The Washington Wizards were the biggest losers of the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, dropping from the second-best odds at No. 1 all the way to the No. 6 pick. That is a tough break for an 18-win team, but luckily, this is a deep class. Washington should still be able to land a marquee talent if it plays its cards right.
There are several logical outcomes with the No. 6 pick, but one in particular stands out — not only for reasons of fit or upside, but because it is aligned with their franchise history.
Something feels right about watching high-octane guards in DC. The John Wall era, while ultimately a bit disappointing, was a defining period of Wizards basketball. If Washington has a chance to line up the next John Wall — a twitchy, dynamic downhill creator with a blistering first step and a genuine flare for the dramatic — why wouldn't it?
That brings us to Oklahoma freshman Jeremiah Fears, who is projected to Washington with in The Sixer Sense Podcast's first mock draft of the summer.
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Jeremiah Fears follows in John Wall's footsteps with Wizards in NBA mock draft
Here's how my co-host, Lucas Johnson, explained his logic behind selecting Fears to Washington at No. 6.
"There are a couple choices here," he said. "You've got Tre Johnson, you've got Kon Knueppel. But I actually like the idea — the Wizards, they're a franchise known for their point guards. I like Bub Carrington, but I think he's more of a high-end backup. So let's go with Jeremiah Fears."
The full episode features picks and analysis for the entire first round:
This is an optimal outcome for the Wizards. Fears was an absolute beast at Oklahoma, and Washington is a rebuilding team still in search of that totemic, franchise-defining talent. While Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington are all solid building blocks, Fears is a capital-D Dude. He has that 'it' factor, and if he hits at the next level, Fears has a chance to be the foundation upon which the next generation of Wizards basketball is built.
Still 18, Fears is one of the youngest players in the draft. He was far from perfect in his lone season at Oklahoma, but he led the Sooners to a top-nine seed in the NCAA Tournament despite a middling supporting cast in college basketball's toughest conference. Fears is, fittingly, a fearless player. He drives the lane with a purpose and plays through contact, drawing a ton of fouls despite his thin frame.
Averaging 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists on .434/.284/.851 splits, Fears' production was a mixed bag. He proved himself more than capable of putting the Sooners on his shoulders and dragging them to victory as a primary option, but he also suffered through prolonged cold spells, both from 3-point range and as a finisher. While Fears has no trouble creating advantages with his handle and putting two feet in the paint, his conversion rate on layups — especially in traffic — is hit or miss.
That makes Washington a perfect destination. The Wizards can afford to force-feed playmaking reps, letting Fears work through the kinks in a low-stakes environment. The Wizards need a player who can grease the wheels on offense. Fears, blessed with a unique ability to accelerate and decelerate on a dime, gets into the lane and forces fractures in an opposing defense. As the game slows down and he learns to harness the totality of his immense physical gifts, the results should follow — and he should help set the table for acrobatic play-finishers like Sarr and Coulibaly.
Fears can't reach the same downhill velocity as John Wall. Very few can. But he's a quick, shifty playmaker in his own right, and he's a potential franchise point guard for a team gravely lacking star power. It's a tremendous fit all around.