Wiz of Awes
Fansided

Wizards need to improve their miserable second-round pick track record

By Cem Yolbulan

SAITAMA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 02: Isaiah Todd #14 of the Washington Wizards passes the ball during the Washington Wizards v Golden State Warriors - NBA Japan Games at Saitama Super Arena on October 02, 2022 in Saitama, Japan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)
SAITAMA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 02: Isaiah Todd #14 of the Washington Wizards passes the ball during the Washington Wizards v Golden State Warriors - NBA Japan Games at Saitama Super Arena on October 02, 2022 in Saitama, Japan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images) /
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The Washington Wizards made plenty of questionable decisions over the last two decades. Their team-building strategy, contract negotiations, talent evaluation, and overall vision have all been rightfully criticized. This includes multiple lottery picks they have squandered in that span. However, one thing that has gone under the radar amidst this mess has been the extremely poor track record of their second-round draft picks.

Let’s be clear: drafting is not an exact science by any means. Even the best drafting teams have plenty of misses. That is simply the nature of the beast. It is even more of a crapshoot when you go later in the draft, especially in the second round. However, you should still expect your team to land at least one starter-caliber player in the second round in over two decades. The Washington Wizards have failed to do that.

The other teams in the NBA have found plenty of diamonds in the rough in the same time period. Nikola Jokic, Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap, Goran Dragic, Khris Middleton, and Draymond Green all became All-Stars after being selected in the second round. Malcolm Brogdon, Deandre Jordan, Danny Green were all high-level contributors on good teams for a long time. There is plenty of talent to be found late in the draft with solid scouting.

The list of Washington Wizards’ second round selections is less inspiring. Including this year’s selection Tristan Vukcevic, the Wizards had 19 second-round picks since 2000. The Washington Post’s Scott Allen did an excellent job going through this underwhelming list earlier this summer:

2022: Yannick Nzosa (54th)
2021: Isaiah Todd (31st)
2020: Cassius Winston (53rd)
2019: Admiral Schofield (42nd)
2018: Issuf Sanon (44th)
2015: Aaron White (49th)
2013: Glen Rice Jr. (35th)
2012: Tomas Satoransky (32nd)
2011: Shelvin Mack (34th)
2010: Hamady N’Diaye (56th)
2007: Dominic McGuire (47th)
2006: Vladimir Veremeenko (48th)
2005: Andray Blatche (49th)
2004: Peter John Ramos (32nd)
2003: Steve Blake (38th)
2002: Rod Grizzard (39th) and Juan Carlos Navarro (40th)

Even finding a rotation-level player among these selections is difficult. Players with the most successful NBA careers have been Tomas Satoransky, Andray Blatche, and Steve Blake.

Satoransky had a successful three-season stint with the Wizards, helping them make the playoffs twice. Blatche had a couple of productive seasons during the most tumultuous era of Wizards basketball, while Steve Blake found some success in the NBA as a bench player after leaving Washington.

It’s hard to argue that any of these players are excellent picks for where they were drafted. Yet, they are still the best of this group. Players like Glen Rice Jr. and Isaiah Todd, who were brought in with high expectations played a total of 34 games in their NBA careers before the Wizards moved on from them.

There are plenty of issues to fix in the Wizards front office and decision-making process. The new regime has been working relentlessly on those. Hopefully, finding some gems in the draft becomes another improved aspect of the Michael Winger era. And who knows? Maybe it started already with Tristan Vukcevic.

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