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The Washington Wizards kicked off its first pre-draft workout on Tuesday. The Wizards got a chance to look at a handful of guards in the 2018 NBA Draft as Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky), Jairus Lyles (UMBC) and Chris Chiozza (Florida) were in attendance.
The Wizards will host six more players for their second pre-draft workout on Wednesday. Kansas’ point guard Devonte Graham and UCLA’s Aaron Holiday are among the players, who will be displaying their skills at Capital One Arena.
Full List of Participants:
- Moritz Wagner, Michigan
- Devonte Graham, Kansas
- Aaron Holiday, UCLA
- Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Kansas
- Zach Thomas, Bucknell
- Johnathan Williams, Gonzaga
The Wizards currently hold the 15th and 44th pick in the draft. The Wizards will most likely look to add a big man or a scoring wing player, who can come off the bench. The six players participating in tomorrow’s pre-draft workouts are doubtful to be selected in the first round by the Wizards. However, there are some players to keep an eye on in the second round.
Holiday, the brother of Jrue and Justin Holiday, has been projected to go mid-first round in multiple mock drafts. ESPN has Holiday going 17th, while Sports Illustrated thinks the Phoenix Suns will pick him up with the 16th pick.
The Wizards could select Holiday, but there’s chance they will lean towards picking someone like Mitchell Robinson (USA), Lonnie Walker IV (Miami), Zhaire Smith (Texas Tech) or even Robert Williams (Texas Tech).
Holiday has the potential to be a solid contributor to whatever team picks him. Holiday averaged 20 points and shot 43 percent from the floor this season for the Bruins. Holiday could solve the Wizards’ backup point guard problem if they decide the pick him.
Graham is another player, who can add guard depth to the Wizards’ bench. Graham proved to be a lethal scorer for Kansas, averaging 17.3 points per game. Sports Illustrated has the Wizards picking the Wooden Award finalist in the second round.
If the Wizards decide to pick a wing player in the first round, Wagner may be an option at 44. Wagner is a big man, who can stretch the floor. The Germany native averaged 14 points and seven rebounds for the Wolverines, who went to the National Championship game. Wagner shot 38.5 percent from the three-point line during his three-year collegiate career. Wagner is projected to go to the Philadelphia Sixers in the second round, according to Sports Illustrated.
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