The Wizards should draft one of these three guards with No. 2 pick

With the NBA Finals in the rearview mirror, the draft is now quickly approaching, set to occur on June 26 and 27 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

A pair of Frenchman in big men in Alexandre Sarr and forward Zaccharie Risacher are considered by most to be the top two prospects, with the Atlanta Hawks holding the No. 1 pick and Washington Wizards sitting at No. 2. One would assume Washington will take whichever player the Hawks don’t, but perhaps it shouldn’t.

The Wizards don’t need another player who would clog the frontcourt with fellow developmental projects Bilal Coulibaly and Deni Avdija. They need a next-level guard of the future, and with this being considered a relatively weak draft, you take the biggest need over the best prospect available. Here are three options to consider.

Stephon Castle (combo guard, UConn)

Castle seems to be the relative consensus as the best guard — or at least, the one with the highest upside — in this draft, and he’s exactly what Washington needs. He’s a versatile player who rebounds exceptionally well for a guard (averaged 4.7 RPG last season at UConn) and plays lockdown defense, and though not considered a knockdown shooter, that can be developed.

Current lead guard Jordan Poole’s ability to play either the 1 or 2 position gives the Wizards flexibility in terms of who they put alongside him. Castle can also play at the point or on the wing, and his strengths should balance out Poole’s weaknesses (and vice versa). He’s a winning player, helping UConn win the 2024 NCAA Tournament, and he should be Washington’s top priority.

Reed Sheppard (combo guard, Kentucky)

Sheppard is another combo guard with a defensive knack, averaging an eye-popping 2.5 steals per game a season ago at the University of Kentucky. He’s also a lights-out shooter, hitting 52.1(!) percent of his three-pointers as a freshman, and a solid passer with 4.5 assists per game in his lone college campaign. Oh, and he did all of that while coming off the bench.

It’s unclear how his game will translate or how he would fit next to Poole — a player with a similar skillset — but Sheppard might be the best player in this draft. Should Castle be unavailable (or should the Wizards simply prefer Sheppard), he would be a more-than-acceptable consolation prize, and could become the centerpiece of Washington’s future.

Nikola Topic (point guard, Serbia)

Well, if Washington really wants to embrace the full “Process” route with a multi-year rebuild, then Topic could be a dark-horse option. He was considered a top-three prospect by many in recent months but has slipped down draft boards due to a partially torn ACL, as it’s unclear if or when he will be able to play during the 2024-25 season.

That doesn’t make his long-term potential any less intriguing, though, as a 6-foot-7 point guard who averaged 18.4 points and 7.1 assists per game this past season in the ABA. Topic is also among the youngest players who are considered likely first-rounders, so his game will only continue to grow once healthy. He’d be an unconventional choice, but sometimes you have to swing for the fences.

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