Wizards Take the Safe Route in Selecting Second Round Role-Playing Big

The Washington Wizards opted for a classic rim-runner in Felix Okpara with their final pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, a decision that doesn't exactly fit their drafting style.

Nov 17, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers center Felix Okpara (34) reacts to a play against the Rice Owls during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards' odd of playing out an entire NBA Draft without any trade and pick movement would have been rare by their standards, but that's exactly the position they seemed to be preparing fans for midway through this past cycle's second round.

After shuffling selection slots in all three previous drafts with this present Wizards front office calling the shots, they'd done very little to bolster their asset trove following their choice to snag AJ Dybantsa first overall. Reports that they were attempting to add another first-rounder persisted in the weeks leading up to the draft, yet they remained tied to fringe picks in Nos. 51 and 60 as the lone supplements to the headlining spot.

That is, until just a few picks before they went back on the clock. That's when they swung a deal with the Orlando Magic in handing their Southeast Division-mates the two late-seconds in exchange for Tennessee center Felix Okpara, who'd just been taken 46th.

Felix Okpara gets selected as the 46th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft by Orland Magic.

Congratulations to him 🇳🇬🏀

. pic.twitter.com/q80Zt82HYo

— 49th. (@the49thstreet) June 25, 2026

He's the Wizards' 10th draftee of the last four combined summers, but Washington's never taken a flier on his specific brand of basketball.

Draft Goals Varying Based on Round

For one, Okpara is opposite Dybantsa as a prospect in just about every way imaginable. BYU's star forward oozes with raw upside; at 18 years old, his blend of athleticism, shot-making and creation captivated the Wizards' attention for them to take him above any other 2026 draftee, even if he still leaves some to be desired as a developing distance shooter and defender. Everything the draft's top picks are meant to provide to basement-dwellers is represented in Dybantsa.

Okpara, meanwhile, is already a known quantity, and we know that before he's logged a single minute alongside any of his new teammates. The 22-year-old is a pure "need" pick -- the Wizards could use another near-7-footer to eat occasional minutes behind brittle bigs Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr, as well as some general dirty work and physicality to aid the rest of the young corps.

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers center Felix Okpara (34) attempts to shoot the ball on Virginia Cavaliers guard Dallin Hall (30) in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

There isn't a ton to his game. He generally sticks to makeable shots at the rim, shooting between 58-60% from the floor across four collegiate seasons split between Tennessee and Ohio State, but this is an archetype that's been known to work at the NBA level within the right context, and arguably no point guard is better at utilizing and rewarding mobile pick-and-roll lob threats than Trae Young.

You may as well make Young's life easier mere days after signing him through the remainder of the decade, and Washington's coaching staff won't say no to a little more defensive versatility during the reserve minutes. Tristan Vukcevic and Julian Reese aren't reliable-enough two-way forces to earn consistent minutes, while Okpara, limited as he is as a scorer, demonstrated strong awareness as a rotating, rim-protecting and occasionally-isolating defender during his time as a Volunteer.

He won't be overwhelmingly-helpful on the boards, having wrapped up 6.3 as a college senior, and Okpara shouldn't expect any dramatic big league minutes jump in his road to cracking Washington's rotation.

A free agent center may, too, soon deepen the platoon, but this pick already reads like one of the most clear-cut evaluations of any prospect this iteration of the Wizards has ever offered a draft night hat to. More talented options may have been available, but this is someone with the physical tools to fill gaping holes on both sides of the paint alongside an already-blossoming, freshly-drafted unit.

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