Cavs Draft Viewing Guide: Stock Watch; 3 players to watch in UNC-UCLA

Stock Down

TyTy Washington, Guard, Kentucky 

Grading and assessing talented Kentucky players in the John Calipari system has been tricky for a number of years. However, it’s becoming a trend to believe that Kentucky players, especially guards, just won’t reach their full potential by playing at Kentucky.

If you look at guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Maxey, they all ended up being underdrafted after they looked significantly more comfortable in the NBA than in college. I think that is what is happening with Washington. Even having said that, Washington could have done more with what he was given.

Before his ankle injury, he was the most efficient player in college basketball from the pick-and-roll. However, after returning from his ankle injury, he only was involved in about six pick-and-rolls per game. On top of that, we never really got to see Washington play fully at the point guard position, which will have some scouts wondering and questioning where he’ll play in the NBA. The bottom line is, Kentucky guards over the last couple of years have been good picks in the draft.

I still think Washington will be a successful NBA player, but he likely missed out on a lottery chance at the end of the season. He just was not the same player after the injury, although the ceiling is still very high for the young Kentucky guard.