Pick No. 26: Washington Wizards (via Clippers) select Bobi Klintman
The Washington Wizards find themselves in the rare position of being a team selecting towards the end of the first round that is still rebuilding their roster. They can use this to their advantage if high-risk, high-reward draft prospects fall in the draft, as teams selecting in this range are significantly more likely to choose draft picks that can contribute immediately. In this scenario, the Wizards select Bobi Klintman.
Klintman is a 21-year-old Swedish forward with untapped upside as a 3-and-D forward with the versatility to provide more on the offensive end. In the 2022-23 season, Klintman played at Wake Forest, averaging only 5.3 points. In large part due to the lack of opportunity, Klintman spent his next season in the NBL with Cairns, averaging 9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds on 44/36/79 shooting splits.
Although Klintman is one of the older draft prospects, he still possesses a high upside relative to other prospects who are projected to be selected in this range. His 6-foot-8 frame and ability to stretch the floor should make Klintman a first-round pick.
A team like Washington would be an ideal fit, as they can afford to take a high-upside swing on someone who might not pan out. Between Bilal Coulibaly, No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr, and now Bobi Klintman, the Wizards would assemble a lengthy and versatile core to build around.