Preview: Rookies will rule in Washington Wizards vs Memphis Grizzlies
By Ethan Smith
Brandon Clarke
Brandon Clarke used to be teammates with Rui Hachimura. Now the two will be going head to head in an epic rookie showdown. Get your popcorn, folks, these former bulldogs are ready to put on a show.
Ahead of the 2019 NBA Draft, there was a real debate about who was the best pro prospect coming out of Gonzaga. On one side you had your Brandon Clarke supporters. On the other side, you had team Rui Hachimura. It’s obvious that the Wizards liked Rui more than Clarke, or they wouldn’t have made the pick they did. Both Hachmura and Clarke were still on the board at that time. But did the Wizards make the right call?
20-some games into the season, it looks like they did. However, Clarke is no slouch, himself. Although Hachimura has five games of 20+ points to Clarke’s zero, Clarke’s shooting percentages from the field and from behind the three-point line are both better than Hachimura’s, as is his effective field goal percentage. Hachimura might be more productive, but Clarke is doing it a bit more efficiently.
It still looks like the Wizards made the right choice, though. Clarke, who missed the Grizzlies’ most recent game, is probable for the matchup versus Washington.