2020 NBA Draft: 5 Guards that the Washington Wizards could draft at #9

Cole Anthony

Son of former NBA point guard Greg Anthony, Cole Anthony was once projected as a lottery pick. But after injuries derailed his freshman season at North Carolina, Anthony’s stock has dropped tremendously, and he’s no longer considered a top ten pick. So if the Wizards do end up taking him at number nine, it’d be pretty surprising.

But that doesn’t mean the Wizards couldn’t get Anthony later in the draft. Him falling all the way to the 37th pick — the Wizards’ second and final selection in the 2020 NBA draft — would be about as surprising as him going in the top ten. If he is there, it’d be an obvious mistake to pass on a talent like Anthony. There’s a reason he was once considered a lottery pick.

Anthony is an aggressive score-first point guard who led the Tar Heels in scoring (18.5 points per game) and is a surprisingly good rebounder for being 6’3″. As a freshman, Anthony averaged 5.7 rebounds per game, the third-highest mark on the team. But his offense is erratic, and he forces too many contested shots deep in the paint. Despite being the team’s leading scorer, Anthony shot just 38 percent from the field at UNC. It’s not going to get any easier to finish amongst the trees at the next level.

Anthony needs to exhibit some control and some better decision making at the next level, too. In addition to his questionable shot selection, the former Tar Heel averaged 3.5 turnovers to just 4.0 assists each game.

Anthony is one of the few players that has actually worked out with the Wizards. For what it’s worth, he thinks it went “really, really well.” If he starts falling, the Wizards could package their second-round pick to move up, swoop in, and steal Anthony off the board. Or they could cross their fingers and hope he falls all the way to 37. But that would truly be wishful thinking.