Washington Wizards Draft Picks 2024: Who Will They Select In NBA Draft?

Fact Checked by Jim Tomlin

Even the most diehard Washington Wizards fan entered the 2023-24 season knowing it would likely be a long one.

Oddsmakers at BetMGM Sportsbook Virginia gave the Wizards odds of +50000 to win the NBA championship this season and set their win total at 24.5 – the lowest of any team. Even that win number was well beyond the Wizards. They finished 15-67, the worst record in franchise history, and lost nine of their final 10 games.

Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate & present in VA. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms & Conditions. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.

Projected 2024 Washington Wizards Draft Picks 2024

  • Round 1, Pick No. 2
  • Round 1, Pick No. 26 (from Clippers via Mavericks and Thunder)
  • Round 2, Pick No. 51 (from Suns)

The good news about Washington having the second-worst record in the NBA this season is that the Wizards landed the No. 2 overall pick after the NBA Draft lottery, which took place on May 12. Both the Wizards and Detroit Pistons (14-68) had a 14% chance of landing the top pick in the draft. The Atlanta Hawks overcame long odds to get the No. 1 pick, followed by the Wizards, We’ll see whether any futures odds shift for Virginia sports betting after the draft itself this week.

The Wizards have another pick in the first round, 26th overall.

Washington also has a second-round pick, No. 51 overall, which it acquired from the Phoenix Suns in last summer’s three-way trade with the Indiana Pacers. That deal included former Wizards guard Bradley Beal going to the Suns and Wizards 2023 first-round pick Jarace Walker going to Indiana. The Wizards received Chris Paul (whom they later traded to Golden State), Landry Shamet, Pacers 2023 first-rounder Bilal Coulibaly, four future first-round pick swaps and five additional second-round picks.

Steve Bittenbender contributed to an earlier version of this piece.

Washington Wizards Draft Needs 2024

  • Center
  • Point guard
  • Small forward

As their 2024 record indicates, the Wizards need help at several positions, but none more than down low. They traded for Marvin Bagley III late in the season, but he could slide to power forward if Washington lands a big man in the first round. That would also allow leading scorer Kyle Kuzma to move to small forward.

Point guard could also be a priority as Tyus Jones, this year’s starter, is now an unrestricted free agent. However, the 6-foot-1 guard, 28, has shown interest in staying with Washington.

Washington Wizards 2024 NBA Mock Draft: Odds at #2 Pick

Player

Odds

Percent Chance

France C Alexandre Sarr

-450

81.8%

France SF Zaccharie Risacher 

+1250

7.4%

UConn C Donovan Clingan

+2500

3.8%

Kentucky G Reed Sheppard

+3500

2.8%

UConn G Stephon Castle 

+5000

2.0%

Serbia G Nikola Topic

+5000

2.0%

Other

+20000

0.5%

The top draft pick, odds-wise, in this week’s made-for-TV event is French big man Alexandre Sarr, who is listed at -450 after averaging 9.4 points per game for the Perth Wildcats of the Australian Basketball League this season.  

Sarr beat out countryman Zaccharie Risacher (+1250), with the 6’9 player for JL Bourg of the LNB Pro A league coming off a season where he was named the Best Young Player of the league after averaging 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.  

Throw in former UConn center Donovan Clingan (+2500), Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard (+3500), UConn guard Stephon Castle and Serbian guard Nikola Topic (+5000 each) and you have the full rundown on the prospects that the Wizards could target at No. 2 in this week’s NBA Draft.  

Virginia sportsbook apps have NBA Draft props available.

History of Wizards' Latest Draft Picks

With the second overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Wizards have an opportunity to change some of their own luck when it comes to drafting the next big name in the league. Here's how they've fared in the last two NBA Drafts.

Wizards' 2023 Draft Pick

Draft Position

Player

College

Current Career Win Shares

2.42

Tristan Vukcevic

N/A

0.1

After they took Tristan Vukcevic in the second round of the 2023 draft, he was not available to play for the Wizards until late in the season after he reached a buyout deal from his Serbian team. He did not play until March 23. In 10 games, the 7-foot Italian averaged 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. However, he started in his final four appearances and scored in double figures in each of those contests, including a season-high 19 points against the Chicago Bulls on April 12.

Wizards' 2022 Draft Picks

Draft Position

Player

College

Current Career Win Shares

1.10

Johnny Davis

Wisconsin

-0.4

2.54

Yannick Nzosa

N/A

0.0

Johnny Davis, a lottery pick in the 2022 Draft, posted 152 points in 50 games this past season. He started six games down the stretch and scored a season-best 16 in the 129-127 loss to Chicago. Yannick Nzosa has yet to play for Washington as he remains in Europe.

Keep tabs on the best Virginia sports betting promos with us at BetVirgina.com as the 2024 NBA playoffs roll along.

USA Today photo by Reggie Hildred

Wizards 2024 Draft Q&As

Author

Christopher Boan

Christopher Boan has been covering sports and sports betting for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.

Cited by leading media organizations, such as: