Three top floor generals workout for Wizards
Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio should be pleased he wasn’t a participant in Tuesday’s predraft workout for the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center, which included the remaining three top point guards available in the June 25 NBA draft.
“This definitely was the toughest workout by far,” said Syracuse sophomore Jonny Flynn, echoing similar sentiments from Davidson junior Stephen Curry and Brandon Jennings, who played for Italian club Lottomatica Roma instead of attending college last season. “We got little rest. We did everything back to back, but that’s what you want. These guys are looking to see if you are a well-conditioned athlete. They have a high pick in the draft so they want to have the best person for the position.”
Connecticut guard A.J. Price, N.C. State forward Brandon Costner and Clemson forward Raymond Sykes also took part in the workout.
Curry had the highlight of the session. In three-on-three play, he pump faked Flynn at the three-point line and surprisingly drove to the basket for a dunk instead of taking an open jump shot.
But he also showed fatigue late while Flynn and Jennings performed better in the final shooting drills.
“That’s my first time playing against [Curry],” said Jennings. “I watched him all year, playing at like three o’clock in the morning. I’d have to stay up to watch him. Flynn is just a competitor, who just wants to be the best, and that’s what I love about him.”
All three guards have been projected as potential top-10 picks, but Curry said it wasn’t as if Tuesday’s workout would determine their final order.
“You can’t put that extra pressure on yourself,” he said. “You’ve just got to be confident in what you can do, and go out and do it.”
Flynn’s leadership and 40-inch vertical has impressed NBA scouts and executives, but he also credited the national attention of the Orange’s six-overtime win over Connecticut in the Big East quarterfinals.
“This [workout] was a walk in the park compared to that,” said Flynn.
Whether or not the Wizards, owners of the fifth pick, will choose one of Tuesday’s star trio could be determined by the Sacramento Kings, a team Curry said he will workout for this weekend.
“I think that’s going to be the pick that’s going to balance out the draft,” said Jennings. “There’s going to be a lot of shock with whoever goes fourth to Sacramento because nobody knows what direction they’re headed.”
