NBA Draft 2019: Player comparisons for all projected first round picks

12. PJ Washington, F/C, Kentucky (6-8, 7-2, 230lbs) 

Player Comparison: Patrick Patterson with wing upside, Luol Deng

Not too many players possess the sturdy 6-8, 230-pound frame and massive 7-2 wingspan that Kentucky’s PJ Washington sported at the NBA Draft Combine, nor do many players possess intriguing fluidity, all-around talent and burgeoning ball skills at his size and position, either. Finding an exact comparison for him is tough, since he’ll be capable of manning three different positions at the next level, which is rare and understandably valuable.

Patrick Patterson comes to mind as a similar player, as both former Wildcats boasted attractive measurements (Patterson came in at 6-9, 7-1, 240 pounds) at their position and offered diverse skill sets that make them projectable as meaningful impact players at the next level. Patterson went on to be selected 14th in the 2010 NBA Draft and became an advanced stats darling as a career backup. Washington has a similar draft projection, yet offers more upside due to his impressive vision and ball skills, as he could foreseeably play at the ‘3’ if his isolation scoring continues to progress.

If that’s the case, he could play a similar role as Luol Deng, who built a successful career out of his strong multi-positional defense, self-creation abilities and adequate passing level. That’s certainly the best potential outcome for Washington and is subsequently far less achievable as a result, but it’s certainly not something that can be written off entirely. The jump he made from his freshman to sophomore year was a drastic one that bodes well for his growth trajectory in the NBA, so becoming the next Luol Deng is a legitimate possibility if all goes well.

11. Sekou Doumbouya, F, France/Limoges (6-9, 6-11, 230lbs) 

Player Comparison: French OG Anunoby (6-8, 7-2, 230lbs), bigger Nassir Little (6-6, 7-1, 224lbs)

A phenomenal athlete with prototypical big-wing/small-ball-4 size, Sekou Doumbouya is a rather unpolished prospect with questions surrounding his feel for the game and ability to spread the floor on offense. He’s similar to fellow big-bodied forward OG Anunoby, who wouldn’t be a bad outcome for the 18-year-old Frenchman, and he’s also similar to fellow 2019 draft class member Nassir Little. Essentially, he’s a larger, younger version of Little, who also boasts powerful athletic traits, potential shot-making from the perimeter and a questionable feel for the game on both ends of the floor.

Some media sites are wanting to peg Doumbouya as the next Pascal Siakam, but that’s premature and somewhat baseless — Siakam took major strides in his game and significantly blew expectations out of the water, becoming one of the best bigs in the NBA rapidly despite being selected late in the first round. Doumbouya is a similarly long and agile athlete, but that’s where the comparisons really end.

10. Bol Bol, C, Oregon (7-2, 7-7, 208lbs) 

Player Comparison: “Super Saiyan” Channing Frye, Kristaps Porzingis-lite, or something like this 

How often do you see a 7-2 center break players down off the dribble, glide down the court with long, fluid strides and pull-up for a deep three-pointer that hits nothing but net? Bol Bol is a unique prospect on his physical profile alone, but his ball skills and shooting touch only add to his status as the next “unicorn” of the NBA, for better or worse. There’s significant downside to a player with such a thin frame, injury history and questionable motor (and work ethic), but the upside is tantalizing as well.

If he bulks up and becomes competent defensively, the comparisons to Kristaps Porzingis (7-3, 7-6, 230 pounds) would hold more weight (literally, ha), as both players are unfathomably long bigs with the ability to score off the dribble and knock down jumpers at a high clip. Similarly, he could man a similar role as Channing Frye if he fails to hit the tip-top of his upside, which wouldn’t be a bad outcome either, considering Frye’s long career as a spot shot blocker and three-point specialist.