2020 NBA Draft: How top prospects could fit with the Washington Wizards

Cole Anthony

Scouting Report:

Cole Anthony is projected to be a top 3 pick in a lot of mock drafts, and he has an excellent chance of being the number one overall pick. That’s dependant upon the James Wiseman situation, though.

Cole is a 6’3, 185-pound versatile, and dynamic playmaker who can play either guard position. At the NBA level, he’s more suited for the point guard position. He has a knack for getting to the rim and has great body control as a finisher in traffic.

Cole is also a good three-point shooter, which he has shown early during his freshman season at UNC. He has hit at least three threes in each game thus far. One thing that he needed to improve on from high school to college was the release on his jump shot. It was low. So far, it looks much improved at UNC, and he has not struggled to get jumpers off over taller defender. That will be crucial at the next level, too.

Outside of his high volume scoring,  Cole has a very high basketball IQ. Cole is a good passer and has a great understanding of how to hit the open man even in an offense as complex as the one run by Roy Williams at UNC. He is also a solid ball-handler that dribbles with a purpose and uses both hands effectively. His mixture of passing and ball-handling is a big reason he will probably be better-suited playing point guard once he reaches the NBA.

One very underrated skill that Cole has is his ability to rebound at his position. Being a smaller player, Cole does a very nice job getting into the action and uses his serious bounce to sky for rebounds. He is currently averaging 7.3 rebounds per game and even had two games with double-digit rebounds.

The only real knock on Cole currently is his size. He does not have a very long wingspan (6’4), and is kind of a tweener as far as positions go. It’s not necessarily an issue, but something to monitor.

Overall, it is clear cut that Cole Anthony will be one of the top prospects in the 2020 draft.

Fit with the Washington Wizards:

With the advanced skillset that Cole Anthony has, the fit for him in DC would be a good one.

Assuming that the ‘House of Guards’ will be the starters for the 2020-2021 season, Cole can slide in as a competent reserve for either of the starting guards.

Playing with Bradley Beal will give Cole the ability to use his high IQ and playmaking abilities to set up Beal, whether it’s outside or finishing at the rim. His rebounding abilities can also be used to facilitate a quick fast break and set up quick transition baskets. Giving Beal the ability to roam the floor with a point guard who is looking to set him up and get the best shot they can get will be an advantage for everyone involved.

Playing with John Wall, on the other hand, gives Anthony the chance to show off his scoring ability. Playing next to one of the best passers in the NBA affords Cole the option to fade out to the three-point line and get some easy catch and shoot attempts. Or he could slash with Wall as he looks to push the pace and find an open man in the open floor.

As far as the rest of the current roster, Anthony would be a perfect fit running the pick and roll or pick and pop with both Thomas Bryant and Rui Hachimura. Cole’s ability to keep defenders honest with his finishing ability/mid-range jumper and TB/Rui’s ability to slash to the hoop or hit the open three could cause matchup nightmares.

Another player I can see Anthony working well with is Troy Brown Jr. Both of these guys have insanely high basketball IQs, and their ability to feed off of each other would be fun to watch.

Overall, Cole Anthony would be a great fit in DC.