Wizards Draft 2022

Jackson Filyo

photos-wizards-mini-camp-6-28-22

Photos: Wizards Mini Camp - 6/28/22

nbaplatformservices

First Day in DC: Wizards rookie Johnny Davis

first-day-in-dc-wizards-rookie-johnny-davis

On Thursday night, the Wizards selected Johnny Davis from the University of Wisconsin with the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Davis earned the Big Ten Player of the Year award after averaging 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 31 games as he led the Badgers through an arduous Big Ten schedule. In addition to being named Big Ten Player of the Year, Davis earned the 2022 Lute Olson National Player of the Year, Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year and was a consensus First-Team All-American. Davis’ stellar sophomore season, one in which he improved his scoring average by 12.7 points per game, was spurred by the confidence his coaches and teammates breathed into him.

“My sophomore year, my coach gave me free reign to play the way I play,” Davis said in an interview on Friday. “Not just me but my teammates as well, so I feel like that helped us gel together and have a really good season.”

As impressive as Davis’ collegiate accomplishments were, Wizards’ front office members and coaching staff were enamored with his character. Captivated by his competitive nature and willingness to defend, the team’s decision makers could not pass on the dynamic two-way guard when he was available at pick number 10.

“We spent a lot of time downloading (information) with a lot of different coaches and they would tell us about this kid and his ability to take somebody else off the court with his defense. If you challenge him, he’s going to come at you and he’s going to come at you hard,” Wizards president and general manager Tommy Sheppard said on Thursday night. “We were really excited when we watched his workout here. We were trying to kick his butt and he fought through it. I think our coaches were impressed with him and his ability to compete that day.”

“You can tell he has a passion and very competitive spirit about him,” Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “I think he just loves the game, loves to play and you see that out on the floor. The way he guards, obviously he can score at all three levels, but he embraces that side of the ball.”

Sheppard and Unseld Jr. were excited to welcome the versatile guard to the organization, believing his toughness, defense and scoring ability will be valuable assets for the team next season.

“I think he’s going to be a tremendous fit for what we’re trying to do here,” Sheppard said. “He’s a two-way player, an excellent scorer. We’re excited for him…I think we got someone we can add to this team and be a big contributor pretty quickly.”

Modeling his style of play after players like Devin Booker and Jaylen Brown, Davis is an guard that impacts the game on both ends of the court and is capable of scoring at all three levels. He has spent time studying Bradley Beal and expressed excitement about the opportunity to share a backcourt with a player he can continue to pattern his game after. Unseld Jr. believes Davis’ versatility and potential for growth as a lead guard will allow the pair to coexist and create an effective partnership on the court.

“He’s a ball player and he’s adept at doing a lot of things on the floor,” Unseld said. “I think they’ll compliment each other. I think he’s going to get better and better at ball handling and playmaking.”

While Davis has his immediate focus on making an impact next season, setting goals to earn a spot in the rotation and help his new team make the playoffs, his focus has not prevented him from looking to the future as he hopes to leave a winning legacy after his career comes to an end.

“I want to leave a legacy of being a great teammate and a winner, that’s the main goal,” Davis said. “I want to win an NBA championship whenever I can.”

johnny-davis-is-ready-to-make-his-mark-i-want-to-leave-a-legacy-of-being-a-great-teammate-and-a-winner

Johnny Davis is ready to make his mark: "I want to leave a legacy of being a great teammate and a winner"

photos-2022-wizards-draft-party

Photos: 2022 Wizards Draft Party

Tommy Sheppard Post-Draft Media Availability - 6/23/22

tommy-sheppard-post-draft-media-availability-6-23-22

Thursday night, the Wizards made Johnny Davis the newest member of the D.C. basketball family, selecting him tenth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. Davis, a highly regarded two-way guard out of Wisconsin, won Big 10 Player of the Year in 2022 and was won of the most recognizable names in college basketball. Here, we round up some of the best reactions to Washington’s first-round selection from around the basketball community.

nba-community-reacts-to-wizards-selection-of-johnny-davis

NBA community reacts to Wizards' selection of Johnny Davis

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Washington Wizards selected Johnny Davis from the University of Wisconsin with the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and selected Yannick Nzosa from Unicaja (Spanish ACB) with the 54th overall selection.

“Johnny proved his scoring capability and showed the ability and willingness to defend at a very high level at Wisconsin,” said Wizards President and General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “His versatility, toughness and extraordinary basketball IQ stood out during our evaluation process and we’re excited to have him join our team.”

Davis (6-5, 196) earned the Big Ten Player of the Year accolade after averaging 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 31 games as a sophomore with the Badgers in 2021-22. Davis scored in double figures in all but one game, topping 20 points in 16 games, as he improved his scoring average by 12.7 points per game in his sophomore season.  He also averaged 24.1 points in eight games against top-25 opponents.

In addition to his Big Ten Player of the Year honor, Davis also earned the 2022 Lute Olson National Player of the Year, Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year, was a consensus First-Team All-American and was a finalist for the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award. He was also selected as the Big Ten Player of the Week three times and was the Naismith National Player of the Week for the week on January 10. The La Crosse, Wisconsin, native also won a Gold Medal with USA Basketball at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup in Latvia.

With the 54th overall pick, the Wizards selected Yannick Nzosa (6-10, 200), a Congolese center who spent the past two seasons with Unicaja in the Spanish ACB. In 68 total games with Unicaja, Nzosa has averaged 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting .534 from the floor. An 18-year-old with a 7-4 wingspan, Nzosa played for Stellazzurra Basketball Academy in Rome to begin his amateur career.

wizards-select-johnny-davis-with-10th-pick-in-2022-nba-draft

Wizards select Johnny Davis with 10th pick in 2022 NBA Draft

On Thursday night, the Wizards selected Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis with the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. One of the most dynamic two-way guards in the class, Davis brings a skillset that can make an immediate impact for a Washington team in need of point guard depth. Here, we take a look at scouting reports of Davis’ game from prominent draft experts across the NBA media landscape.

Jonathan Givony (ESPN): The most improved player in college, Davis went from role player to superstar in the span of an offseason after winning a gold medal with USA Basketball. Davis' rebounding, defensive versatility and all-around grit stand out in addition to the strides he has made offensively. He is a streaky shooter who gets a lot of his offense in the post, on midrange pull-ups, in transition and while using his aggressiveness, physicality and smarts attacking out of the pick-and-roll. He has taken some lumps in the Big Ten, struggling at times to create efficient offense and making some scouts ponder just how heavy of an offensive role he can shoulder at the NBA level, something that will surely be scrutinized in the NCAA tournament. Few will question Davis' toughness or willingness to play a winning style of basketball, but the extent of his upside is still a topic of conversation, something he can push back against with a strong finish to his season.

Kevin O’Connor (The Ringer):Tough shot-maker who lives in the midrange. He has every move in the book and he uses them to get open despite not having a quick first step or even the tightest handle. With a smaller offensive role, and less of a need to force shots, his shooting percentages could increase. Daring playmaker. He may not have the handle or passing vision of a lead guard, but he’s absolutely capable of being one of the main figures within an offense thanks to his scoring potential and his passing ability. Good shooter off the catch. When attacking closeouts, he displays solid at-rim finishing as he handles contact inside or finds teammates with simple passes. A la Chauncey Billups, Davis is a guard who loves to work in the post. He has a nasty turnaround jumper, and when he draws help, he’s excellent at feeling the pressure and finding an open teammate with an on-target pass. With the way teams switch on defense, he can attack slower-footed players from the perimeter or punish smaller ones on the post. Even if his scoring efficiency isn’t great at the college level, there’s a realistic path toward him being a mismatch problem. Players with enormous offensive usage rates like Davis ordinarily don’t put their heart and soul into getting stops on defense. But on top of having a strong frame and long arms, Davis hustles and shows a desire to fight through screens. He brings spirit.

If there’s one flaw to his defense, it’s the fact he’s lean and lacks great athleticism. He may not be able to switch and hang with bigger players. He’s not an efficient shooter. This season on dribble jumpers, he made 35.5 percent from the midrange and just 30.6 percent from 3, according to Synergy Sports. Off the catch, he made only 34 percent of his 3s. At times, he’s hesitant to pull the trigger. Below-the-basket finisher. He does a good job of finishing with either hand, but he has moments when he gets swallowed up by length.

Sam Vecenie (The Athletic): The Big Ten Player of the Year, Davis is an extremely competitive guard who plays tough on both ends. Offensively, he’s a shot creator and maker who was responsible for just about everything in Wisconsin’s offense this year. He was faultless throughout the first part of the season, hitting shots at a reasonable level, rebounding at an elite level for a guard and showing up in the biggest moments. But he suffered an ankle injury late in the season, and as he played through it, his numbers fell off a bit. He averaged 17 points per game over his final 12 games, but he shot just 42 percent from the field and 22 percent from 3 in that time. His elevation, in general, looked sapped, as did his ability to stop and start. But when he was at his best, Davis was a good three-level scorer who also played hard on defense. That translates at least on some level to the NBA.

Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report): Davis measured better than expected at the combine, coming in at 6'5 and three-quarter" in shoes. A limited three-ball might affect his scoring as a rookie, but with his size, shot-making, fearlessness and defensive effort, there should be a valued, two-way role player in Davis at the least.