If the Washington Wizards stick with conventional logic, they will be picking Kentucky’s John Wall with the No. 1 pick June 24.
By most accounts, Wall is the undisputed top pick in the NBA Draft. However, the last time Washington owned the No. 1 pick in the draft, the Wizards ended up with current journeyman and all-around disappointment Kwame Brown. The man that Michael Jordan picked to be the future franchise player of the Wizards just finished this past season with the Detroit Pistons and averaged 3.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
Ouch.
Brown’s career numbers are not much better: 6.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Those are the worst averages for any No. 1 pick who has actually played an NBA game. And recent draft history could give Wizards fans more nerves.
Last year’s top pick, Blake Griffin, has not played a minute in the regular season for the Los Angeles Clippers after a stress fracture worsened and forced him to undergo season-ending surgery. Griffin isn’t the only recent top pick to miss significant time.
The Portland Trail Blazers’ Greg Oden also missed all of his rookie season. Microfracture surgery on his right knee sidelined the Blazers’ top pick from 2007. In the three years since the Blazers drafted Oden, their No. 1 big man has played exactly 82 games, averaging 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
That news could frighten Wizards fans, who are accustomed to bad luck. However, Wall has no injury history. He’s not a massive guy whose knees take a pounding. He’s not an unproven high school head case.
For Washington fans, Wall’s most likely comparison could be the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose. Like Rose, Wall comes to the NBA after playing for coach John Calipari for one season. Both are uber-talented point guards who have already proven that they can lead their team to victory, often scoring in bunches when their teams need them. If the Wizards land a Rose clone, they will be thrilled — and set to rebuild a franchise looking to relaunch its identity.
