Michigan secured the second pledge for the 2023 cycle when George Washington III verbally committed today. After de-committing from Ohio State in September, the Wolverine staff quickly jumped in and landed the sharpshooter after a strong official visit in October. 

GURU RANKINGS

Rivals	ESPN	247	On3	EM Scouting
4*, #77 overall, #15 SG	4*, #54 overall #14 SG	4*, #106 overall, #18 SG	3*, #134 overall #15 SG	4*, #121 overall  #28 SG

ESPN is the most bullish on Washington, with placement just outside the top 50. On3, 247, Rivals and EM Scouting aren't quite as high, slotting him in the 75-135 range. The worldwide leader isn't doing a ton of in-person evaluations these days, so your author urges you to give a bit more credence to other publications in the industry. 

There is general consensus in terms of size, as all services agree on 6'2 with weight ranging from 165 - 175 pounds. 

SCOUTING

I first evaluated George in April for EYBL Session II in Indianapolis, as he suited up with All Ohio. With subsequent evals coming at the Run-N-Slam in Fort Wayne and EYBL Session IV in Kansas City. Having seen him multiple times over the last seven months, I have a good feel for his game.

First and foremost, Washington is a perimeter shotmaker with legit NBA range. The shot mechanics are good, with nice elevation and great arch. George isn't restricted to stationary shooting, as knocks down jumpers off movement via pull-ups and screens from both distance and midrange with regularity. That is more valuable in relation to stationary shooters that are functionally restricted to standing in a corner. His percentage from distance over the summer on the EYBL circuit hovered around 33% on good volume at over 6 attempts per game. But using raw percentage as a guide for shooting prowess doesn't really capture Washington's shooting talent, as it doesn't account for shot quality/difficulty. 

From a physical perspective, George grades out as an average athlete. He's a tad bit undersized for his position at 6'2, but that's not a big hinderance at the college level. The agility is solid, but will likely need to be improved with Camp Sanderson along with additional strength/core balance. Washington doesn't wow you with vertical explosion as a finisher, but I do like the lift he gets as a jumpshooter. He's a two-leg jumper and that comes through on the jump-shot and aids in his ability to get off pull-ups and catch + shoot attempts against closeouts. 

Washington isn't an on-ball playmaker for others at this stage of development, but his handle is good enough to attack closeouts and create his own shot on limited volume. Much more of a play-finisher than a play-creator. With further development, there is some potential that he becomes a secondary ballscreen option as an upperclassmen. 

On3 echoes my praise for the shot mechanics, with similar concerns about athleticism and playmaking for others...........but labels him a lead guard?

"George Washington, III is a score-first lead guard. He is very confident in his ability to shoot the ball, and he does have range that extends beyond the three-point arc. Questions arise about his lack of athleticism and length. Can he consistently get to his shot effectively? Washington’s mechanics do not change whether shooting off the catch or off the dribble, and when given a clean look, he can knock it down. How well does Washington see the floor? He averaged 1 assist to 2 TOs during Peach Jam this summer. Also, given his lack of size and athletics, there are defensive questions at the highest level. Washington averaged close to 24 points last high school season." 

247 loves the perimeter shotmaking, but is higher on the shot-creation ability:

"Washington III is a 6-foot-2 combo guard out of Dayton (Ohio) Chaminade Julienne that is a knockdown shooter from three and considered a combo guard as he has shown he is comfortable playing both the point and shooting guard positions. Has a knack for rising and finishing in transition and also his ability to drive and create scoring opportunities for others."

[After THE JUMP: highlights and projection]

OFFERS

After de-committing from Ohio State, the Wolverines beat out fellow finalists Wake Forest, Dayton, Virginia and Louisville.

HIGH SCHOOL

After relocating from Louisville, George now attends Chaminade Julienne HS in Dayton, Ohio. The Eagles aren't a powerhouse and the Dayton-area isn't necessarily known as a hotbed for talent, but Washington's younger brother Jackson is a 2024 prospect with a few low major - mid major offers. 

STATS

Averaged 23.4 points and 7.2 rebounds on 35.8% from distance during his junior year of HS. 

VIDEO

2022 EYBL Highlights - Hoop Recruiter

Junior Year HS Highlights - Washingtons Hoop

 

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE

This one of the more simplistic projections for your author, since we've seen this movie before. In watching Washington live, one can't help but see the similarities to former Michigan guard Eli Brooks. The size, shooting and relative lack of size all point to a similar path.

Assuming Kobe Bufkin doesn't have a blow-up sophomore campaign, he's likely penciled in as a starting SG when George arrives on campus. Washington isn't a PG by any means right now, but even if that were the case, Dug McDaniel will take over as starting floor general if Jaelin Llewellyn departs.

Taking that into account, George isn't going to see a lot of action as a freshman. He needs to utilize the freshman year to add strength/muscle mass and improve his overall agility. Year two may see him take on a bench rotational role depending on stay/go decisions from the remainder of the roster.

The most likely scenario mirrors the path of the aforementioned Eli Brooks. I'd expect Washington to take on a more prominent role as a junior, where he'll be a valuable floorspacer that can occasionally handle some on-ball duties. The bigger question is surrounding the other end of the court given the relative lack of size/length and agility.

I'm inclined to think that two years of getting coached up in addition to Camp Sanderson, will lead to George being an adequate defender. He is the son of a coach (currently on-staff with Dayton WBB) and hopefully that background translates to Washington being a sponge that is eager to learn defensive angles and schemes. 

While he's not likely to be an all-conference level player, as an upperclassmen George projects to be a good shooter that Juwan Howard can run sets for in the half-court while having the gravity to provide space for the primary options on the team. The junior/senior year numbers probably look like 10-12ppg, 35-39% from distance and a few assists. 

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS

Really difficult to project the rest of the class with no scholarships available as of today and uncertainty with Dickinson's stay/go decision, with some potential for Jett Howard to be a one-and-done.

We're likely to have some attrition at the end of the year, and in the portal era, I'm guessing that we look to land a transfer.