With the 15th pick in the 2021 NBA draft, the Washington Wizards selected Corey Kispert, a 6-foot-6 forward from Gonzaga who was widely considered by many to be the best pure 3-point shooter in the draft. Kispert will enter the league with the experience (he played all four years at Gonzaga) needed to be a contributor right from the get-go, as well as a specifically elite ability in his 3-point shooting. Combine both of these things with his size and physical style of play and you have the blueprint for an elite role player.
Last season, the Wizards were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league, ranking 28th in team 3-pointers made per game and 23rd in team 3-point percentage. Kispert will enter his first game as a rookie as potentially the best pure shooter on the floor and will help bring an intensity and edge to the game that it often felt the Wizards were lacking last season.
Additionally, with the Wizards in a perpetual state of trying to make sure Bradley Beal sticks around, having a young role player that provides shooting, a skill that it is critical to surround offensive superstars with, will be a huge boon for Washington’s efforts to retain him in the coming years. The positional logjam at power forward with Deni Avdija, Rui Hachimura, Davis Bertans, and Kyle Kuzma also means there will likely be some open minutes at shooting guard and small forward, a position that Kispert can easily play at his size with his solid ball-handling ability.
The selection of Kspert was an excellent pick by general manager Tommy Sheppard. The Wizards found a player with an NBA-ready skillset in the middle of the first round. With the acquisition of Spencer Dinwiddie signaling that the Wizards are gunning for the postseason this year, head coach Wes Unseld Jr. should look to get Kispert involved in the rotation early and often. Here’s to hoping he finds his way onto the court.
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