"Gradey Dick: An NBA Draft 2023 Prospect with Elite Shooting and Defensive Skills from Kansas"

2023-05-29 15:32:00

NBA Draft 2023 – An elegant shooter and good defender, Gradey Dick, despite some physical limitations, is an easy player to project in the NBA.

Premier « one-and-done » de Kansas since fallen hope Josh Jackson in 2017, Gradey Dick is a talent capable of becoming the best ex-Jayhawk in the NBA since Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid in 2014.

Highly ranked in his age group when he left high school last year (#21 of the class of 2022), the native of Wichita, Kansas stayed in his native state for his “freshman” season in the ranks of champions NCAA 2022, in which he easily established himself as a major player in Bill Self’s rotation.

Holder in every match and even holder of the third longest playing time in the squad, behind veterans Jalen Wilson and Dajuan Harris Jr, he has indeed easily confirmed his great potential as a shooter, turning at more than 40% success behind arc, with nearly 6 attempts per game! Considered a “one-and-done” before the season, he confirmed all expectations and therefore chose quite logically, after this good “freshman” exercise, to enter his name in the 2023 Draft, in which he seems destined for the “lottery”.

Profile

Then: Fullback / Winger
Size : 2m03
Weight : 93kg
Crew : Kansas Jayhawks
Stats 2022/23 : 14.1 points (40.3% from behind the arc), 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists

Points forts

– A sniper. With the exception of Jordan Hawkins (UConn), no player in this 2023 vintage can claim to be a better shooter than Gradey Dick. With compact and fast mechanics, almost “robotic” like a Klay Thompson for example, the “swingman” from Kansas is an absolute danger behind the arc, particularly in “catch-and-shoot”. An “off-ball” player, he knows how to move intelligently in systems and relocate if necessary to afford open shots in various patterns. In this, his profile as a moving shooter projects very easily into an NBA where the “drive-and-kick” is at the heart of the attack phases.

– An athletically limited, but intelligent defender. Tall but not very explosive, Gradey Dick doesn’t look like much when you observe him in defense. But in reality, he honorably holds his rank in this area, in particular thanks to his good basketball IQ which allows him to fill in physical gaps, in particular a limited lateral speed. According to the website CBB Analytics

, for example, he finished the 2022/23 season in the 95th percentile of the country in interceptions (that is to say, he was more effective in this area than 95% of the players in the country), with his 1.5 catch . In a defense, he knows where to place himself to have an impact, and he shines in particular by his placement on the aids. A reassuring observation, knowing that in the NBA he will inevitably be in more difficulty than in the NCAA with regard to individual defense, because of his somewhat slow support. But overall, Gradey Dick’s defensive projection in the NBA is downright exciting.

Weak points

– What variations, when the shot does not fit? We mentioned it above when discussing his defense: Gradey Dick is sorely lacking in explosiveness. A defect that also hinders him in attack, especially to attack the “close-outs”. Quite capable of landing one or two dribbles to shoot in a “pull-up” at mid-distance, he however lacks the power and therefore the explosiveness to calmly attack the circle. Especially since his dribbling is average for the moment, and does not allow him to create a gap against his defender.

Comparison

A profile at Cam Johnsonor at the Gordon Hayward but less athletic.

Prognosis

In between at 10 please and the end of the lottery. All the teams concerned (Dallas, Orlando, OKC, Toronto and New Orleans) may be interested in his shooter profile.