Jan Vesely

Vesely saw more minutes when Randy Wittman took over the coaching chores, but overall it was a disappointing rookie season for the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Vesely averaged just 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game last year. However, in 15 April tilts he scored in double figures seven times, while ripping down double-digit boards on four occasions. The Wizards will hope that he posts similar production this season.

Drafted by the Wizards with the sixth pick in this year’s draft, Vesely is expected to step in and claim the team’s starting small forward job. In Euro play in 2010-11, Vesely averaged 9.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 three-pointers, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 1.5 turnovers in 27 minutes. There’s some concern that he doesn’t have good hands – the ball seems to come loose easily on his drives to the basket, and he doesn’t always come down with the ball on post-ups when given some contact from his defender. These are correctible problems, but worth noting for turnover leagues. Rashard Lewis remains on the team’s books, but Washington doesn’t seem to consider him a viable option as its starting small forward. Vesely may ultimately turn out to be too raw to contribute this year, but there’s a chance the Wizards will chose to play him through the growing pains given his pedigree. Vesely doesn’t shoot particularly well from the line or beyond the arc. Most of his game is based on his size and athleticism, so at the very least John Wall should have another alley-oop partner this season.