3 players Washington Wizards must avoid in 2025 NBA Draft
The Washington Wizards finished the 2024-25 season with a 18-64 record. Washington held on to the sixth overall pick after the NBA Draft lottery and are one of seven teams with two first round picks under their control. How they use those picks will influence how head coach Brian Keefe approaches the season. Regardless of who they walk out of the first round with Washington's young core, led by Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr, is one of the more interesting groups in the NBA.
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Throughout last season, the Wizards played six players who were in their rookie or sophomore seasons in the league. Predictably, the team had a tough time shooting, passing, and protecting the ball. Washington ranked in the bottom ten of the league in field goal percentage, as well as turnovers and assists per game.
Trade rumors have surrounded the Wizards that involve one or both of their first round picks. As of now, though, Washington has shown no interest in moving either of them. In a draft class that could be argued as deeper and more talented than 2024's, the Wizards have another chance to snag future contributors to a contending team. Arguably no team had a better overall draft than Washington did in 2024, taking Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George in the first round.
That trio, as well as Coulibaly, showed flashes last season. Now, it is the front offices job to add two more pieces that fit. Here are three players that the Wizards should avoid with the 6th and 18th picks in the draft.
@ Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Oklahoma G Jeremiah Fears
Jeremiah Fears emerged as one of the top guards in the country's best conference in his freshman season. Fears did not make it onto any of the All-SEC teams this season. However, it is safe to assume that Oklahoma would not have made it into the NCAA Tournament without him. He led the Sooners in scoring at 17.1 points per game, serving as the team's offensive engine. He took his scoring to another level in the last five games of his college career.
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Fears scored 20 or more points in four of his last five starts, including 31 points in a win against Mizzouri in the last game of the SEC's regular season. At 6-foot-4 and just 18 years old, NBA teams hope that the young guard can develop his offensive skills further at the NBA level. Fears has drawn interest from the Brooklyn Nets at the eight spot in the draft. However, their needs are far different than Washington's.
The Wizards already have their backcourt spots filled with Jordan Poole, Coulibaly, Carrington, and Marcus Smart. The team's main needs in this draft are a backup big man and 3-and-D wings to come off the bench. Fears' defense is the weakest part of his game, and his size will prevent him from standing up to opposing perimeter players.
@ Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Georgetown F Thomas Sorber
The 18th pick in the draft presents the Wizards with a plethora of options. The depth of this class is substantial, with players like Sorber available in the second half of the first round. The forward spent his freshman season getting coaching from NBA legend Patrick Ewing at Georgetown. In 24 games, he averaged 14.5 points while shooting better than 50% from the field. Sorber projects as a force in the paint and on the glass on both ends of the floor.
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Sorber's season ended on February 15 with a foot injury. While he recovered and will be at full health heading into his rookie season, the injury presents a risk. For big men as athletic as Sorber is, lower body injuries only become more frequent as they get older. While Washington is far from contention in the Eastern Conference, they need time for their young core to build chemistry alongside one another as the team's rebuild continues.
In addition to his health, Sorber's biggest red flag can be tied to one number; 16.2%. That is what the forward shot from the 3-point line across his 37 attempts last season. In an NBA where almost every player needs to be able to shoot to stay on the floor, Sorber could struggle to get minutes early in his career, especially in Washington.
Cedevita C Joan Beringer
Beringer is one of ten international players projected to be picked sometime in the first round. However, he presents the biggest risk of all of them. He averaged around 18 minutes in his last professional season before declaring for the NBA Draft. However, he averaged just 4.7 points and 4.6 rebounds across 47 games.
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His lack of stats and the mystery around him have teams interested. Beringer worked out for the Nets alongside Noa Essengue, another top international prospect. The biggest difference between both players is the fact that Essengue brings much more to the offensive side of the ball than Beringer does.
The Wizards need defenders, but Beringer's offensive shortcomings make him a situational player at best. He is as big a project as any player in this draft class. Washington could decide that his upside is worth the work it will take to develop his game though. If he can put together a competent offensive skillset, he fits well alongside fellow Frenchmen Coulibaly and Sarr.
Related: Washington Wizards' 3 best options for No. 6 pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Related: The only blockbuster NBA Draft trade Wizards must pursue
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