Iowa PG could be late bloomer
This spring, point guard is emerging as a major position of need for college programs. As programs have scrambled to find players, new names like Wesley Washpun have emerged.
A 6-foot-1 point guard at Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Washington, Washpun has been steadily climbing. He didn't play varsity until his junior year and started to show signs of being a prospect.
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This year, as a senior, he's started to bust out.
"He averaged like 18 a game and was second in their conference in blocks to Wisconsin signee Jarrod Uthoff and he's a 6-foot-1 point guard," said Jamie Johnson, Washpun's summer coach with the Iowa Barnstormers. "He's really athletic, he's got long arms, really big hands and he's versatile."
In addition to being a bit of a late bloomer, Washpun also had to get on track in the classroom. While he wasn't a bad student, he did coast his first few years and found out during the summer that it could end up hurting him.
"I think this past summer when schools started calling and checking out on him his grades put him on the back burner to kids that were similar to him," said Johnson while noting that Washpun is now a full qualifier. "I think that made him work harder and he's really put his nose to the grindstone."
So far, Missouri State, South Dakota State and North Dakota State have made offers. Iowa, Kansas State, Boston College, Clemson and several other programs in the Missouri Valley, Conference USA and the Horizon League have showed varying levels of interest.
"His athleticism is off the charts," said Johnson. "He's just so bouncy, it's like he's made out of that silly putty that bounces all over the place. With more repetitions and practice, his best basketball is ahead of him."
Although he's not a bad shooter, Washpun is more of a set shooter from deep and is currently more effective on drives and pull-ups. But, he's got room for growth.
"I think that he can be a dynamic defender and can get to the hole whenever he wants," said Johnson. "Once he gets the other parts down, I don't know how you can guard the kid."
To date, Washpun has only taken one official visit and he liked what he saw out of Cuonzo Martin's Missouri State Bears.
"He loved it, he and Cuonzo Martin have a lot of similar traits," said Johnson. "They need somebody who can come in and play now and he's their guy."
Next week, Washpun will likely visit North Dakota State but he's still open and wants to explore his options. In particular, he's keeping and eye on the coaching carousel to see where guys end up and hopes to make a decision in the next month or so.
"He wants to explore options," said Johnson. "I think in the next month it will all settle down and he'll end up somewhere. If there's somebody out there who needs a point guard, maybe not next year even, but somewhere down the road, I think he's going to end up surprising people."