Our weekly column at FortyEightMinutes.com brings you an in-depth look at some
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Football storylines. This week’s edition contains notes from the DMV, including: Good news for the Wizards’ draft outlook ahead of what’s expected to be an underwhelming 2024 draft class. What to watch for in the D.C. Defenders’ home opener. Our 7-round Commanders mock draft with
Washington trading down with the Vikings Wizards Shouldn’t Lose Hope Despite Down 2024 NBA Draft NBA executives around the league are down on the 2024 class of draft prospects with a few telling Jeff Goodman that it appears to be the worst draft class they’ve ever seen. Multiple veteran NBA execs say the same thing about this draft. It’s the worst draft they have ever seen. — Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 1, 2024 It may seem like bleak news for the Wizards, who are projected to have their highest draft pick since earlier this decade in the upcoming draft. However, assuming Washington lands a top-3 pick (the Pistons are the only team with a worse record heading into the final two weeks of the season), the lack of perceived talent coming out of college and the G League may not be that detrimental to the Wizards’ goal of adding a star player with their top selection in June. Every NBA draft class since 1952 has produced at least three All-Stars All 68 draft classes between 1953 and 2020 have produced at least three All-Stars (we excluded the 2021, 2022, and 2023 draft classes for now, though as each group matures, it appears likely that they will develop at least three All-Stars). Only six of those draft classes produced exactly three All-Stars. The six classes range in terms of NBA All-Star talent, so let’s examine them to shed some light on what the Wizards could be heading into as they prep for a perceived weak draft class. NBA Draft Classes with Three All-Stars 2019 – Zion Williamson (No. 1 pick) was hyped as a generational prospect entering the draft and he, along with Ja Morant (No. 2 pick) and Darius Garland (No. 5 pick), were each named to at least one All-Star game since draft night. There are some additional candidates from the class who at least have a chance to be added to that list ( RJ Barrett and Tyler Herro among them). Interestingly enough, former Wizard Daniel Gafford currently leads the draft class in win shares (24.5). 2013 – Heading into this draft, there was pessimism about the outlook, and while there were a few major hits— Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 15) and Rudy Gobert (No. 27)—and one lottery pick turned All-Star (no. 2 pick Victor Oladipo ), the class largely disappointed in terms of star talent. No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett only played four seasons and Michael Carter-Williams failed to do much outside of his usage-heavy Rookie-of-the-Year campaign with the Sixers. 16 of the 60 players from this class made it 10-plus years in the league with most being rotation players. 2000 – No. 1 pick Kenyon Martin , No. 19 pick Jamaal Magloire , and No. 43 pick Michael Redd each made just one All-Star appearance. No. 5 pick Mike Miller , who won Rookie of the Year, played 17 seasons and won a Sixth Man of the Year during the 2005-06 season. Only 15 of the 58 players drafted in 2000 went on to play at least 10 years in the league. 1997 – Tim Duncan (No. 1 pick) headlined this class, going from being deemed a generational prospect to making 15 All-Star games and entering the Hall of Fame. Chauncey Billups (No. 3 pick), and Tracy McGrady (No. 9 pick) combined for 12 All-Star game appearances. Outside of these three, no player surpassed 50 career win shares. Only 57 players were selected in this draft class (Washington had to forfeit its first-rounder as a result of the Juwan Howard fiasco) and 18 draftees made it to at least the 10-year mark in the NBA, including Stephen Jackson , Tim Thomas , and Tony Battie . It’s worth noting that this draft class followed the historic 1996 draft, which contained 10 All-Star players. 1968 – Wes Unseld Jr. was selected by the Baltimore Bullets as the No. 2 selection, joining Elvin Hayes and Bob Kauffman as top-3 picks who went on to make at least one All-Star game. Unseld would win the league’s MVP as a rookie and eventually become arguably the best player in franchise history on his way to making the Hall of Fame. Only five players from this class made it to the 10-year mark in the league and while that figure is low even for the era, the preceding draft class (1967, which had four All-Stars) only had four NBA players making it to the 10-year threshold. 1957 – In a league with eight teams, Hot Rod Hundley (No. 1 pick), Sam Jones (No. 8 pick), and Woody Sauldsberry (No. 60 pick) were the only players from this draft class to make an All-Star team. Jones compiled 92.3 career win shares , five all-star appearances, and 10 NBA titles during his 12-year NBA career. Among the 85 players selected in the 1957 draft, the former Celtic great was the only one to play more than seven years. Wizards Takeaway: History shows us that even in the most underwhelming NBA draft classes, star-level talent exists. While it would be much easier to hit on that level of prospect in a more talented class, it at least gives some hope for the Wizards this coming June even if the probabilities would suggest otherwise. Read This article first appeared on FortyEightMinutes and was syndicated with permission.