Wizards take Mich. St. star Cassius Winston in second round originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
While the Wizards are betting on long-term upside with their first round pick, Deni Avdija, they selected a plug-and-play prospect in the second round by taking Michigan State point guard Cassius Winston.
A four-year player in college, Winston was a two-time All-American and the 2018-19 Big Ten player of the year. This past season, he averaged 18.6 points and 5.9 assists while shooting 43.2 percent from three on 5.6 attempts per game. He was a 43 percent three-point shooter for his career.
Winston should help right away by giving the Wizards depth at point guard, which they will need with John Wall coming back from a ruptured Achilles. Wall is going to be restricted from playing in back-to-backs, which means some nights they will need a third point guard to assume the backup role behind Ish Smith.
Related: 5 things to know about second-round pick Cassius Winston
Winston is listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds. He isn’t an elite athlete for an NBA point guard, but he is a smart player who should be a solid floor general at the next level.
The Wizards have had a revolving door at point guard behind Wall over the years. In Smith, they have a strong veteran option. But they have had some misses trying to find a young player to serve in that capacity long-term.
Winston has the makeup and track record to be an ideal fit for that role.
