:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/40457268/20140929_pjc_sb4_299.JPG.0.jpg)
David Stockton will work his way into the NBA the hard way after he signed with the Washington Wizards on Monday.
Stockton was one of six players signed to the Wizards in time for the start of training camp. He will be competing against Marquette alum Vander Blue and Northern Illinois guard Xavier Silas.
Of course, being on the squad at the start of training camp is only a good thing for Stockton, but it also means he will have a lot to compete for to make the team. The Wizards will make cuts before the season starts to get to the 15-man roster, and Stockton will have plenty of competition.
More from our team sites
More from our team sites
In all honestly, it would be surprising to see Stockton make the cut on the Wizards' roster. Washington has one of the best young point guards in the league in John Wall, and Wall is backed by Andre Miller, a 15-year veteran of the NBA. Still, if the dream is to make it onto a NBA roster, hopping on with a team -- any team -- before the season starts is a solid first step.
Stockton finished with career-highs of 7.4 points and 4.2 assists per game. As us Gonzaga watchers know, he is a tenacious defender with quick hands and a harassing mentality. If Stockton is to make a NBA squad, he will have to prove that his harassing defense means he won't get bossed around. Standing at 5'11 and weighing in at 165 pounds, Stockton gives up a few inches and quite a few pounds on almost every other NBA guard in the game. It's a shortcoming he can't get over. If Stockton learns how to hide it enough it might be the difference between a career in Europe or the D-League and realizing the dream in the NBA.