2018 NBA Draft: 5 potential second round steals
By Connor Harr
5. Issuf Sanon, PG/SG — Washington Wizards (No. 44)
I really enjoy watching Issuf Sanon. He plays with extreme confidence and is ready to go right at any player regardless of reputation. The 18-year-old combo guard spent his last season with Petrol Olimpija of the Slovenian and Adriatic Leagues. He really burst onto the scene after the FIBA U18 European Championships where he averaged 19.3 points over seven games.
The Wizards need backcourt depth and even though Sanon will not come over immediately, there is a strong decline in guard play outside of the top All-Stars. It is hard to find contributors in the second round let alone immediate value. Sanon is a strong upside play in the middle of the second round with very little risk. Washington can develop the combo guard into a volume scorer off the bench over the next few years overseas.
Sanon showcased astronomical strides as a ball-handler at the NBA Global Camp in June since his season with Olimpjia. He is a volume shooter right now that shoots decently off the catch but has the burst to get into the lane combined with natural scoring instincts and quality pull-up jump shooting. Sanon also has shown flashes of playmaking ability, but his decision-making is poor at the moment.
Overall, I love the Issuf Sanon pick. He could be a valuable secondary handling scoring guard in Washington. If he improves his decision-making as a playmaker that will go a long toward projecting a match made in perfect harmony with the Wizards. He could eventually grow into a role where he can take some pressure of John Wall and create shots for Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr.