This piece does not reflect the views of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

PF, Sophomore, Kentucky

6’8, 230 pounds

College Stats in 2018-19:

15.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 BPG, 52.2 FG%, 42.3 3P%, 66.3 FT%

Where he’ll go:

Washington is projected to be a mid first-round pick.

The Rundown:

PJ Washington made the right decision to return to Kentucky for his sophomore season. He improved in every category, most importantly, he upped his 3-point shooting from 23.8 percent to 42.3 percent.

"I feel like I grew in every aspect," Washington said at the NBA Combine last month in Chicago. "That was the main focus in going back to better myself and better my game."

This is important because at 6’8, Washington is a bit undersized as a traditional power forward. Playing small forward is something Washington said he's open to. He has athleticism because he’s a basketball player, but it’s not like he’s jumping out of the gym. It isn’t NBA-level athleticism compared to most rotational players. That’s problematic without being able to stretch the floor at the NBA level. His 3-point shooting and playmaking ability could change all of that.

Most of his 2-point buckets come on tough shots inside or in transition. Washington has very good footwork for a big and bangs until he finds his spot – think Taj Gibson.

One nice thing about Washington is that he runs the floor and that leads to easy buckets. Effort isn’t an issue. But he’s not throwing down huge dunks most of the time. A lot of layups, which is fine, but that goes back to the athleticism we were talking about.

He has good vision as a passer, and that should be on display even more in the NBA with more floor spacing. Of course, the game will be faster and defenders more athletic.

For a big, you’d like to see his rebound average go up. As a defender, you don’t feel super confident with him switching and guarding the perimeter. As we’re seeing in the NBA Playoffs, that’s where the league is heading. He’ll need to outsmart some opponents if his athleticism doesn’t give him an edge.

His ceiling as a player might not be super high, but I don’t think his floor is low. He seems like a safe player who should be able to translate some of his offensive moves to the NBA. The biggest factor will be if he can continue to improve his 3-point shooting to give him a go-to skillset.