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Local NBA Draft prospects, projects and sleepers

Noah Frank | nfrank@wtop.com

June 21, 2018, 11:27 AM

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WASHINGTON — As of the writing of this piece, the Washington Wizards own the 15th and 44th overall picks in Thursday night’s NBA Draft. However, as we well know from years past, that may change at any point up through the selection process itself.

Last year, the Wizards traded their lone pick, the 52nd overall, for guard Tim Frazier. Two years ago, they traded their first-round pick for Markieff Morris.

The point being, we have no idea what Washington might do. But we do know that there are plenty of players with local ties that are likely to either get drafted or signed after the draft on Thursday night.

The numbers below each name are their respective pre-draft rankings for ESPN, SI, Basketball Insiders, and NBADraft.net.

Maryland guard Kevin Huerter, left, handles the ball against Northwestern forward Vic Law, right, during the first half of an NCAA basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, in College Park, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Kevin Huerter (SG, Maryland) 20 | 18 | 18 | 20 Huerter’s rise up the projected draft boards has been as impressive as any college player this year, as he’s moved from a projected second-round pick to a likely mid-first rounder. He’s a great shooter with good size, giving teams a lot to like, so long as his defense holds up at the next level. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Maryland forward Justin Jackson drives the ball in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Purdue in College Park, Md., Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Justin Jackson (SF, Maryland) 41 | 55 | 45 | 56 Fellow Terp Justin Jackson is the next highest-rated local player, expected to go somewhere in the second round, though there’s a range of opinion over exactly where. After tearing his labrum in late December, he missed the rest of the year, making his draft stock as volatile as anyone’s. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
Virginia guard Devon Hall (0) drives past Notre Dame guard Rex Pflueger (0) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, March 3, 2018. Virginia won the game 62-57. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Devon Hall (PG, Virginia) 51 | 52 | 44 | 76 Hall didn’t get a long NCAA Tournament run to build his resume for the draft, but as a good prototype 3-and-D guy (shot 43 percent from deep) with 6’5” size, he seems a probable second round selection and the most likely Virginia player to be selected in the draft. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
Wake Forest's Bryant Crawford (13) brings the ball up the court against Clemson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Winston-Salem, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Bryant Crawford (PG, Wake Forest | Gonzaga College Prep) 83 | 87 | 80 | X The D.C. native and Gonzaga grad will forego his senior season at Wake, but remains a bit of an outside draft prospect. He led the Demon Deacons with nearly 17 points per game, but saw the program lose a number of other players to early departures or transfers and made the decision that this was his best time to take a chance. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
AP Photo/Chuck Burton
Georgetown forward Marcus Derrickson (24) blocks St. John's guard Shamorie Ponds (2) during the first overtime of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Washington. Georgetown won 93-89 in double overtime. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Marcus Derrickson (SF, Georgetown) 76 | 85 | X | X The Bowie, Md. native has good size (6’7”) and can do a number of things well, shooting a stellar 46.5 percent from beyond the arc and pulling down eight rebounds a game in his junior season en route to All-Big East Second Team honors. He may not hear his name called Thursday night, but he worked out with the Wizards and he’ll get a look somewhere. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
George Washington's Yuta Watanabe drives around Xavier's Naji Marshall (13) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017, in Las Vegas. Xavier won 83-64. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Yuta Watanabe (SF, George Washington) 93 | X | X | X The Japanese star has a huge wingspan and is a solid defender who stepped into the role of GW’s leading scorer last season, averaging 16.3 points per game to go along with 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. He also worked out with the Wizards, but is unlikely to be drafted. (AP Photo/John Locher)
AP Photo/John Locher
UMBC's Jairus Lyles (10) celebrates with fans after the team's 74-54 win over Virginia in a first-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, March 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Jairus Lyles (UMBC | DeMatha Catholic High School) Lyles averaged more than 20 points per game in his UMBC career and raised his three-point shooting to 39 percent in his graduate senior season. But it was Lyles’ and UMBC’s history-making upset of Virginia that put the guard on the map. Lyles worked out with the Wizards, but it’s unclear where he’ll end up this summer. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
AP Photo/Chuck Burton
Virginia forward Isaiah Wilkins (21) reaches for a loose ball next to Hampton guard Malique Trent during an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, in Charlottesville, Va. (AP Photo/Andrew Shurtleff)
Isaiah Wilkins (SF, Virginia) Wilkins is a bit of a tweener, with 6’7” size but mostly only an inside game. The stepson of NBA legend Dominique Wilkins, the name recognition will help. A three-point shot will help a lot more. (AP Photo/Andrew Shurtleff)
AP Photo/Andrew Shurtleff
Virginia guard Nigel Johnson (23) goes in for a layup past the defense of Louisville forward Anas Mahmoud (14) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 1, 2018, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Nigel Johnson (PG, Virginia) After an odyssey that took him from Kansas State, to Rutgers, to Virginia, the Broad Run High School star is trying to improve his draft stock through the same Explosive Performance program as NFL Draft hopeful Connor Jessop. He worked out with the Hornets before the draft, so he may have a shot in the NBA Summer League. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley
Virginia Tech's Justin Bibbs (10) grabs a rebound during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Notre Dame Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, in South Bend, Ind. Virginia Tech won 80-75. (AP Photo/Robert Franklin)
Justin Bibbs (SG, Virginia Tech) The senior and four-year starter through the Hokies’ revival averaged 11.4 points and 42.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc in his career. At 6’5”, he should get some looks, but he may well end up overseas. (AP Photo/Robert Franklin)
AP Photo/Robert Franklin
(1/10)
Maryland guard Kevin Huerter, left, handles the ball against Northwestern forward Vic Law, right, during the first half of an NCAA basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, in College Park, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Maryland forward Justin Jackson drives the ball in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Purdue in College Park, Md., Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Virginia guard Devon Hall (0) drives past Notre Dame guard Rex Pflueger (0) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, March 3, 2018. Virginia won the game 62-57. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Wake Forest's Bryant Crawford (13) brings the ball up the court against Clemson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Winston-Salem, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Georgetown forward Marcus Derrickson (24) blocks St. John's guard Shamorie Ponds (2) during the first overtime of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Washington. Georgetown won 93-89 in double overtime. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
George Washington's Yuta Watanabe drives around Xavier's Naji Marshall (13) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017, in Las Vegas. Xavier won 83-64. (AP Photo/John Locher)
UMBC's Jairus Lyles (10) celebrates with fans after the team's 74-54 win over Virginia in a first-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, March 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Virginia forward Isaiah Wilkins (21) reaches for a loose ball next to Hampton guard Malique Trent during an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, in Charlottesville, Va. (AP Photo/Andrew Shurtleff)
Virginia guard Nigel Johnson (23) goes in for a layup past the defense of Louisville forward Anas Mahmoud (14) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 1, 2018, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Virginia Tech's Justin Bibbs (10) grabs a rebound during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Notre Dame Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, in South Bend, Ind. Virginia Tech won 80-75. (AP Photo/Robert Franklin)

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