida State, where the 23-year-old rookie averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game across 32 appearances. He shot 42.7% from the field and 32.1% from three-point range, earning Second-Team All-ACC honors in 2024–25 after an Honorable Mention nod the previous year. His two-year stint with the Seminoles followed a three-season tenure at VCU, which included a missed year due to a knee injury.
Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins expressed high praise for Watkins’ demeanor and approach, stating, “I would say he's as mature and as competitive as a player we had come through the building. He had a pretty rare combination for us of physicality on both ends …. He's got size. He's got length. He's got versatility. He competes. Sitting down in my office talking to him, he's a serious person,” per Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
Standing 6'5″ and weighing 215 pounds with a 6’11¼” wingspan and a 37-inch vertical, Watkins brings a physical profile that scouts believe is NBA-ready, especially on the defensive end. He has been compared to Atlanta Hawks swingman Caris LeVert, but with added power and a more aggressive style of play.
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Ranked No. 34 on Jonathan Wasserman's 2025 NBA Draft Big Board, Watkins is seen as a player with a high floor due to his defensive tools and secondary playmaking ability.
Defensively, Watkins has impressed scouts with his ability to guard multiple positions and disrupt plays off the ball, a skill showcased during combine scrimmages in May. However, questions remain about his shooting consistency and whether he can translate his downhill attacking style into efficient scoring at the pro level. Over his two years at FSU, he averaged 17.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, and 1.6 SPG, signaling consistent productivity.
Watkins now joins a Wizards roster that finished 18-64 last season, positioning him for immediate opportunities. With the team in a rebuilding phase and in need of affordable, impactful players, the second-rounder has a strong chance to earn a standard NBA contract and contribute early, especially with his defensive presence and ability to draw contact around the rim.
His selection also was the 20th and final NBA draft pick under the tenure of longtime FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton, adding a symbolic endnote to Hamilton’s legacy and bringing Jamir Watkins to the only NBA team Hamilton once coached.
