LAS VEGAS — Admiral Schofield was one of the more unique prospects in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Zion, Ill. native and Zion-Benton High School product is 6-foot-4, with the size of a point guard but the skills of a wing.
Schofield was selected by the Washington Wizards with the No. 42 overall pick in the second round. He’s the kind of player who doesn’t fit into a neat box, and part the four-year Tennessee standout fell in the draft is teams’ inability to answer the question of what position he plays.
Schofield has his own answer.
“I’m a winner,” Schofield said Tuesday night, after the Wizards played a Summer League game. “That’s what position I am. I impact the game any way I can. I’m not a guy where you say, he’s a two, he’s a three, he’s a four, he’s a five. People look at me and say, he’s a linebacker.”
The lion’s share of attention on the Wizards’ Summer League team has been focused on their No. 9 overall pick, former Gonzaga star Rui Hachimura, the first Japanese-born player ever to be picked in the draft. A sizeable throng of Japanese media made the trip out to Las Vegas for Hachimura’s Summer League debut, and a side effect has been added attention for the Wizards’ other young players, including Schofield. It took him a while to ease into the action, but he showed off his full skill set on Tuesday.
“The first two games I was really just trying to play the right way and find my way into the offense,” Schofield said. “I wasn’t being very aggressive. Now, I’ve seen a lot of mismatches and opportunities out there. I was able to use my physicality to draw fouls and shoot the three. I wanted to showcase that.”
Schofield will likely spend time in the G League his rookie year, as most second-round picks do. But he could have the opportunity to crack the rotation in Washington, with a roster filled with unproven young players. With John Wall likely missing the whole season as he recovers from a torn Achilles, the Wizards are short on proven high-level contributors outside of fellow All-Star Bradley Beal. Schofield is attempting to carve out a unique role while showcasing his talents at Summer League.
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“I think the biggest thing that I’ve shown is toughness,” Schofield said. “Being able to guard multiple positions with my physicality, Being able to snag rebounds and bang with bigger guys. But the biggest thing is my ball handling and playing with a great pace. Also being confident enough with my defense that guys will rotate over.
“The biggest thing is to go out there and compete,” Schofield said. “Being athletic, showing guys I can shoot the ball, and just competing at a high level. That’s what it’s about. I want to be known as a winner.”