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

By Ethan Smith

Feb 27, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Onyeka Okongwu (21) celebrates at the end of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Galen Center. USC defeated Arizona 57-48. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Onyeka Okongwu (21) celebrates at the end of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Galen Center. USC defeated Arizona 57-48. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Wizards Onyeka Okongwu. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Washington Wizards Onyeka Okongwu. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

The last time the Washington Wizards drafted a big man in the NBA draft, they took Jan Vesely sixth overall in 2011. Later in that draft, they took Chris Singleton with the 18th pick. Before that, it was JaVale Mcgee with the 18th pick in 2008. In 2006, they drafted Oleksiy Pecherov with the 18th pick. I could go on, but I won’t

The last time the Wizards hit on a first-round big man, the year was 1995. The pick was Rasheed Wallace. Hopefully, the Wizards can reverse their luck during the 2020 NBA Draft – 25 years after the Rasheed Wallace pick.

The Wizards could go in any direction on draft night but grabbing someone to add to their frontcourt makes the most sense. Here are five bigs that the Washington Wizards could draft with the ninth overall pick.

Onyeka Okongwu, USC

The player most often mocked to the Washington Wizards recently has been Onyeka Okongwu. Let’s hope they’re all right.

Onyeka Okongwu checks all the boxes the Wizards should be for in a draft pick. He would immediately be the Wizards’ best rim protector. Despite being a tad undersized — 6’9″ with a 7’1″ wingspan — he uses his Okongwu is one of, if not the, premiere rim protector in the draft. He posted an insane 9.8 block percentage as a Freshman at USC. Hassan Whiteside led the NBA last season with an 8.4 block percentage.

Related Story. Onyeka Okongwu Draft Profile. light

While Okongwu’s offensive repertoire is a bit limited, he plays well in pick-and-roll situations and is a strong, efficient finisher.  He finished the season with an effective field goal percentage of 61.8 percent.  However, don’t expect to see Okongwu stepping out for threes like Thomas Bryant. Okongwu does pretty much all his damage inside. He shot just four three-pointers and made only one in 28 games at USC.

Okongwu would be, by far, the most athletic big that John Wall has ever played with outside of maybe a young JaVale McGee. The lob possibilities are mouth-watering. Defensively, he’d solve problems overnight. Plus, his high-intensity play will be welcome amongst Wizards fans. Tommy Sheppard, you know what to do.

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