PJ Washington - 2019 NBA Draft Prospect

[timvp]

https://i.imgur.com/7yubG4d.jpg

PJ Washington

School: Kentucky
Position: PF
Age: 20
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 230
Wingspan: 7-foot-3
Draft Range: 10 to 25

Why: Arms for days. Strong base; could add even more muscle to his frame without losing mobility. Crafty on the low block, has the strength to hold his ground and has a nice jump hook. Good passer for a big and impressive amount of wherewithal on both ends for his age. Hit 42.3% of his three-pointers on 2.2 attempts per game. Form looks good, release point is high. Skills-wise, he's competent across the board.

Why Not: Only about a C athlete. Runs well but isn't explosive and isn't a particularly good leaper. While his arms compensate somewhat, he's still short for a bigman. With his size, it'd be advantageous if he could slide to the three but he's actually closer to being a five than a three. However, at center his lack of height and athleticism would make it difficult for him to survive in a majority of matchups. Upside is relatively limited; probably a lifetime reserve if he sticks in the league.

Spurs Fit: His skills are advanced for his age so he could battle Bertans for a spot in the rotation as soon as his rookie season.

Spurs Comparison - Ceiling: David West

Spurs Comparison - Floor: Marcus Haislip

College Stats (https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/pj-washington-1.html)
Highlight Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEpLv7GK8FA)
Tankathon Profile (http://www.tankathon.com/players/p-j-washington)
NBADraft.net Profile (https://www.nbadraft.net/players/pj-washington)

[Russ]

https://i.imgur.com/7yubG4d.jpg


Why Not: Only about a C athlete.

Keldon Johnson might be the more interesting Kentucky prospect . . .

[phxspurfan]

Hopefully he's better than former Spur Darius Washington

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/washida01.html

[Chinook]

Feels more like a guy you're content getting at 29 than a guy you're elated to get at 19. Combo-forward is a big need for SA, but it's not a rare position in this draft. Dude plays a role and fills a hole, but he's far from the only guy who can do that. With some of the guys who could fall close enough to make a move, PJ would feel at best like hitting a sac fly when the bases are loaded.

[Uriel]

Marcus Haislip. There's a name I haven't heard in a while.

[BWS-1994]

Spurs Comparison - Ceiling: David West


Single season Spur, with difficulty to rebound, David West? :(

[Blackhaus]

Yeah not sure how I feel about this one, wouldn’t mind him on the spurs but wouldn’t be disappointed if they pass on him

[DavidTheGoliath]

I like him too but i dont think he'll still be there at 19.
Btw have the spurs drafted any kentucky guy?
Not from long ago but from this kentucky program

[Phenomanul]

I like him too but i dont think he'll still be there at 19.
Btw have the spurs drafted any kentucky guy?
Not from long ago but from this kentucky program

I don't think so... but they once had a Kentucky guy by the name of Ron Mercer on the squad.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Single season Spur, with difficulty to rebound, David West? :(


Yeah, my first thought was that West would be a pretty generous ceiling. But then I remembered that it's "Spurs David West". That's about right. West was actually pretty good here - except when he was matched up against someone who could victimize him - which happened too often because of who he was on the floor with.

I actually think that Washington is pretty finished, meaning he probably doesn't need a year in Austin. The flip side of that is that he wouldn't benefit a whole lot from a year in Austin. He's not going to move the LOB needle, but he'd be an okay guy to have on the roster at 29. Not so much at 19.

[CitizenDwayne]

I don't think so... but they once had a Kentucky guy by the name of Ron Mercer on the squad.
Keith “Centerpiece” Bogans

[Drom John]

Most Spurs/Chaparrals minutes by a Kentucky player
4431 Louie Dampier
2859 Derek Anderson
2343 Cliff Hagan
1803 Nazr Mohammed
1559 Keith Bogans
516 Ron Mercer

[Dex]

Marcus Haislip. There's a name I haven't heard in a while.

Just take me back to the late Aughts when SpursTalk was willing to reach for anybody as a savior....Udoka, Haislip, Mahinmi, White!, etc....

[spurs1990]

Total bias on my part but saw this kid wreck my Houston Cougars in the tourney. He also sounded like a class act in the postgame interview.

If he's there at 19 he's the perfect RC/Gregg pick

[spurs1990]

Most Spurs/Chaparrals minutes by a Kentucky player
4431 Louie Dampier
2859 Derek Anderson
2343 Cliff Hagan
1803 Nazr Mohammed
1559 Keith Bogans
516 Ron Mercer

Good ole Ron Mercer. I picked up his Celtics jersey from a Ross in 2000. For the younger posters who may have forgotten the Spurs had a ton of cap space after their 2003 championship. After getting stiffed by Jason Kidd at the last second, they spent their cap haul on Rasho Nesterovic, Hedo Turkogku, Anthony Carter, Robert Horry, and one Ron Mercer.

Another side note to Mercer. In 1997 Rick Pitino was banking on his Celtics getting the top draft pick with two high lottery slots in tow (their own which had the best chance and Dallas's with 6th best). They lost out on both and had to settle for Chauncey Billups and...Ron Mercer.

Mercer also played on the most stacked NBA roster you'll see in 1996 Kentucky. They had him, Antoine Walker, Loyalty Derek Anderson, 50pt Tony Delk, and Mark Pope. Our 2005 champion Nazr may have been a JV player on that roster if I'm not mistaken.

[DesignatedT]

I watched him a few times. Not a huge fan of his game.

[kobyz]

Good offensive punch, Him and Rui are very very similar...

[ceperez]

Marcus Haislip. There's a name I haven't heard in a while.

Yup

[BatManu20]

1129521774885048320

[BillMc]

https://i.imgur.com/7yubG4d.jpg

PJ Washington

School: Kentucky
Position: PF
Age: 20
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 230
Wingspan: 7-foot-3
Draft Range: 10 to 25

Why: Arms for days. Strong base; could add even more muscle to his frame without losing mobility. Crafty on the low block, has the strength to hold his ground and has a nice jump hook. Good passer for a big and impressive amount of wherewithal on both ends for his age. Hit 42.3% of his three-pointers on 2.2 attempts per game. Form looks good, release point is high. Skills-wise, he's competent across the board.

Why Not: Only about a C athlete. Runs well but isn't explosive and isn't a particularly good leaper. While his arms compensate somewhat, he's still short for a bigman. With his size, it'd be advantageous if he could slide to the three but he's actually closer to being a five than a three. However, at center his lack of height and athleticism would make it difficult for him to survive in a majority of matchups. Upside is relatively limited; probably a lifetime reserve if he sticks in the league.

Spurs Fit: His skills are advanced for his age so he could battle Bertans for a spot in the rotation as soon as his rookie season.

Spurs Comparison - Ceiling: David West

Spurs Comparison - Floor: Marcus Haislip

College Stats (https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/pj-washington-1.html)
Highlight Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEpLv7GK8FA)
Tankathon Profile (http://www.tankathon.com/players/p-j-washington)
NBADraft.net Profile (https://www.nbadraft.net/players/pj-washington)

Is his ceiling prime David West or Spurs-era David West?

[DPG21920]

Good here as well at 19. I know he can play offense and does a lot of things well. It’s not a question on two sides of the court.

[keithington1]

Plays like Taj Gibson with swag no thanks

[look_at_g_shred]

Pass. Too short.

[kobyz]

Welcome to San Antonio!

[RC_Drunkford]

I'm not high on him but I heard somewhere that at some point he was considered the best player in college basketball?

[Blackhaus]

He’s talented, I think he’ll have a good career as a role player or or 4th or 5th option on a really good team.

[Blackhaus]

I think the David west comparison is spot on

[cd021]

I think the David west comparison is spot on

Agreed. A more athletic David West with potential to be a good 3-point shooter. Absolutely want him at 19.

[kobyz]

I see him and Rui almost identical as prospects...