The Wizards are in a familiar place right before the All-Star break: looking forward to the NBA Draft. With last year’s No. 1 pick John Wall, Washington is at least set at point guard. Here are 10 college players to watch that could land in Washington next year:
10. Derrick Williams, Arizona, forward
The sophomore is the second-leading scorer in the Pac-10 (19.5 points per game), fourth in rebounding (8.1) and leads the conference in field goal percentage (63.3). And for all those number dorks, Williams leads the country in player efficiency rating. The athletic, 6-foot-8, 241-pound forward also has hit 25 of 36 3-pointers (69.4 percent) this season.
9. Marcus Morris, Kansas, forward
Marcus is a better prospect than his twin brother, Markieff, but not by much. Both have NBA-ready bodies (around 6-foot-9, 235-pounds) and are very polished offensively. But Marcus is a more talented scorer, averaging 16.9 points and shooting 61.0 percent from the field. Markieff is more willing to do the dirty work.
8. Kenneth Faried, Morehead St., forward
The 6-foot-8 forward is drawing comparisons to Dennis Rodman. In the last 35 years, only Tim Duncan and Derrick Coleman have more career rebounds and both of them were No. 1 picks. Faried has had three 20-point, 20-rebound games this season. He’s played against poor competition in the Ohio Valley, but man can he rebound.
7. Kawhi Leonard, San Diego St., forward
Leonard has led San Diego St. into national prominence, averaging 14.9 points and 10.7 rebounds for the top-10 squad. He’s a very athletic, 6-foot-7 forward that can get to the rim, score inside and defend on the perimeter. But he needs to improve his range. The sophomore has hit just 31 of his 139 3-pointers (22.3 percent) in his two-year college career.
6. Jordan Hamilton, Texas, guard/forward
The sophomore is the best scorer in college basketball. He has good range, can shoot well off the dribble and excels getting to the rim. And at 6-foot-7, he has the ideal size for a perimeter player in the NBA. He’s also a much-improved rebounder this season — averaging 7.7 per game after just 3.7 as a freshman.
5. John Henson, North Carolina, forward
After Wednesday’s loss to Duke, coach Mike Krzyzewski called Henson a “unique” player. That’s probably because of his 6-foot-10, 210-pound frame. The sophomore needs to put on weight but has really excelled this year on both sides of the floor. He seems comfortable using his long frame to his advantage — averaging 2.9 blocks per game.
4. Terrence Jones, Kentucky, forward
Jones barely beats out point guard Brandon Knight as this year’s “top freshman from John Calipari’s program.” Jones can score — averaging a team-high 17.6 points a game and breaking the freshman single-game scoring record at Kentucky with 35 points against Auburn this season. But for the next level, he needs to work on his range.
3. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina, forward
One of the most highly anticipated freshman — the first to be named to the preseason All-American team — struggled early this season. He had an awful shooting percentage but has been much more efficient recently. Barnes has all the tools with a pretty shooting form but must improve on shot selection and attack the basket more.
2. Perry Jones, Baylor, forward
“Potential” and “upside” will be the words most closely associated with Jones come draft time. The 6-foot-10, 220-pound freshman has ideal size and athleticism for the NBA. He can handle the ball and has some range, but Jones has not been as dominant as some of his peers — getting lost in the flow of the game at times.
1. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State, forward
I’ve never heard someone’s backside referred to as much during a game. Sullinger uses his 6-foot-9, 280-pound frame and outstanding hands to carve out space in the lane and grab rebounds. Sullinger is very fundamentally sound, but lacks athleticism. While scouts drool over Jones’ potential, Sullinger is the freshman with production — averaging 18.0 points and 10.3 rebounds a game for the top team in the country. Wes Unseld was also limited athletically, and he turned out OK in D.C.
