Washington Wizards Land Top Pick In 2010 Draft, Options Abound

It seems like a lifetime ago that the Washington Wizards held the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.

While some may have had to choke back tears (or vomit) in recalling the ill-fated Kwame Brown pick, rest assured this year's draft class is nothing like that of 2001.

On just a 10 percent chance, the Wizards landed the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft.

The Wizards can't possibly miss on two top picks in less than 10 years, can they?

Hopefully, the answer to that question is a resounding "No!" from the Washington fan base, but they're smart enough to know that nothing is certain.

Even with talent like John Wall, Evan Turner, DeMarcus Cousins, Wesley Johnson, and others, who were bred to be NBA stars.

One would hope that the Wizards don't have that kind of luck, but their draft track record has been nothing short of awful over the last decade or so. But this is a time for positivity, especially with the talent they have to choose from this year.

John Wall, PG, Kentucky

The consensus top pick leading up to the draft, John Wall is easily one of the best players of the class. In a point guard-driven league, it will be hard for the Wizards to pass on the latest John Calipari-produced guard.

Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans, the 2009 and 2010 Rookies of the Year respectively, set a nice precedent for Wall's future in the NBA.

The one issue with selecting Wall is the impending return of Gilbert Arenas. Arenas made some strides as a true point guard, increasing his assist numbers and maintaining his scoring numbers.

Even so, Arenas is a natural scorer forced into a point guard role, whereas Wall is a natural point guard with a long career ahead of him.

He is a willing defender, and possesses the athleticism and wingspan to be a surprising shotblocker. Wall will need to cut down on his turnovers to really be a force on the offensive end.

DeMarcus Cousins, PF/C, Kentucky

The Wizards aren't in desperate need of a big man with the promising, albeit raw, JaVale McGee progressing last season. DeMarcus Cousins was the proverbial "man-among-boys" in his lone season at Kentucky, and had a bevy of talent around him to aid his success.

The main concern with Cousins is whether or not his head is in the game or on the lifestyle that comes with the game.

Cousins can block shots, rebound with strength and can score with a variety of offensive moves. He feels he can score every time he gets the ball, shows a desire to stay active on the offensive end.

He will need to work on hustling back on defense if he wants to be a complete player, and would need to improve his explosiveness at the point of attack to truly harness his defensive potential.

Wesley Johnson, SF, Syracuse

Wesley Johnson is on the wrong side of 21 for his draft stock, but brings with him maturity, an NBA ready game and the ability and desire to do everything.

The Wizards traded Caron Butler midway through the season, and had hope the acquisition of Josh Howard would have filled the void.

Howard suffered a season ending knee injury, and is unlikely to have his contract option picked up by the team. Johnson would be able to step in right away and complement Andray Blatche and Arenas on the offensive end, while bring solid defense to the table.

Johnson has a great set of skills and the physical tools to do it all. He averaged two blocked shots per game and showed great on-ball defense. Offensively, he can hit a range of shots, create offense and was an underrated passer in college.

Sometimes he settles for the jumpshot, but he is capable of hitting from everywhere. He needs to work on his back-to-the-basket game, but presents the ideal swingman for a team that is capable of running the floor as well as running out of half-court sets.

His defense would do wonders to help coach Flip Saunders' efforts to get the team to defend more consistently.

Evan Turner, SG, Ohio State

There is a serious debate over who the best player in this draft class really is. Evan Turner won Naismith Player of the Year over Wall and arguably did more for his team with less talent than Wall.

The Wizards could use him at either shooting guard or small forward based on their roster situation, but Turner fits best at shooting guard ahead of Nick Young or alongside extension eligible Mike Miller.

He can create offense for himself as well as his teammates, and rebounds on both ends of the floor. He doesn't shoot a lot of three-pointers, but hit a high percentage of his attempts throughout his college career.

He will need to work on utilizing screens to shake defenders at the next level, but has the skills to get around and get through defenses en route to the rim.

He showed toughness is returning from a potentially serious back injury after just one month instead of a possible two. Upon his return, he was just as effective in games as before the injury, if not more so.

Prediction

The Wizards would benefit from the presence of any one of these potential stars. But, in the point guard driven league that the NBA has become, a player like John Wall does not fall into your lap every year.

For a team looking to rebuild the right way, with their new owner Ted Leonsis and the No. 1 pick, Wall would go a long way toward a return to playoff contention and beyond for the Wizards.