NBA
PW
#25

P.J. Washington

Forward · Dallas Mavericks · 6-7, 230 lb · Born August 23, 1998 · Louisville, Kentucky · Drafted 2019 Round 1, Pick 12 (Charlotte Hornets)
All-Rookie 20202024 Finalist3-and-D Forward
NBADallas MavericksForwards
Compare:vs Williamsvs Flaggvs Gaffordvs IIvs Thompsonvs Christie
In short

P.J. Washington is a 6-foot-7 Dallas Mavericks forward out of Kentucky, drafted 12th by Charlotte in 2019, who made the 2020 All-Rookie Second Team, was traded to Dallas in 2024, and started every game of the Mavericks' run to the 2024 NBA Finals as a versatile 3-and-D forward.

Matchup model · next gameLow confidenceFri, Nov 13
vsDetroit PistonsAggressive hedge & help
Proj. points
14.1
range 11.4–16.8
Line 14
52%
to go over
Team win
60%
113–111
Poi 14.1 Lean overReb 7 Lean overAss 1.8 Lean underPRA 23 Lean under
Likely on himAusar Thompson· 90 Perimeter DElite stopper
10+ pts91%15+ pts38%

Model lines Washington at 14.1 pts (range 11.4–16.8) vs a 14 line — a lean to clear it (52%).

Biggest edge: venue — home floor — small boost.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Washington
The Washington Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

P.J. Washington answered the biggest moment of the 2024 playoffs with two ice-cold free throws.

A Kentucky standout and 2019 lottery pick, he set an NBA record with seven threes in his Charlotte debut and made the All-Rookie Second Team.

Traded to Dallas in February 2024, he started every one of the Mavericks' 22 playoff games as a switchable 3-and-D forward.

In Game 6 against Oklahoma City he was fouled on a three with 2.5 seconds left, calmly sank the winning free throws, and sent Dallas to the Western Conference Finals — and on to the NBA Finals.

— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
14.2
2025-26
RPG
7
per game
APG
1.8
per game
FG%
.450
.325 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A switchable, floor-spacing combo forward, P.J. Washington grew from a Kentucky star and Charlotte lottery pick into a clutch, Finals-tested starter in Dallas.

Paul Jamaine Washington Jr. was born August 23, 1998 in Louisville, Kentucky. A five-star recruit and 2017 McDonald's All-American, he spent two seasons at Kentucky, earning First-team All-SEC and Third-team All-American honors as a sophomore before entering the 2019 draft.

Charlotte took him 12th overall, and he made an immediate splash — seven three-pointers in his NBA debut, the most ever in a debut, on the way to the 2020 All-Rookie Second Team. He spent nearly five seasons as a Hornets starter.

A February 2024 trade sent him to Dallas, where he started all 22 playoff games during the run to the 2024 Finals, including a decisive Game 6 sequence against Oklahoma City. He signed a four-year extension in 2025.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference.

BEYOND THE GAME

Off the Court

Washington comes from a basketball family — both parents played at Middle Tennessee State — and married Alisah Chanel in October 2023, with whom he has a son. He has another son as well.

His on-court fire has occasionally boiled over into disciplinary matters, including an ejection after an altercation with Russell Westbrook in the 2024 playoffs and a one-game suspension following a December 2024 incident — basketball-related, not legal, matters.

PERSONALITY

The person

Versatile, competitive and clutch, Washington blends 3-and-D reliability with flashes of scoring punch.

Two-Way VersatilityGuards multiple positions and spaces the floor at ~35% from three.
Clutch ComposureDelivered under pressure across Dallas's 2024 Finals run.
Fiery EdgePlays with an intensity that occasionally draws technicals.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Two-Way Combo Forward
Temperament
Steady
Leadership
58/100
Scoring64
Playmaking40
Rebounding67
Perimeter D72
Rim protection48
Spacing58
Athleticism70
Clutch65
a two-way combo forward
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

3-and-D Core

Washington is a switchable combo forward who spaces the floor at roughly 35% from three, rebounds well for his size, and defends multiple positions — an ideal complement to Dallas's stars.

Streaky Scorer

His shooting and scoring can run hot and cold (career ~.448 from the field), and he isn't a primary creator, but he owns two 43-point games and real shot-making upside.

Playoff Riser

The 2024 postseason showed his value climbs in high leverage — composure at the line, defensive versatility, and timely shot-making when Dallas needed it.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-265631.014.27.01.8.450.325

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

DraftNo. 12, 2019 (Charlotte)
All-Rookie2020 Second Team
2024NBA Finals run

Hardware

All-Rookie
2020 Second Team
SEC
All-SEC 1st Team 2019
Finals
2024 (runner-up)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated 2026

A locked-in starting forward on a long-term extension.

Washington signed a four-year extension (reported ~$89M) in September 2025, cementing him as a core Dallas piece through the decade. His two-way versatility and playoff pedigree make him the connective forward around the roster's stars.

Two-Way ValueHigh
Outside ShotSolid
ConsistencyStreaky

Contract

Deal
4 yr / ~$89M Signed Sept 2025
Bottom line

A Finals-tested, switchable 3-and-D forward locked in as a Dallas core piece.

FAQ

Quick answers

Did P.J. Washington win the 2024 NBA title?

No — Dallas reached the 2024 Finals but lost to the Boston Celtics in five games.

How did P.J. Washington get to Dallas?

He was traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Mavericks in February 2024.

What made his NBA debut historic?

He hit seven three-pointers in his debut in October 2019 — the most ever in an NBA debut.

Has P.J. Washington been an All-Star?

No; his top individual honor is the 2020 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.