technical details
  1. is_video => true
  2. alias => "washington\/\/wizards\/2019-nba-draft-prospect-profile-brandon-clarke"
  3. nid => "1428721"
  4. title => "2019 NBA Draft prospect profile: Brandon Clarke"
  5. is_chrome_page => false
  6. article_body => "<p>The Washington Wizards will have the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Here is the latest in our series on draft prospects who could fall around where the Wizards will select...<\/p>\n<p><strong>2019 NBA Draft Wizards Prospect Preview:&nbsp;<\/strong>Brandon Clarke<\/p>\n<p><strong>School:&nbsp;<\/strong>Gonzaga<br><strong>Position:&nbsp;<\/strong>Forward<br><strong>Age:&nbsp;<\/strong>22 (turns 23 in September)<br><strong>Height:&nbsp;<\/strong>6-8<br><strong>Weight:<\/strong>&nbsp;207<br><strong>Wingspan:&nbsp;<\/strong>6-8<br><strong>Max vertical:&nbsp;<\/strong>40.5 in.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2018\/19 stats:&nbsp;<\/strong>16.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.2 spg, 3.2 bpg, 68.7 FG% (6.8\/9.7), 26.7 3PT% (0.1\/0.4), 69.4 FT%<\/p>\n<p><strong>Player comparison:&nbsp;<\/strong>Montrezl Harrell, Dominic McGuire<\/p>\n<p><strong>Projections:&nbsp;<\/strong>NBC Sports Washington 17th, NBADraft.net 23rd, Bleacher Report 19th, Sports Illustrated 25th, Ringer 11th<\/p>\n<p><strong>5 things to know:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>*Clarke is a forward who probably swings more towards the four-spot at the NBA level. He is considered one of the best defensive players in this draft, having won the West Coast Conference defensive player of the year award this past season. He averaged 3.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game for Gonzaga and was known for his versatility to guard multiple positions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>*There are questions about whether Clarke's shot-blocking will translate to the next level. There aren't a ton of 6-foot-8 rim protectors in the NBA and there have been many before Clarke who racked up blocks in college but then couldn't in the pros. His height suggests a potential problem and also his lack of a plus-wingspan. But working in Clarke's favor is his 40 1\/2-inch vertical leap. Only three players had better numbers at this year's combine and all were guards. That type of jumping ability is rarely seen with players at Clarke's size.<\/p>\n<p>*A big concern for Clarke is that at this point he can't shoot from the outside. He attempted only 24 threes in his three years in college and made six of them. If he can't develop a three-point shot, he will need to live in the midrange and around the rim and that's just not how the best players his size play these days. Clarke doesn't need to become a sharpshooter, but a respectable three would open up his game.<\/p>\n<p>*Clarke is going to be 23 years old by the time the season tips off. That is quite old for an NBA prospect, as many of the top players will only be 19 at the start of the year. That could mean he will contribute right away in the NBA, but it could also tell teams that his ceiling is limited compared to younger, less-polished players. Clarke just took a little longer to develop into a pro prospect after starting his college career at San Jose State. He transferred and played one year at Gonzaga. Dropping a guy's stock just because of his age, though, can be risky. Malcolm Brogdon has been making teams pay for that decision for years.<\/p>\n<p>*He is from Canada. The country continues to pump out top NBA prospects and this year alone can claim Clarke, R.J. Barrett of Duke and Nickeil Alexander-Walker of Virginia Tech. Though many have come from the Toronto area, Clarke hails from Vancouver, in the western part of Canada. He also spent much of his youth in the United States, having moved to Arizona when he was three.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fit with Wizards:&nbsp;<\/strong>The Wizards like Clarke, as evidenced by their interview with him at the NBA combine. And there are reasons to suggest he would fit in quite well with what they are looking for.<\/p>\n<p>He would be plug-and-play and provide an instant impact at a position of need. Depending on what they do with their free agent forwards, he could even start as a rookie at the four.<br><br>They also need a complete overhaul defensively and he would help them improve on that end of the floor. He would provide rim protection and help shore up their midrange defense as well.&nbsp;<br><br>Clarke plays smart, team-oriented defense and the Wizards need more of that. He could help them change their mindset on that end of the floor. Clarke seems like the type of player good defensive teams like the Bucks and Pacers would covet, that too often in recent years the Wizards have overlooked.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MORE WIZARDS NEWS:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>No Supermax:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/wizards-bradley-beal-snubbed-all-nba-doesnt-qualify-supermax-contract\">Beal snubbed from All-NBA team<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>2019 NBA Draft:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/2019-nba-mock-draft-100-which-nba-draft-prospect-makes-sense-wizards-no-9\">Latest Mock Draft 10.0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>GM Reset:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/wizards-gm-reset-blazers-neil-olshey-warriors-exec-potential-targets\">Who are the Wizards targeting now?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
  7. author => "Chase Hughes"
  8. mps => {"author":"Chase Hughes","league":"","sport":"","sponsor":""}
  9. published => "1558711740"
  10. created => "1558712155"
  11. changed => "1560289789"
  12. status => "1"
  13. hero_image_credit => "USA TODAY Sports Images"
  14. tags => [{"tid":"4351","name":"NBA Draft","url":"tags\/nba-draft"},{"tid":"1646","name":"Wizards Top Stories","url":"tags\/wizards-top-stories"},{"tid":"1741","name":"Washington Wizards","url":"tags\/washington-wizards"}]
  15. section => "Wizards"
  16. team => "Washington Wizards"
  17. image => {"uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/washington\/2019\/05\/24\/bealallnbasnubdonotpublish.jpg","alt":"bealallnbasnubdonotpublish.jpg","title":"Bradley Beal's All-NBA snub may have a silver lining for Wizards"}
  18. video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/video\/bradley-beals-all-nba-snub-may-have-silver-lining-wizards"
  19. is_mediaid => true
  20. mediaid => "J_UdrRyE0eMA"
  21. video_autoplay => true
  22. video_automute => false
  23. mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
  24. player_id => "washington_article"
  25. chrome_data => "{\"league\":\"\",\"sport\":\"\",\"sponsor\":\"\"}"
  26. sponsor => ""
  27. region => "washington"
  28. fb_url => "https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=1175440639277882&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fwashington%2Fwizards%2F2019-nba-draft-prospect-profile-brandon-clarke&display=popup"
  29. tw_url => "https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=2019%20NBA%20Draft%20prospect%20profile%3A%20Brandon%20Clarke&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fwashington%2Fwizards%2F2019-nba-draft-prospect-profile-brandon-clarke&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fwashington%2Fwizards%2F2019-nba-draft-prospect-profile-brandon-clarke"
  30. mailto => "mailto:?subject=2019%20NBA%20Draft%20prospect%20profile%3A%20Brandon%20Clarke&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fwashington%2Fwizards%2F2019-nba-draft-prospect-profile-brandon-clarke"
  31. tags_hide => []
  32. type => "article"
  33. meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/washington\/wizards\/2019-nba-draft-prospect-profile-brandon-clarke.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/washington\/2019\/05\/24\/bealallnbasnubdonotpublish.jpg"]}
  34. orig_image => {"uri":"public:\/\/2019\/08\/12\/bealallnbasnubdonotpublish.jpg","alt":"bealallnbasnubdonotpublish.jpg","title":"Bradley Beal's All-NBA snub may have a silver lining for Wizards"}
  35. article_type => "article"
Wizards

Wizards

The Washington Wizards will have the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Here is the latest in our series on draft prospects who could fall around where the Wizards will select...

2019 NBA Draft Wizards Prospect Preview: Brandon Clarke

School: Gonzaga
Position: Forward
Age: 22 (turns 23 in September)
Height: 6-8
Weight: 207
Wingspan: 6-8
Max vertical: 40.5 in.

2018/19 stats: 16.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.2 spg, 3.2 bpg, 68.7 FG% (6.8/9.7), 26.7 3PT% (0.1/0.4), 69.4 FT%

Player comparison: Montrezl Harrell, Dominic McGuire

Projections: NBC Sports Washington 17th, NBADraft.net 23rd, Bleacher Report 19th, Sports Illustrated 25th, Ringer 11th

5 things to know:

*Clarke is a forward who probably swings more towards the four-spot at the NBA level. He is considered one of the best defensive players in this draft, having won the West Coast Conference defensive player of the year award this past season. He averaged 3.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game for Gonzaga and was known for his versatility to guard multiple positions. 

*There are questions about whether Clarke's shot-blocking will translate to the next level. There aren't a ton of 6-foot-8 rim protectors in the NBA and there have been many before Clarke who racked up blocks in college but then couldn't in the pros. His height suggests a potential problem and also his lack of a plus-wingspan. But working in Clarke's favor is his 40 1/2-inch vertical leap. Only three players had better numbers at this year's combine and all were guards. That type of jumping ability is rarely seen with players at Clarke's size.

 

*A big concern for Clarke is that at this point he can't shoot from the outside. He attempted only 24 threes in his three years in college and made six of them. If he can't develop a three-point shot, he will need to live in the midrange and around the rim and that's just not how the best players his size play these days. Clarke doesn't need to become a sharpshooter, but a respectable three would open up his game.

*Clarke is going to be 23 years old by the time the season tips off. That is quite old for an NBA prospect, as many of the top players will only be 19 at the start of the year. That could mean he will contribute right away in the NBA, but it could also tell teams that his ceiling is limited compared to younger, less-polished players. Clarke just took a little longer to develop into a pro prospect after starting his college career at San Jose State. He transferred and played one year at Gonzaga. Dropping a guy's stock just because of his age, though, can be risky. Malcolm Brogdon has been making teams pay for that decision for years.

*He is from Canada. The country continues to pump out top NBA prospects and this year alone can claim Clarke, R.J. Barrett of Duke and Nickeil Alexander-Walker of Virginia Tech. Though many have come from the Toronto area, Clarke hails from Vancouver, in the western part of Canada. He also spent much of his youth in the United States, having moved to Arizona when he was three.

Fit with Wizards: The Wizards like Clarke, as evidenced by their interview with him at the NBA combine. And there are reasons to suggest he would fit in quite well with what they are looking for.

He would be plug-and-play and provide an instant impact at a position of need. Depending on what they do with their free agent forwards, he could even start as a rookie at the four.

They also need a complete overhaul defensively and he would help them improve on that end of the floor. He would provide rim protection and help shore up their midrange defense as well. 

Clarke plays smart, team-oriented defense and the Wizards need more of that. He could help them change their mindset on that end of the floor. Clarke seems like the type of player good defensive teams like the Bucks and Pacers would covet, that too often in recent years the Wizards have overlooked.

MORE WIZARDS NEWS: