[jwplayer ThHMsta4-PROpJzTY]
It finally happened. One of the best players in Michigan State Basketball history is now officially an NBA player. Cassius Winston had to wait some time to hear his name called on Wednesday night, but he was finally drafted No. 53 overall by the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards made a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire the pick they used to select Winston.
He is the second Spartan taken in the 2020 NBA Draft, following Xavier Tillman who was drafted No. 35 by the Memphis Grizzlies.
For those Michigan State fans who watched Winston throughout his career, it might come as a surprise that Winston isn’t a first round pick. Winston shot 43% from the three point line, averaged 6.4 assists per game over his career and averaged 14.2 points per game for the Spartans. However, college production doesn’t always equal a high draft position. Many of these teams are drafting based on physical attributes that project to superstardom. In other words, teams often draft based on a player’s ceiling rather than his floor.
I think that Cassius Winston will be a solid NBA player for a long time. As a sharpshooting point guard who is a superb passer, he should be able to hang in the league. The knocks on Winston are entirely physical related to his size, speed, strength and explosiveness. This is definitely why he was a second round pick, but I think that with NBA training he could improve those attributes moving forward.
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