Kentucky basketball: 3 reasons PJ Washington should return to UK

PJ Washington recently announced that he would put his name into the NBA Draft, but not hire an agent. Let’s explore why Washington should return to Kentucky for his sophomore season.

PJ Washington made the announcement on Tuesday that he would test the NBA Draft waters. Washington will not hire an agent, leaving the door open for a return to the Kentucky Wildcats for his sophomore season.

Given the newer guidelines that allow players more time to make a decision on their NBA future, it’s no surprise that Washington threw his name into the hat. PJ had a productive, yet unspectacular first season at Kentucky. He averaged 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds, starting 30 of 37 games for UK in his freshman season.

While players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kevin Knox have garnered the majority of attention regarding their NBA future, PJ Washington may have the most upside of any player on the Kentucky roster. His decision is somewhat questionable, but PJ obviously possesses NBA-level talent.

Here are 3 reasons that PJ Washington will return to the Kentucky basketball program for the 2018-19 season.

1. Outside shooting

The most glaring weakness in PJ Washington’s game is the inability to knock down the three-point shot. The NBA, and basketball as a whole, has evolved to a more perimeter oriented game. The emphasis on efficient outside shooting dominates the pro game.

Of the the Top 10 three-point shooting teams in the NBA, 8 are in playoff contention. More than one-third of the NBA teams attempt 30-plus threes per game. With analytics taking over, this trend will continue, and even more NBA teams are likely to jump on the three-point bandwagon.

Three-point shooting was not a big part of Washington’s game in 2017-18. PJ only attempted 21 triples, and knocked down just 5 of them. Less than 24% shooting from beyond the arc, will not get it done for a player of Washington’s size at the next level.