Washington Wizards: 5 options for pick No. 44 in 2018 NBA Draft

1. Devonte’ Graham

There are a number of point guards at this juncture in the draft that could suit the Wizards’ needs. However, Kansas’ Devonte’ Graham is, by far, the most polished of the bunch.

Graham finished up his four-year college career at Kansas averaging 17.3 points, 7.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game in his senior season. As the starting point guard, he led the Jayhawks to a Big Ten title and a Final Four appearance. He earned Big 12 Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American honors for his efforts.

Graham is a high-IQ, high-intensity point guard. He is a great facilitator and a potent perimeter shooter, hitting 40.3 percent of his 3-pointers in 2018. He is also a pretty pesky defender, accumulating a team-high 1.8 defensive win shares.

On the down side, Graham is 6’2″, which could limit how well he’s able to defend bigger guards and larger players off of switches. Also, as a 23-year-old, his upside may be more limited compared to other prospects. Graham’s biggest issue, however, comes from inside the arc. After making 50.4 percent of his 2-pointers during his junior season, that percentage plummeted to 39.2 percent in 2017-18.

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Still, Devonte’ Graham has the IQ, the playmaking and the perimeter skills that would make him a great backup point guard out of the gate. Being a Raleigh native like John Wall could build a connection that helps him grow his game. His energy could bring a spark to a team that strongly needs to be rejuvenated.