Which Washington State Prospect Has a Better Chance at NBA Success?

Jaylen Wells and Isaac Jones are both considered mid-second-round prospects. Which one of them has a better outlook long-term?

Mar 23, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Washington State Cougars forward Isaac Jones (13) gestures during the / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

The year 2023-24 was a banner season for the Washington State Cougars, who attained their first Top 25 ranking since 2007-08. They made it to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 17 years, and had 25 wins, including a 14-6 conference record in the final year of the Pac-12. 

Success of the team was due to a myriad of factors, including a great coaching job by Kyle Smith – but three players in particular led the team in most aspects. The first is freshman sensation Myles Rice, a scoring guard who transferred to Indiana in the offseason to join Mike Woodson’s Hoosiers team. 

The other two players from this trio – Isaac Jones and Jaylen Wells – were pillars on which a successful team is built. 

Jones, a 6-foot-9, 242-pound forward who led the Cougars on offense this year with 15.3 points per game, is beginning to pick up steam a bit in draft talks, as the size, strength, and winning experience have increased his draftability after his transfer from Idaho. 

Wells, an excellent shooting forward that stands at 6-foot-8 himself, averaged 12.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists on a really impressive 41.7% from beyond the arc. A Division-II transplant, Wells spent his first two years at Sonoma State before joining the Cougars this past season and becoming one of their most reliable shooters. 

So which player has an easier path to the NBA? Both will likely be second-round picks, but each one has his own strength to offer to NBA teams. 

Isaac Jones is a down-low, banger big man who plays an old-school, back-to-the-basket style. Jones puts the “power” in “power forward,” but he’s more skilled than the typical physical forward. He has a decent back-down dribble, and likes to turn around and try to score with a hook or a push shot. 

Though Wells doesn’t have as defined a role as Jones would, he does have the added bonus of being an excellent shooter from deep, especially for his size. He shot this well on legitimate volume as well –his average of 2.1 three-point shots per 4.9 attempts proves that his percentages are no fluke. 

From a draft perspective, which player has more value? While Jones is higher on most mocks and boards, the appeal of a 6-foot-8 wing that can shoot off the catch can’t really be understated in this newer era of basketball. 

Though it feels like a cop-out answer, it truly does depend on a team’s needs as to which player is more valuable. Jones impacts the game in more ways – on top of his scoring, he also led Washington State in rebounding, pulling down 7.7 boards per game. He's also a better post defender.

But with the four-out, five-out offenses that have pervaded the NBA over the last 10 to 15 years, having a player with size who can spot up, a player like Jaylen Wells, is incredibly valuable. The use of these kinds of players in off-ball actions to set up open catch-and-shoot opportunities are one of the staples of any offense in professional basketball. 

Depending on which team selects each of these two players, they could each be looking at a bit of time in the G League, but if all goes to plan, they will have successful NBA careers as contributing pieces. 

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