Washington Wizards 2020 NBA Draft: Saddiq Bey profile
By Ethan Smith
Saddiq Bey out of Villanova has just the blend of shooting and defense the Washington Wizards need.
The Washington Wizards are back in the lottery for the 2020 NBA Draft. Appearing in back to back lotteries isn’t usually a precursor for immediate success, especially when you’re picking in the top ten both times, but the Wizards are a bit unusual, after all.
Although John Wall’s return won’t fix everything, his absence over the last season and a half has been the biggest reason for the team’s struggles. So they’re a lottery team with a trick up their sleeve, only their trick is a former All-NBA point guard waiting and ready to go.
However, if the Wizards want to make Wall’s return worth it and truly compete next season, they need to make the right selection with the ninth pick in the draft. Rui Hachimura proved to them all season long how impactful a lottery pick can be even when it is outside the top five. Fellow All-Rookie selections Tyler Herro, P.J. Washington, and Brandon Clarke, all selected after Hachimura, should further reiterate that point. As should second-rounder Eric Paschall and undrafted Terrence Davis.
The question is, should the Wizards draft based on need or just grab the best player available when they’re on the clock with the ninth pick? Well, if they go with Saddiq Bey, they may not have to choose between the two.
Who is Saddiq Bey?
Standing at 6’8″ with a 6’11” wingspan, Saddiq Bey has the measurements to be a prototypical 3&D wing. And when you turn on the film of his two years at Villanova, he absolutely passes the eye test, too.
Although Bey got plenty of playing time as a freshman, he averaged 29.6 minutes and started in 29 of the 36 games he played that season, it wasn’t until Bey’s sophomore year that he exploded onto the scene.
During his second and final season at Villanova, Bey became a full-time starter and took advantage of a slight uptick in minutes. Averaging 33.9 mpg as a sophomore, Bey led the team in scoring with 16.1 points per game and was the most efficient scorer, making 47 percent of his shots from the field. After being named to the Big East All-Freshman team in 2019, Bey earned All-Big East honors as a sophomore in 2020.