Wizards Land SEC Guard in Mock Draft

The Washington Wizards could land one of the top prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 7, 2024

Nov 6, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland (2) drives against Lipscomb Bisons guard Joe Anderson (22) in the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 76-60. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards are focused on the regular season, but they also have an eye on the upcoming draft class as the college basketball campaign begins to take shape.

The Wizards selected three players in the first round last year and it wouldn't be a surprise for them to take multiple prospects in this year's draft depending on if the team trades some of its more established players.

Bleacher Report draft analyst Jonathan Wasserman conducted a recent mock draft where the Wizards selected Arkansas guard Boogie Fland with the No. 10 overall pick.

"It quickly feels easier to buy the idea that scouts will look past Boogie Fland's physical flaws after the 6'2", 175-pound guard opened with 22 points, five assists and six steals in an exhibition against Kansas," Wasserman writes. "Quick and shifty, he got to his spots and made dribble jumpers with persuasive confidence and fluidity. He didn't showcase any flashy playmaking or passes, but he made basic reads in pick-and-rolls to get shooters rhythm looks. Defensively, he was pesky pressuring the ball and getting his hands into lanes."

Arkansas has become a hotbed for NBA prospects over the past few years. Since 2020, the Razorbacks have sent nine prospects to the league, including 2023's No. 6 overall pick Anthony Black, who plays for the Orlando Magic.

The program is expected to continue to be a pathway to the pros for several of the league's top collegiate players with John Calipari at the helm following 15 seasons with the Kentucky Wildcats.

Fland is a solid NBA prospect, but his fit in Washington would be questionable with Bub Carrington also on the roster. It will be hard for the Wizards to justify playing two undersized guards on the floor at the same time. However, if the Wizards are employing a "best player available" strategy, Fland may be worth looking at.

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Published Nov 7, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.