2019 NBA Mock Draft: The Lakers are finished
18. . F. Kentucky. P.J. Washington. 14. player
Let’s talk about positions. The word tweener was supposed to have died years ago yet with Washington, the discussion will resurface. Ideally, he is a center in the modern NBA considering his mobility and skill at 6-8. However, he is probably not big enough to be a full-time center, making him more likely to be a forward at the NBA level. Quickly after establishing that likelihood, however, we arrive at the question of Washington’s shooting. Only 71 attempts on the season, most of them open, and 67 percent from the free throw line, are not the type of numbers you trust projecting a college player to the NBA. So where does Washington fit?
We don’t care. He blocks 4.4 percent of opponent shot attempts when he’s on the floor and grabs 10.3 rebounds per 40 minutes. That productivity is mostly a result of his incredible energy and effort but we’ve seen countless undersized big men excel in spite of their size disadvantage by out-hustling bigger guys.
That energy shows up in other categories as well. Washington gets to the line 9.9 times per 100 possessions and turns the ball over fairly rarely considering his 24.8 percent usage rate this year. He is able to channel that effort by sealing opponents deep in the post, finishing easy shots inside and generating good offense in transition.
Size will be a bigger problem defending the behemoths of the NBA, but Washington as a sophomore has flashed a sturdier frame and better overall functional strength in his game. The potential SEC Player of the Year certainly has momentum toward a lottery pick come June if he maintains this level of play in the NCAA tournament and measures well at the combine in Chicago.