7/28/2021 7:10:34 PM | Men's Basketball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A month later than normal (but what’s normal these days), the NBA will host its draft on Thursday evening at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. 60 players will have a dream come true of hearing their name called on draft night and Buckeye Duane Washington Jr. is hoping to be one of the select few.
The All-Big Ten honoree has had an impressive 2021, leading the Buckeyes in scoring this past year and then showed his skills at both the NBA G League Elite Camp and the NBA Draft Combine this summer.
How to Watch
- The 2021 NBA Draft will be held live on Thursday, July 29 at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
- The first round begins at 8 p.m.
- ABC will televise the first round while ESPN will air both rounds
Washington Hoping to Hear His Name Called
After a great showing at the G League Elite Camp and subsequent invite to the NBA Draft Combine, Duane Washington Jr. announced last month that he intended to keep his name in the NBA Draft. The three-year Buckeye star entered this summer already on a high note as he enjoyed his best season in the Scarlet & Gray in 2020-21. He led the team in scoring at 16.4 ppg and was named a third team All-Big Ten honoree.
Washington Jr. hit the 1,000-point mark in March of this past year and his 185-career three-pointers made are good enough for No. 4 all-time in Ohio State history. He ends his career with a streak of 34-consecutive games with at least one three-pointer, that included every game last year. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native capped the season by setting a Big Ten Tournament record with 92 points over the four games, including a career high 32 points in title game vs. Illinois.
Washington Jr.’s Career Numbers
G Min FG FGA FG% 3FG 3FGA 3FG% FT FTA FT% OR DR TR PF A TO B S PTS Ave.
94 2292 370 931 0.397 185 512 0.361 148 185 0.8 20 249 269 127 167 141 3 34 1073 11.4
Buckeyes in the NBA Draft
- Ohio State has had 53 players drafted since the start of the draft in 1947
- 24 Buckeyes have been drafted in the first round
- D’Angelo Russell is the most recent Buckeye selected in the draft’s first round as he was taken with the No. 2 pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015.
- Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook were all taken in the first round during the 2007 NBA Draft with Oden going No. 1 (Portland), Conley No. 4 (Memphis) and Cook No. 21 (Philadelphia).
- Jared Sullinger went to the Boston Celtics with the 21st pick in 2012 first round.
- Evan Turner (2010, Philadelphia), B.J. Mullens (2009, Dallas then traded to Oklahoma City) and Kosta Koufos (2008, Utah) also are recent opening round Ohio State selections.
