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NBA Mock Draft 5.0: New No. 1 pick for Wolves, Bulls take Toppin

By Dylan Jackson

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - NOVEMBER 30: LaMelo Ball of the Hawks drives against Finn Delany of the Breakers during the round 9 NBL match between the New Zealand Breakers and the Illawarra Hawks at Spark Arena on November 30, 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - NOVEMBER 30: LaMelo Ball of the Hawks drives against Finn Delany of the Breakers during the round 9 NBL match between the New Zealand Breakers and the Illawarra Hawks at Spark Arena on November 30, 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Onyeka Okongwu #21 of the USC Trojans seen while playing the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Galen Center on November 12, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Onyeka Okongwu #21 of the USC Trojans seen while playing the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Galen Center on November 12, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

Onyeka Okongwu. 9. player. 142. . Big. Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards are in a position to select the best player on the board in Onyeka Okongwu. With John Wall returning after missing a season and a half of basketball, the Wizards are looking to make a playoff push with their current roster.

We are, quite simply, not sure how Wall is going to look coming off of injury. That won’t stop the Wizards from selecting Okongwu here, though, as he is going to raise the floor of Washington’s defense as a whole, being switchable on the perimeter and providing elite interior defense. Okongwu is mobile enough to have a role offensively as well and should instantly be named the starter over Thomas Bryant.

The Wizards need a lot. They do not have much depth and have most of their salary cap tied up in two players. Okongwu certainly helps though, especially from a defensive perspective – and would make an interesting pair with 2019 first round pick Rui Hachimura.