WASHINGTON COULD BE A STEAL

Pick after pick passed with Kentucky guard TyTy Washington Jr. still patiently waiting to hear his name called.

Plenty of mock drafts featured Houston selecting Washington with its 17th pick. Then the Rockets chose Eason and dealt away their 26th pick to Minnesota. After Washington’s name still lingered with Houston picking at No. 29, the two felt like a union bound to happen.

Now that he’s a Rocket, here's a look at Washington’s key strengths and weaknesses:

STRENGTH: MIDRANGE SHOTMAKING

Since high school, Washington has had a nasty pull-up jumper in his bag. One or two dribbles is all he needs. The 6-3 guard hardly wastes time or movement beating a defender to his sweet spot. He drifts midair with great balance, and it’s a shot he’ll likely be comfortable with in the NBA.

When he’s not shooting his pull-up, he can bring out his floater, which some call the best in this draft class. He shot 57.1 percent on floaters for the Wildcats this past season — a wildly efficient mark. After attacking closeouts right off the catch in similar fashion to his moving jumper, Washington got his floater off in a multitude of ways; off one foot, two feet, through contact. And it leaked into his pick-and-roll success.

WEAKNESS: GETTING TO THE RIM

Floaters and pull-up midrange jumpers worked just fine for Washington as he averaged 12.5 points last season. But when they weren’t falling, Washington rarely found his way to the rim. Instead, he often continued to settle for the shots he’s accustomed to.

Washington doesn’t have the burst of a Jaden Ivey. His first step isn’t exceptional. Time will tell whether he eventually becomes comfortable or strong enough to consistently work his way to the rim.