The Washington Wizards have selected Jamir Watkins with the No. 43 overall pick in the second round of the NBA Draft.
Washington entered Thursday night looking to cap off their strong start on Wednesday with their newly acquired pick from their trade down with the Utah Jazz.
At No. 6 overall, the Wizards landed arguably the best shooter in this entire draft class in Tre Johnson. Obviously, the hope entering round one was that the rumors would prove true and Ace Bailey would slip out of the top five as a whole to Washington at No. 6. When that didn’t happen, general manager Will Dawkins pivoted to the versatile guard from Texas.
However, Washington stayed persistent in their search for a versatile wing, which led them to Will Riley at No. 21 overall.
Heading into round two, the Wizards were in position to take a swing on more potential and they did exactly that in Watkins.
Watkins impressed this past season at Florida State showcasing his impressive defensive ability. In addition to what he showcased as a defender, the oversized guard showed plenty of promise as a scoring threat, averaging 18.4 points.
At 6-foot-7, Watkins has great size for the position and his wing span makes him a very versatile option for Brian Keefe on both offense and defense heading into next season.
The inefficiency from beyond the arc may arguably be the biggest weakness in Watkins' game, but that is by far the least of Washington’s worries considering that’s a problem that can easily be corrected in the right system.
Regardless, as an older prospect, Watkins could be an immediate impact as an experienced prospect.
However, one thing that's clear is the Wizards want to focus on defense moving forward in their rebuild. Looking at Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr and no Watkins throughout this rebuilding process, they all share one thing in common, defensive upside.
For awhile, Washington has lacked an identity as a team. While there's been plenty of focus on bringing in players with offensive potential, it's clear that the Wizards have their sights on assembling a roster that can go toe-to-toe with multiple lineups in the league with defensive versatility.
Watkins adds exactly that.
Between Johnson, Riley and Watkins, the Wizards entered this draft with high-upside players as the main focus.
Barring a trade back into the second round tonight, Washington ends their draft experience adding three intriguing prospects that all should be ready to go when Summer League starts up in July.
Not to mention the Wizards will likely be a team to watch in the undrafted free agent market.