I had the opportunity to speak with Michael Washington, a power forward/center from Arkansas, about his time at Arkansas, the pre-draft process and how he has seen his game evolve. Below, find out what Michael had to say on these and other topics, as well as a brief scouting report on him:
On what he improved on the most at Arkansas…
“My post moves. I learned a lot of different moves to help me around the basket.”
On his workouts so far, and what he has scheduled…
“I had a workout with the Rockets, it went well. The feedback they gave my agent was very good. Coming up, I have workouts with the Bobcats, Knicks and 5 other teams.”
On the strongest parts of his game…
“My defense has gotten better and I’ve gotten quicker. I’ve been playing well in the post and rebounding well. I think teams have been surprised that I can shoot from the outside. During workouts, I can step back and hit from the outside.”
On what he needs to improve on…
“I need to work on my ball-handling. I also need to improve on getting back on defense quickly.”
On his goals as a professional basketball player…
“I want to win a championship, play with a great group of teammates, and learn how to be the best player I can be.”
On alternate routes to the NBA…
“I would play in the NBDL. I like the relationship they have with the NBA teams. It’s a chance to get better and be called up to the NBA.”
On what he has to say to the readers and his fans…
“I’m looking forward to the draft and to get to show everyone how good a player I can be. Thank you for all your support.”
I would like to thank Michael and his agent Charles Briscoe of BP Sports Management for their time in putting this together. I wish Michael all the best in the upcoming draft. Now here is my preliminary scouting report on Michael:
The Case For…Michael Washington
The Good - Washington does a good job using his body to get position down low, and moves from block to block very well. He has excellent touch around the rim and has the ability to draw his defender out to 10-15 feet. Defensively, he is a solid presence in the lane, and he does a good job fundamentally on rebounds, especially sealing off a man and going after the ball.
The Bad – Washington may have trouble in an up-tempo offense, where he will not be able to play to his strengths. Also, he should work on expanding his repertoire of post moves, including turning over both shoulders. Defensively, he needs to be more aggressive with opposing post players, forcing them off the blocks and getting a hand in to deny the entry pass.
The Verdict – Many draft boards had Washington as an early second-round pick entering the season, and though his numbers weren’t spectacular, his play and his effort were consistent. While he is still talented enough to be a second-round pick, my guess, because of the depth at his position in the draft, he will need to make a team in training camp this fall, though I would not be surprised if he did. Either way, I could also see him spending some time in the NBDL and being one of the first call-ups of the year.
