We are only two days away from the NBA Draft and who the Washington Wizards are going to select is still a mystery. The latest mock draft by Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer has the Wizards picking a surprise player who has one of the fastest-rising stocks in the entire draft class; Kobe Bufkin.
The sophomore guard out of Michigan burst onto the scene this season, after playing very little his freshman year. The 6’4 guard was nowhere to be seen in the first round of the draft throughout the season but has been steadily rising in the mock drafts in recent months. Now it seems like he has risen all the way to the 8th overall pick.
Bufkin is a left-handed, shifty combo guard who can do a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor. He is a slick pick & roll operator who can rise up for off-the-dribble jumpers as well as dime up his teammates. He plays at his own pace, doesn’t rush his decision-making, and is one of the most mature players in the draft. He has a diverse arsenal of moves, including an effective step-back and shot fakes.
Even though Bufkin is a late bloomer, he certainly has the upside to be one of the best guards in this draft. He averaged 14 points and 3 assists last season on 35% from downtown, 48% from the field, and 85% from the free-throw line. He projects to be a good shooter with a potential for more. He is already a good finisher and passer.
Bufkin has the potential to be a two-way player. In college, he showed an ability to play strong on-ball defense with the potential to guard multiple positions. His lack of size and strength might be a problem in the NBA, but there is no reason to think he would be a negative defender, especially considering his high effort level and basketball intelligence.
One concern with Bufkin is the similarity of his trajectory to Johnny Davis. Davis also wasn’t a big contributor his freshman season and burst onto the scene in his second season. That could possibly give the Wizards a moment of hesitation to pick Bufkin, as players with similar histories and playing styles like Tre Mann and James Bouknight also failed to live up to the expectations in the NBA so far.
Bufkin may not jump from the screen like some of his classmen in terms of his athleticism and burst, but he is a crafty, heady player who should find sustained success in the NBA.
If the Wizards select Bufkin with the 8th overall pick, it would certainly be a reach as he is not projected to go inside the top ten in most mock drafts. But, that doesn’t mean it would be a bad selection. There could even be a potential to trade down, get some assets in return, and still select Bufkin a couple of picks later.
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