The Washington Wizards are loading up their private workouts ahead of one of the most anticipated drafts in NBA history. The 2026 class contains a fine mix of talent, with nearly every pick holding massive weight for an organization moving forward. For the Wizards, they own three picks heading into draft night: the first overall pick and two late second-rounders at 51 and 60.
While no one is 100% certain who Washington will be selecting at one, the franchise may have an idea. Looking at their workout logs, they are more focused on those last two picks.
Wizards Scouting 2nd Round Sleepers Ahead of 2026 NBA Draft
The Wizards aren’t taking any chances, making sure every selection they make will add value to their extremely young core. While newly acquired stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis will be the team’s veteran presence and offensive backbone, the Wizards still want to continue building up their roster for after both leave the DMV.
The Wizards are in a crucial position. Entering a new, and hopefully very competitive, era in D.C., the front office is concerned with filling out the edges of the roster. With these two late-round picks, they hope to find a diamond in the rough and continue their masterclass scouting of later selections in the NBA Draft.
Who’s Working Out in D.C.?
According to Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire, the Wizards have already worked out 11 players, all with late-second-round appeal. Out of those 11 players, seven are listed at guard positions, along with three forwards and one center. Additionally, every player is experienced; all 11 stayed in college for at least three seasons before declaring for the draft.
Some notable names include East Carolina’s Jordan Riley, who averaged 23.6 points for the Pirates this past season and was named an All-American. Nimari Burnett played all 40 games for Michigan this year and had a sizable role in the Wolverines winning the college basketball championship in March. Malik Reneau was selected as an All-ACC player this past season after averaging 18.9 points on 54% shooting from the field, along with his 6.5 rebounds.
Other names like Arizona’s Anthony Dell’Orso, Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr, and BYU’s Keba Keita have all worked out for Washington so far.
Why Does It Matter?
In a class like this one, every pick is important. Washington has nailed the last two drafts, and General Manager Will Dawkins continues to impress with every move he makes. Even with the two late selections, the 2026 class gives the Wizards an opportunity to take a chance on some decorated college players, some with more potential than the league may realize.
Additionally, in the last few seasons, the league has experienced an influx of contributors who were selected in the second round. Players like Nikola Jokic and Jalen Brunson were both drafted there and are now franchise faces with Hall of Fame potential. Others like Khris Middleton, Draymond Green, and Isaiah Hartenstein have all made notable impacts on championship rosters.
Just this past season, Wizards rookie guard Jamir Watkins was given a standard contract for his defensive dominance. He was drafted with the 43rd overall pick. Just in Washington alone, Watkins, Tristan Vukcevic, and Jaden Hardy were all drafted in the second round and had substantial impacts this season.
Now more than ever, these selections truly hold value. Washington has aced the last two drafts, and they could make it 3-for-3 with the impressive workout catalog they’ve managed to grow.
The Last Word on Washington’s Late Picks
With any luck, the Wizards’ selections could add real value to the young core they have been building over the past few seasons. While they may spend some time in the G-League to start, the Wizards proved they are more than willing to give the Capital City Go-Go players a chance to earn a roster spot. So, can their hard work pay off?
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