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PJ Washington should stay and be a first-round pick next year

By Drew Koch

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 22: PJ Washington #25 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts after a play in the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats during the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at Philips Arena on March 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 22: PJ Washington #25 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts after a play in the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats during the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at Philips Arena on March 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Kentucky’s PJ Washington showed up at No. 19 on Sports Illustrated’s Top 30 NBA Prospects for the 2019 NBA Draft. Does this signify that PJ should return to UK for his sophomore season?

Sports Illustrated writer, Jeremy Woo, put out his Top 30 NBA Prospects for the 2019 NBA Draft. Kentucky’s PJ Washington showed up on that list at No. 19. Does this mean that PJ should return to Kentucky for his sophomore season?

PJ Washington was the first of UK’s freshmen to declare for the 2018 NBA Draft. He did not hire an agent, leaving open the possibility of him returning to school. It was recently stated by Washington’s father, that if they received a written guarantee that PJ was a first-round pick, he was going to stay in the draft.

The following quote is from Washington’s father, via the Courier Journal. “It’s real simple — if he’s guaranteed a first round pick, then he’ll stay in the draft. If he doesn’t get that, we’ll have to make a decision. It’s PJ’s decision.”

I find all of this ludicrous. Okay, look, it’s PJ’s decision, and he’s free to decide whatever he feels is best for him. However, at some point, common sense has to take over. Every mock draft, and most scouts are unanimous in saying that Washington is a second-round talent. So why go?

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If PJ returns to Kentucky, he’ll almost certainly be a focal part of the offense. He would thrive with a second year under John Calipari, and practicing against elite-level talent daily is going to help him hone his skills.

A game of chicken

I think the decisions by Washington, Wenyen Gabriel and Jarred Vanderbilt will all come down to the wire. It’s going to be a showdown of who blinks first…a game of chicken, if you will. I believe that all three of them returning to UK is a no-go.

With the overwhelming talent in the backcourt, Kentucky is set at both guard spots. Keldon Johnson, who no one is talking about for some reason, has the potential to be the best player on the Kentucky basketball team next season. EJ Montgomery and Nick Richards will rotate at the center position, leaving one spot for three players.

The math doesn’t add up. Look for these player’s decisions to drag out as long as possible. Once one of the three makes a decision, it makes the decisions for the other two much easier.

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