#2 Isaiah Jackson – Center – Kentucky
If the Washington Wizards decide to not pursue a guard in the NBA Draft with the 15th overall pick, this could mean that they have their eye on one of the better big man prospects available. Kentucky usually produces some of the best talents in the lottery every single year, but this year their best draft prospect may fall outside of the draft lottery.
Isaiah Jackson is a borderline 7-foot center that is one of the best rim-protectors in this 2021 NAB Draft class. He averaged 2.6 blocks per game in one season at Kentucky and while he still has a lot of work to do offensively, Washington knows what they are getting with Jackson on defense.
Originally, Jackson was planning on participating in the 2021 NBA Draft Combine, but he decided to withdraw from the event last-minute. This could mean that Isaiah Jackson received great feedback prior to the combine and could have been promised to be picked by a team in the first-round already. Could the Washington Wizards be the team that told him this?
With Thomas Bryant set to return from an ACL injury and Daniel Gafford coming on strong at the end of the 2020-21 season, many may not believe that the Wizards will target another big man, but they really do need to add some length to their roster.
READ MORE: 2021 NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Who improved their stock most during the combine?
They also need some scoring, but that should come in time with Isaiah Jackson. He is still a very raw, young prospect and given his length/athleticism, they could easily utilize him as a big man that can run the court in transition. Being on the receiving end of lobs could be something Jackson thrives at early in his career and luckily for him, Washington has arguably the best passer in the league in Russell Westbrook.
The Wizards were a mess defensively during the 2020-21 season and in order for them to improve and possibly advance further in the playoffs, they must find ways to add guys that can make an impact defensively. Isaiah Jackson can easily come into the league and be a top-tier shot-blocker, which is why he is worth taking 15th overall if he is available.
