Prospect Overview
Skilled three-level scorer with good vision and size for a combo guard who was an X-factor in a complementary role as a freshman at Kentucky and is still evolving as an offensive weapon.
About TyTy Washington Jr.
TyTy Washington Jr. is a skilled young guard with a budding offensive game who stood out in a secondary role last season when he put everything together or got an opportunity to run the show for Kentucky. A late-bloomer or sorts who exploded on the national scene during his senior year of high school at AZ Compass Prep, Washington finished his prep career widely regarded as one of the top-20 prospects in the high school class of 2021.
Joining a Kentucky roster deep with established transfers, Washington nonetheless finished second on the team in points and assists, but was very productive in spurts showing his talent and averaging 12.5 points and 3.9 assists over 29.2 minutes per game while earning All-SEC second team honors.
• Measured at 6-foot-3.75 in shoes with a solid 196-pound frame and a 6-foot-8 wingspan at the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, Washington has good size for a combo guard and is more smooth than explosive as an athlete.
• Splitting time on and off the ball, Washington did a little bit of everything from the perimeter for the Wildcats and saw his role shift considerably some nights when he got going early or had to slide to the point guard spot for extended stretches. Showing the ability to make a spot up jumper, an affinity for midrange pull-ups, and a knack for changing speeds to create windows to get up floaters, he made shots from all three levels pretty consistently as a freshman. He has room to continue to improve his consistency as a jump shooter which could help unlock the talent he showed as a passer when he was playing on the ball and help make it easier for him to put pressure on the rim. Providing some intriguing flashes as a shot creator last season but fighting through a late season ankle injury, the 20-year-old had some ups and downs but had a very productive year considering the way his game is still evolving.
• Getting better defensively as his freshman year wore on, Washington still has some things to clean up off the ball, but began making a more consistent effort to get over screens and had a bigger impact with his quick hands down the stretch.
Advanced Stats
• Washington shouldered a larger ball handling burden some nights than others last season but had several strong individual scoring efforts regardless as his talent as a shot maker stood out on his best nights. Posting a 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio in the half court on the year and dishing out 17 assists in a single game when running the point full time, Washington was terrific for stretches as a facilitator showing promising vision on the move and a comfort level making reads out of ball screens.
• Looking to score aggressively in the half court and doing so more efficiently through the first half of the season than when he was battling injuries late in the year, Washington leaned heavily on his ability to score with touch both from the perimeter and near the basket. Nearly two-thirds of his shots were pull-up jumpers or floaters as he was aggressive rising up in midrange spots often finding extra defenders waiting for him in the lane.
• While Washington lacks blow-by quickness, he possesses a fairly advanced floor game staying on balance, playing with pace, using his size, and proving capable of taking what the defense gives him at all three levels on his best nights. Averaging 1.15 points per floater [94th percentile], scoring0.83 points per pull-up jump shot in the half court [63rd percentile], and finishing opportunistically when he could get all the way to the rim, Washington took and made some very tough shots inside the arc as a freshman.
• Providing some value as a spot up shooter though he often looked to attack closeouts off the dribble, Washington averaged 1.03 points per catch and shoot jump shot in the half court [59th percentile].
Defensive Analysis
• Coming into the year with some questions to answer defensively, Washington made some real strides on that end of the floor in his only season at Kentucky. While he has quick hands and good length, his effort level improved significantly over the course of the year as did his technique in some key areas.
• Looking like a freshman at times off the ball throughout the season, but using his frame better late in the year to contain dribble penetration while coming up with quite a few steals digging down as s second defender, the 20-year-old seemed to turn a corner.
Profile by Synergy Sports
