The Washington Wizards hope to be at the top of the draft when the lottery shakes out, with their pick of the top prospects coming out of college. That decision will be extremely difficult in a year loaded with talent; the decision could come down to a head-to-head showdown served up to the Wizards on a golden platter.
That showdown is between consensus Top-3 pick Cameron Boozer and the Duke Blue Devils, against consensus top-3 pick Darryn Peterson and the Kansas Jayhawks. The March Madness bracket was just announced by the NCAA Selection Committee, and a Sweet 16 matchup made in heaven for NBA scouts has been lined up between Duke and Kansas.
Fans of college basketball are excited because that means two historic schools will face off on the highest stage there is, with a Hall of Fame coach in Bill Self leading the Jayhawks against a future Hall of Fame coach just getting started with Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils.
The Wizards have a decision to make
You don't have to care about college basketball to care about this potential game, however. The Wizards need to figure out who they would pick between Boozer and Peterson, and Washington fans want to form their own opinions and get a sneak peak at the player who could be their future franchise cornerstone. Now they can.
It's not entirely clear who the Wizards should pick if they were to land the first or second pick in the draft. They have one true franchise cornerstone in Alex Sarr, who looks like the best defensive player on a good team and can play the 4 or the 5. Who slots in around him?
Are Trae Young and Anthony Davis long-term pieces the Wizards plan to build around? If so, they probably shouldn't draft at those positions. At the same time, it also seems shortsighted to avoid picking the best talent at the very top of the draft because of injury-prone veterans who have barely played for Washington (Young) or haven't played at all (Davis).
If any position and role are on the table, should the Wizards draft Darryn Peterson or Cam Boozer? Having a head-to-head showdown, with both facing NBA talent on a high-pressure stage, could be the perfect final data point to make the decision.
Peterson and Boozer are magnificent
Peterson is a buttery-smooth guard who can create offense with the ball or spot up off of it. He competes on defense as well, and if you can look past his inconsistency this year -- especially if you chalk it up to a short-term injury -- you see the heir apparent to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander without squinting too heavily. The Wizards could absolutely use such a player.
On the other hand, Cam Boozer is the consummate winner, taking every championship trophy available in high school and in international play. He wins everything, full stop. His Duke Blue Devils are the No. 1 overall seed and the favorites to win the NCAA Tournament. The Wizards could desperately use a winning player to transform their culture. Add in that Boozer is skilled on every level and on both ends of the court and he looks like a dream player to pair with Sarr.
Deciding between the two will be a difficult task, whether they are picking No. 1 and have AJ Dybantsa tossed into the mix or No. 2 and Dybantsa is off the board. Their decision should not come down to just one game.
But it will certainly be nice to see the two prospects face off, and Wizards fans should be locked in. The odds are high that their future franchise cornerstone is playing in the game - and they can only hope he has a monster showing.
Cam Boozer. Darryn Peterson. March Madness gives fans of every level of basketball something to watch. Including the Washington Wizards. What else are Wizards fans going to watch right now?