Washington Wizards 2015 NBA Draft Prospects Primer: The Wings

Jan 31, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UNLV Runnin

Rashad Vaughn: Fr., UNLV

Five-star shooting guard Rashad Vaughn was a recruiting coup for Dave Rice and the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels, but his incoming class – one of UNLV’s best since the days of Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon – only helped UNLV to an 18-15 record, and now Vaughn is dipping out.

Vaughn’s fellow freshmen generally disappointed in their first season, but Vaughn lived up to the billing. The kid from Minneapolis averaged almost 18 points a game in his only collegiate season, snagging Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors along the way.

The 6-foot-6 Vaughn isn’t really a wing, but for a team that needs scorers, he should be considered. He’s a bowling ball of a shooting guard with NBA range and a silky touch on the catch-and-shoot.

He doesn’t quite have Bradley Beal’s gorgeous jumper, but there’s a lot of the Big Panda to Rashad Vaughn’s game. There’s no shyness and not much subtlety. He isn’t a great ballhandler and he can be a bit too much of a shot-jacker for my liking, but the kid knows how to put the ball in the hoop.

He’s also a baby – just 18, the second-youngest player in this draft – and there’s no telling what exposure to a professional organization can do for his mindset and game. If you want potential, you’ve got it.

Vaughn could have a great future as a bench scorer in the Gerald Green mold. If you’re looking for someone who can be a stud right away, he’s probably not your man – he still needs a lot of coaching, especially on the defensive end.

One thing he is, though, is an NBA-ready shooter, and I think he can contribute in that area with the kinds of looks he’d get in the Wizards offense.

I doubt the Washington Wizards will be thinking Vaughn at 19, but keep an eye out for this kid.

Next: 1) Hollis-Jefferson