WASHINGTON (7News) — The Washington Wizards hold the No. 6 pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft. A look at the pick’s history suggests GM Will Dawkins may not find a star at this spot, but he has a real shot at adding an impactful piece to his young core.
Since 2000, only three No. 6 draft picks have made an All-Star game — Chris Kaman, Brandon Roy and Damian Lillard. The trio has a combined 13 All-Star appearances, with nine of them coming from Lillard.
A handful of productive veterans have been selected at that spot over the past quarter century, including Shane Battier, Danilo Gallinari, Buddy Hield and current Wizard Marcus Smart.
Three of those four names played or have played over a decade in the NBA, while Hield is approaching his 10th season this fall.
Bennedict Mathurin is a recently successful No. 6 pick. The Pacers’ lottery selection in 2022 carved out a role as a productive bench scorer and broke out with multiple 20-plus point performances in the NBA Finals.
Here are some other past No. 6 selections— both good and bad — to get a better sense of what the pick could bring for Washington:
Larry Bird, 1978The clear top No. 6 pick in NBA history, the Wizards are unlikely to find a player of Bird’s caliber at this spot. The hall-of-famer played from 1979 to 1992, totaling 12 All-Star appearances and three NBA championships with the Boston Celtics.Jan Vesely, 2011Vesely was the Wizards’ choice the last time they owned this pick. It didn’t work out too well, as he played just three seasons in the NBA and averaged under four points per game.Tidjane Salaun, 2024Last year’s No. 6 pick by the Charlotte Hornets was a head-scratcher for many. Salaun went way before most draft projections and struggled as a rookie, averaging under six points on 33 percent shooting.He’s an example of the “high-upside swing” Washington has looked to take in recent drafts with players like Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr.
Will Dawkins take another project this time around, or opt for a more NBA-ready player to slot into the lineup?