Wizards’ pre-draft exercises embrace Eric Ayala, Darryl Morsell

The NBA’s pre-draft gantlet is a weeks-long course of by which groups host everybody from potential lottery picks to these destined to forge a profession abroad. It flings NBA hopefuls back and forth throughout the nation within the lead-up to the draft, set for June 23.

The Wizards began small this yr.

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Their first recognized exercise of the offseason featured six gamers with ties to the world, with George Mason’s D’Shawn Schwartz, Richmond’s Grant Golden, Utah State’s Brandon Horvath and Florida’s Anthony Duruji becoming a member of Ayala and Morsell, who completed his faculty profession at Marquette. Horvath is a local of West River, and Duruji is from Germantown.

On Thursday, the group will broaden its horizons and host potential lottery choose Johnny Davis for a person exercise.

The Wizards personal two picks: No. 10, the place Davis may fall, and No. 54, acquired in a trade-deadline take care of Dallas.

Davis, a 20-year-old guard out of Wisconsin — whom NBA followers might acknowledge because the younger buck who opts to go to Taco Bell over getting drafted in a business airing throughout the playoffs — would verify off many packing containers for the Wizards as they give the impression of being to bolster their backcourt. Maturity, the power to play off the ball and strong defensive consciousness can be welcome qualities in Washington.

Wednesday had extra of a laid-back, acquainted really feel. Morsell and Ayala had time for little greater than a fast greeting and an embrace after they arrived. All of the catching up they did was on the court docket.

“Me and Darryl figuring out, we did that at midnight, 6 within the morning — it didn’t really feel completely different from the issues we’ve already completed earlier than,” Ayala mentioned. “It was enjoyable simply being on the market with somebody that I do know and have been by means of so much with.”

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None of Wednesday’s exercise members had been in ESPN’s newest mock draft, so the opener was about defying expectations.

Ayala, a 6-foot-5 guard, wished to indicate off intangibles similar to competitiveness and a will to win after spending a while this spring taking part in with Atléticos de San German, an expert group in Puerto Rico. There, he took a crash course in being a professional: Present as much as the gymnasium early, eat a nutritious diet, do what you possibly can to assist the group.

“A buddy of mine, he’s bought his personal basis; he’s been educating me simply how he offers again to the group the place he’s from,” mentioned Ayala, who’s Puerto Rican. “That’s been the most important factor that I discovered on the market — now you’re able to assist lots of people.”

Morsell, additionally a 6-5 guard, was targeted on demonstrating his defensive versatility and know-how as a secondary ballhandler. The Wizards had been his fourth or fifth exercise — he couldn’t fairly keep in mind — with the New York Knicks on the docket Thursday, the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday and a West Coast journey set for subsequent week.

Morsell had a leg up in a discombobulating time: He additionally interviewed with Washington on the Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational Match, which is just for faculty seniors. The Baltimore native didn’t develop up a hardcore Wizards fan, however he felt an on the spot connection to the front-office executives he met — together with Antawn Jamison, a former Wizard who’s Washington’s director of professional personnel.

“I grew up watching him play for the Wizards. I’d say out of all my interviews at Portsmouth, it was one of many extra snug ones. These guys made me really feel snug, cracked jokes, stored the temper actual gentle. It was good for certain,” he mentioned.

Morsell isn’t choosy — he would fortunately go well with up for any NBA group prepared to guess on him — however taking part in for the Wizards can be particular.

“Simply the custom on this group, all the good people who have come by means of right here — you see the character and the custom inside the group with numerous former gamers coming again to work for them, numerous employees which were round for a very long time,” he mentioned. “It could undoubtedly imply so much.”