Re-drafting the 2020 NBA Draft — 9. Aleksej Pokusevski, Washington Wizards
Easily the biggest home run swing of this re-draft, and even then, there’s a solid argument for Aleksej Pokusevski to go even higher. He wasn’t very good as a rookie, but the 7-foot, 190-pound center/forward/wing/guard remains a singularly fascinating prospect with major long-term upside. The Wizards need difference-makers, and Poku could very well give them one.
Poku’s rookie season was almost comical in its execution. He got plenty of playing time as part of OKC’s youth movement — playing time he would not have received on literally any other NBA roster. He shot 34.2 percent from the field and looked lost half the time. On the other hand, he played with unshakable confidence, trying things most players his size and age wouldn’t dare try. He could fumble away a possession, then come back down the floor and rifle a back-handed, cross-court skip pass on the move. He hit 3s off movement, beat elite defenders off the dribble, and forayed into ball-handling mode in moments equally terrifying and exhilarating.
In short, there’s a ton of potential wrapped up in Poku, a total enigma of a prospect who could just as easily bomb and never play more than four years in the NBA. The Wizards could play it much safer, but if Poku strikes gold, then he will really, truly strike gold.