Wizards' All-Rookie Candidates Continue to Lose Steam

The Washington Wizards enjoyed the spoils of yet another profitable NBA Draft class this past regular season, the latest update in a promising trend for fatigued fans to soak in as the patient rebuild prepares for its next step forward.

They entered last summer's draft night with two first-round picks to their name, and the positions they were set to occupy didn't exactly inspire any of their loyal supports. The mid first-rounder they scooped up in the Marcus Smart trade was a nice tertiary asset to have, but their lottery pick, the one that directly arrived as a result of the 18-64 record they'd posted in 2024-25, fell all the way down to the sixth spot in the order in a classic instance of the worst-case scenario game.

But then came the main event, and the Wizards continued working the phones after selecting elite shooting prospect Tre Johnson at sixth overall. They traded down with their other pick, swooping in on the right to bring a taller, lankier scorer aboard in Will Riley, as well as a shallow second-round piece that they eventually cashed in on veteran college defender Jamir Watkins.

Washington Wizards Guard Tre Johnson — Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Tre Johnson stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the sixth pick by the Washington Wizards in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Each of those three swings bolstered Washington's young corps while making their respective cases for postseason awards, even if competition among rookies remains stiff. Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes predicted how All-Rookie First and Second Teams will play out, and nary a Wizard was mentioned alongside the likes of Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Dylan Harper.

Still, each offered rookie campaigns who were each fully-deserving of praise. They may not earn this particular stamp on thier respective Basketball Reference pages, but fans who followed the team and the players' individual development tracks know what they saw.

Measuring Up to Peers

Johnson's the only member of the Wizards' class to fall short of a spot that he was considered a likely name to fill over the course of the season, as he measured up favorably alongside his fellow lottery picks through most of the previous six months.

The Rookie of the Year ladder regular's fall-off was telegraphed, though, as he succumbed to the wear and tear of the NBA's long 82-game campaign. His once-impressive shooting splits declined as he lost his legs, slowly accumulating the injuries to hinder his long-range jumper and the handle to slither between defenders and rise up at will.

He's not completely out of the running, even after missing 22 games. Cedric Coward was mocked by Hughes as a likely First-Teamer despite similarly missing the standard 65-game cutoff, but the Memphis Grizzlies prospect still holds the edge over Johnson in a few too many categories.

Washington Wizards Guard Will Riley — Mar 30, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Washington Wizards guard Will Riley (27) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Arguably more impressive than Johnson was Riley, especially of we factor in how much later the Illinois wing was snatched up after the top-six.

The big guard seems just as doomed to barely miss out on the second team, right alongside Johnson, if we just look at his raw statistics. 10.3 points on 43.9/31.6% splits from the floor and behind the 3-point line won't blow anyone away compared to more league-ready prospects, but Riley did himself a favor by finishing the season as strong as he did.

He recorded at least 18 points seven times over his final 13 outings, proving himself as one of the craftiest self-creators around with more pivots and counters than Washington fans have seen out of a rookie in a long time. The multiple 30-pieces he posted over that span served as evidence of his capabilities at getting to the free throw line and willingness to shoot from just about anywhere 23-feet and in, unique attributes for a player who had to watch as 21 other draftees donned team hats before him on draft night.

Watkins isn't the same star bet as Johnson or Riley, though even the rare 24-year-old rookie improved as the season rolled on. Where it once looked like he'd slot into the league as a firm defensive specialist, he continued experimenting with his jumper over time, eventually growing to can 44.2% of his field goal attempts over 18 consecutive appearances to close out the schedule thanks to his combination of improved touch and grown man strength at the basket.

Wizards rookie Jamir Watkins 15 PTS (6-7 FG, 3-4 3P, 107% TS), 8 REB, 1 AST, 2 BLK vs. Cavs https://t.co/yMIcfKuGjb pic.twitter.com/N5MygPZQO2
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) December 13, 2025

The Wizards certainly like Watkins enough to have already tendered a second contract to supplant the two-way deal he spent most of the last few months playing on, a mini-extension to indicate their happiness with his commitment to building his brand as a high-impact role player.

Another positive haul out of the Wizards' talent evaluators may not be immortalized in the All-Rookie record books, but these are the sort of organizational draft performances that breathe hope into a rebuild. Enough prospects to round out an entire rotation and the eyes to execute the team-building vision they clearly have in mind will go a long way in giving life to a long-dormant fan base.

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