Second round draft picks move around a lot and are usually not valued very highly. But, as things currently stand, it looks like the Washington Wizards will be selecting two or three players in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Players drafted in the second round rarely end up factoring into a team’s long term plans. Nikola Jokic (No. 41, 2014), Manu Ginobili (No. 57, 1999), Draymond Green (No. 35, 2012) and Jalen Brunson (No. 33, 2018) are the exceptions, not the rule, and more often than not second round picks end up fizzling out after a few seasons of toiling between the G-League and the NBA.
Despite the relatively low chances of success, there is still legitimate talent after the first 30 picks. From this year’s Rising Stars Game, Memphis Grizzlies guards Cam Spencer (No. 53, 2024) and Jaylen Wells (No. 39, 2024) were both taken in the second round.
For second round prospects, I generally look at guys who I think have a specific skillset that would allow them to play a small role in a rotation rather than more “boom or bust” players.
Here are a few sleepers the Wizards could target in this year’s second round that could make a real impact on their NBA roster:
Motiejus Krivas, 7’2” Junior Center from Arizona
Motiejus Krivas has flown a bit under the radar this season for No. 4 Arizona, who were undefeated before two recent back-to-back losses to Kansas and Texas Tech. The freshman duo of forward Koa Peat and guard Brayden Burries have gotten most of the headlines, but Krivas has arguably been the Wildcats’ most important player, anchoring their defense as one of the country’s best rim protectors.
The Lithuanian native, who played in the Lithuanian second division before making his way to the United States college basketball and has lots of experience at the international level, is averaging 11.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 59.4% from the field and 79.2% from the free throw line. Krivas is the exact type of high floor, low ceiling type of player teams should be targeting in the second round. A player with that combination of size, shot-blocking and touch around the rim should be able to stick around as a backup center for almost any NBA team.
Blue Cain, 6’5” junior guard from Georgia
Georgia basketball often takes a back seat to the football team down in Athens, but the Bulldogs have put together a solid season and are currently projected to be a 10 seed in ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology. Blue Cain is one of the biggest reasons why. Cain has elite athleticism, can pour in points and is truly elite at finishing around the rim, averaging 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
The biggest knock on Cain is his three point shooting. This season, Cain is shooting 27.9% from three but is making up for it with an impressive 62.1% two-point field goal percentage. There is hope that Cain could develop a three though. He shot 34.1% and 35.0% from three the past two seasons and is an 89.4% shooter from the free throw line. If Cain bulks up a bit and his shot becomes more consistent, it is easy to envision his role as a microwave scorer off the bench, similar to a Donte DiVincenzo or an early-career Immanuel Quickley.
Kashie Natt, 6’3” senior guard from Sam Houston State
I am not going to lie, this is a bit of an outside-the-box prospect. Low-major college players like Kashie Natt who spent three seasons at a junior college are rarely, if ever considered potential NBA players. Natt’s highlights recently came across my Twitter timeline, and I have not been able to stop thinking about his defensive potential. Despite his non-traditional background, Natt has one of the most fascinating skillsets in all of college basketball and could carve himself out a role in the NBA if he is given the chance.
At 6’3”, 190 pounds, Natt is averaging 2.1 steals, 0.6 blocks and 7.4 rebounds in just 24.9 minutes per game. He has a ridiculous 4.7% steal rate and 2.9% block rate. Natt can also hold his own on the offensive side of the ball, averaging 10.7 points per game while shooting 41.8% from three. Natt’s defensive instincts and on-ball prowess are tantalizing, and even if he is not able to be a league-average shooter, should be enough to earn him a spot on most NBA rosters. Natt is certainly a risk, but it may be worth taking a shot for someone with his defensive potential in the second round.
Paul McNeil, 6’5’ sophomore guard from N.C. State
I have had my eye on Paul McNeil ever since I was on the broadcast of the 2024 Capital Classic high school All-Star game and saw him hit a buzzer-beater three to give his team the victory. After a disappointing freshman season at N.C. State that saw him struggle to carve out his spot in the rotation, McNeil has thrived this year under new head coach Will Wade. The best part of McNeil’s game is his shooting, and that usually translates well to the next level. He can create his own shot off of the dribble and uses a high release to be able to get his shot off through traffic and above taller defenders.
McNeil is averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting an ACC-best 43.5% from three on 7.2 attempts per game. He can be a bit of a streaky scorer though. McNeil’s best game of the season came in December when he scored 47 points on 11-17 shooting from three and was a perfect 12-12 from the free throw line against Texas Southern. On the flip side, he has also had multiple zero point performances this season. His perimeter shotmaking should be enough to get him looks during the second round this year despite some of those consistency issues and concerns about his slight frame and defensive deficiencies.