It could've been better for the Washington Wizards during the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, but it also could've been much worse. They didn't get the number one pick even though they were tied for the best odds of landing that jewel. However, at least they avoided the Detroit Pistons' fate, who dropped out of the top four entirely. The Wizards wound up with the second overall pick in the upcoming draft in June. Though this year's crop of players is not the strongest at the top, Washington will have plenty of options at their disposal. Two, in particular, stand out more than the rest.
Draft Donovan Clingan
It has been a while since the Wizards have had a reliable rim protector at center. Kristaps Porzingis had a solid but brief stint in the Nation's Capital, but that position has been a revolving door for this franchise ever since Marcin Gortat left the club in 2018. From Dwight Howard to Thomas Bryant to Porzingis to Daniel Gafford, the Wizards simply haven't found a reliable long-term option at that spot.
They can now with UConn's Donovan Clingan. Clingan was an outstanding two-way paint presence for the Huskies during their reign over college basketball the previous two seasons. He's a major reason why they finished fourth in defensive efficiency and first in offensive efficiency this year according to KenPom. Clingan won't get mistaken for Hakeem Olajuwon. However, the center did average 22.3 points and 14.7 rebounds per 40 minutes for his career.
His two-way excellence was on full display in UConn's National Championship win over the Purdue Boilermakers. Though Zach Edey scored 37 points on 15-25 shooting, Clingan guarded him 1v1 for most of the night. He challenged almost all of Edey's shots and made him work for everything he got. That allowed UConn to stick with Purdue's shooters and limit their threes. Purdue was 1-7 from three in that game.
In addition to that, Clingan scored 11 points of his own on 5-8 shooting. If he wasn't scoring, his gravity as a roll man was freeing up shots for his teammates. Clingan played an exceptional game that night even if his numbers didn't quite jump off the page. It was the perfect punctuation mark on an outstanding tournament run for him.
The Wizards have needs just about everywhere on their roster. But the quickest way to jump start a defense that ranked 28th this season is to find a bonafide anchor. That's what Clingan can provide the Wizards with. He'd be a fantastic selection second overall.
Draft Reed Sheppard
Washington needs a bit of everything and that includes shooting and perimeter creation. Luckily for them, Kentucky's Reed Sheppard does a little bit of everything. He came off the bench for the Wildcats this season but was extremely productive doing so in his freshman season. Sheppard put up 17.2 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per 40 minutes. His 53.6/55.5/52.1/83.1 shooting splits were outstanding and showed his game's versatility.
Jordan Poole is the only perimeter creator currently under contract for the Wizards. While he ended the season strong, his first few months of the 2023-24 season were a complete and utter disaster. Washington should not be counting on him to be anything near a franchise building block until he proves it.
Sheppard can play alongside Poole and gradually grow into the combo guard archetype that is in vogue across the league. He certainly has the skill set to do so and is showing at the NBA Combine he has the athleticism for it as well. Sheppard has helped himself in Chicago this week, and that could lead to him being the second overall pick.
Follow Us
Subscribe
