The Portsmouth Invitational offers the Wizards a scouting opportunity

The event is a showcase for senior college basketball players look to improve their draft status.

Since 1953, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament has showcased many of the best senior college basketball players in the country. Given NBA teams’ reluctance to draft older players, seniors often seem to get overlooked this time of year. Portsmouth will allow 64 seniors to show of their skills in front of the NBA front offices.

The event splits the 64 players into eight teams of eight players. Those teams compete in a 12-game tournament over the course of four days. The event coaches do a good job of giving players relatively even playing time so that they can all be thoroughly evaluated.

Per the Portsmouth website, several Hall of Famers competed in the event in past years. That list includes Rick Barry, Earl Monroe, Dave Cowens, Scottie Pippen, Tim Hardaway, Dennis Rodman, and Jimmy Butler.

Given the Wizards’ new front office’s willingness to use their two-way contracts on older players, I can see them taking real interest in Portsmouth. With that in mind, I will be covering the event in person this year and getting real-time feedback from other evaluators and team personnel.

I’ve listed several of the players I’m most interested in seeing in this format below but if there are players you want more detailed analysis on, just let me know in the comments.

Players to watch

Eric Dixon, 6’7, forward/center, Villanova

Tyler Burton, 6’7, wing, Villanova

Vonterius Woolbright, 6’5, guard/wing/forward, Western Carolina

Jesse Edwards, 6’11, center, West Virginia

Isaiah Crawford, 6’6, wing, Louisiana Tech

Branden Carlson, 7’0, center, Utah

Drew Pember, 6’10, forward, UNC-Asheville

Jamarion Sharp, 7’5, center, Ole Miss

Allen Flanigan, 6’7, wing, Ole Miss

Kenan Blackshear, 6’6, guard/wing, Nevada

Malevy Leons, 6’9, forward, Bradley