Dylan Windler

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Dylan Windler Toughs It Out Beneath the Basket

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Cavaliers Bolster Backcourt, Tab Garland and Windler in 2019 Draft

by Joe Gabriele (@CavsJoeG)
		6/20/19 | Cavs.com

Darius Garland didn’t bring a big body of work in the NBA Draft process. But the Wine &amp; Gold brain-trust saw all they needed to see to make him the 5th overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft.

The lithe point guard from Vanderbilt, who played just five collegiate contests, has arguably the purest shooting stroke in his class and will pair with Cleveland’s top pick from last June – Collin Sexton – to form what could be the most dynamic young scoring backcourts in the Conference.

“We were fortunate that there was a substantial amount of data with (Garland) in terms of games played – whether that be high school, EYBL, the Hoop Summit, high school all-star games – and we got to watch every single minute he played in college,” said Cavs GM Koby Altman. “He's just a dynamic talent who knows how to play the game.”

”I think what makes this decision a lot easier is because of our head coach – he loves to play the two guard lineups, he calls it a two-guard front, where you have playmakers on both sides.”

As a prep athlete, Garland was a four-time state champion at Brentwood Academy, earning Tennessee Mr. Basketball in each of his last three seasons. He grew two-and-a-half inches from his sophomore to his junior season and, after averaging 28.6 ppg on 60 percent shooting from the floor as a senior, was ranked by 247Sports as the best point guard of his 2018 class.

After his prolific high school run, the son of Winston Garland – who played seven NBA seasons with the Warriors, Clippers, Nuggets, Rockets and T-Wolves – could have attended the college of his choice. But as a youngster growing up in Indiana, Garland attended basketball camps conducted by Bryce Drew at Valparaiso – and eventually followed Drew to Vanderbilt when he was named head coach.

After punctuating his prep career with 11 assists in the McDonald’s All-Star Game, Garland enrolled at Vandy as the top recruit in school history.

Garland got off to a scorching start in Nashville, pacing all scorers with 24 points in a win over Winthrop in his college debut and setting the Vanderbilt freshman single-game scoring mark two games later – pouring in 33 points in a win over Liberty.

Darius Garland poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the fifth overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
					Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

But that would prove to be the final full game of his college career – injuring his left meniscus against Kent State that sidelined him for the season and marked the beginning of his preparation for the 2019 Draft.

”Is it ideal that (Garland) only played five games?” reasoned Altman. “No, but it doesn't diminish his talent level, and he's healthy and we're excited to bring in the town.”

He didn’t have a long college career, but he made an impression – averaging 16.2 points and 2.6 assists per contest, shooting 48 percent (11-for-23) from beyond the arc. He’s a master at changing speeds and might have the best handle among anyone in the incoming class.

Garland may not be the explosive, above-the-rim athlete that Ja Morant (who went No. 2 overall) is or an end-to-end speedster like Coby White (taken by the Bulls two picks after Cleveland), but Garland might be more complete than both.

It might have been a West Coast workout for the Cavs staff and front office that pushed Garland over the top – and convinced Cleveland a two-point-guard system might work.

”We brought a huge contingent out to L.A., and in our head we started to become fascinated with that idea,” said Altman. “And when we saw him workout and saw him take 30-footers and just flip them like it was nothing, it was almost like: ‘OK, how could this work out? And so we got started to get fascinated with the idea.”

After snagging their man at No. 5, the Wine &amp; Gold utilized their second first-rounder – No. 26, obtained from Houston at last season’s deadline – on Belmont swingman, Dylan Windler.

And while the college hoops world barely got to know Darius Garland, there wasn’t much Windler could do to prove himself.

Playing his ball just down the street from Vanderbilt, Windler was one of only three Division I players last season to average at least 20.0 points and 10.0 boards per game – piling 18 double-doubles along the way. He ranked third in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring and was its top rebounder.

The Indianapolis native canned 100 triples as a senior on 43 percent shooting. He saved some of his best performances for the toughest competition – leading Belmont to wins over UCLA, Georgia and Vanderbilt.

Windler – who turns 23 in September – guided the Bruins to their first NCAA Tournament appearance and tallied 35 points and 11 boards in a win over Maryland when they got here.

“With Dylan – if you had to check a bunch of boxes that fit Coach Beilein’s system, he fits them all,” said Altman. “But he's tall and he also rebounds. He can make plays off the bounce and he's a lefty, so it sort of gives you unorthodox look. And he truly succeeds with great shooters.

”So when we were sitting at 26, (we wondered): ‘Who's the best shooter in the Draft? He also came in to visit and so we got to see a lot of different things from him.”

The Wine &amp; Gold continue to build their young roster and getting a pair of talented shooters – one with scant experience, one a seasoned collegian – on Draft night expedites the process.

Coach Beilein has already begun shaping the team his way, and in early July, Cleveland’s young guns will head west – to Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, respectively – to take the new squad out for a spin.

straight-to-the-point

Straight to the Point

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Cavaliers selected guard Darius Garland from Vanderbilt University with the fifth overall pick and guard/forward Dylan Windler from Belmont with the 26th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Garland (6-2, 175) played one year collegiately at Vanderbilt in 2018-19, appearing in five games (all starts) and averaging 16.2 points on .750 shooting, including a .478 clip from three-point range, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 27.8 minutes per game before sustaining a season-ending left knee injury against Kent State on Nov. 23. He scored 24 points in Vanderbilt’s season opener against Winthrop, the third-most points by an SEC freshman in his debut in the last 10 seasons. Garland was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Nov. 12 after combining for 43 points through his first two collegiate performances. He was a 2017-18 Naismith High School Player of the Year semifinalist and McDonald’s and Jordan Brand All-American while at Brentwood Academy in Brentwood, Tennessee, winning a record-tying four state championships and becoming the second player in Tennessee history to win three consecutive Mr. Basketball awards (Brandan Wright). Garland’s father, Winston, played seven seasons in the NBA with Golden State, the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver, Houston and Minnesota.

Windler (6-8, 200) played four years collegiately at Belmont University, averaging 13.2 points on .541 shooting, 7.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 29.4 minutes per game over 128 career games (97 starts). As a senior in 2018-19, he appeared in 33 games (all starts) and averaged 21.3 points (third in Ohio Valley Conference) on .540 shooting, 10.8 rebounds (first in OVC, 10th in Division I), 2.6 assists and 1.42 steals in 33.2 minutes per game. Also last season, Windler recorded 18 double-doubles (tied-13th in NCAA), was an All-OVC First Team selection and was named to the 2018-19 All-District Team by the United States Basketball Writers Association and National Association of Basketball Coaches. He helped Belmont to its first NCAA Tournament win in school history with a First Four victory over Temple on March 19, and posted 35 points and 11 rebounds against Maryland in the first round on March 21. Windler, who was a part of three conference championships during his time as a Bruin, is one of four players in OVC history to record 1,600 career points and 1,000 rebounds dating back to 1971.

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Cavs Select Darius Garland, Dylan Windler in 2019 NBA Draft

Cavs Select Dylan Windler with the 26th Pick

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clejgabriele

Some Names That Might Be Available
When Cleveland Goes Back on the Clock

by Joe Gabriele (@CavsJoeG)
		6/17/19 | Cavs.com

The Cavaliers are hoping to get a true difference-maker when they make their top pick – No. 5 overall – on Thursday night in Brooklyn. But Cleveland also intends to bolster its young roster with the No. 26 overall pick, acquired from Houston in a three-team Deadline deal last year.

We’d love to write that several stars have emerged from the 26th pick, but that’d be inaccurate. There have been, however, some rock-solid pros that have been selected at that spot – including Taj Gibson (2009), Vlade Divac (1989), Jerome Williams - the Junkyard Dog (1996), Andre Roberson (2013), Zanesville’s own Kevin Martin (2004) and just last season, All-Rookie Second Teamer, Landry Shamet.

The Wine &amp; Gold have had the No. 26 pick three times in their history, including the team’s first year of existence – tabbing Ohio State’s Dave Sorenson (1970), OSU’s Allan Hornyak (1973) and Notre Dame’s Bruce Flowers (1979) with those selections.

Anything can happen on Draft Night – especially one that’s already been shaken up by a major trade at the top.

So whoever climbs or tumbles to 26 on Thursday is anyone’s guess. But here are a few names that just might be called when the Cavaliers choose this year’s second First Round pick …

Left to Right: Ty Jerome, Brandon Clarke, Goga Bitadze, Cameron Johnson, Dylan Windler
Photo by David Dow via NBAE/Getty Images

GOGA BITADZE – 6-11, 250 – Born: July 20, 1999 – (Sagarejo, Georgia) – Team: Mega Bemax – In an era in which the plodding, back-down center is an NBA dinosaur, Goga is what current franchises covet – a big man who can rebound, run the floor, block a shot or two and can hit the three-pointer. Bitadze is all those things.

Drawing comparisons to Portland’s Jusuf Nurkic, Goga is a 6-11 center who plays with passion – according to scouts, maybe too much at times – and has been playing against Europe’s big boys since he was 16. He’s extremely mobile for his size, has a varied offensive arsenal and is an above average shot-blocker and rebounder.

The big question for Bitadze is whether or not his game will translate to the NBA? It’s likely he’ll struggle against more athletic competition, but you can’t teach a high motor and instinctive offense. And in a pair of games against American talent – Kentucky and Michigan – he played very well, including a 16-point, 10-board performance vs. the Wolverines in an exhibition last August.

BRANDON CLARKE - 6-8, 210 – Born: September 9, 1996 – (Phoenix, AZ) – School: Gonzaga – Any player with the individual and team resume that Brandon Clarke has posted should be a sure Lottery pick – and the San Jose State transfer still might be. But if he slips to where the Wine &amp; Gold can get their hands on him, the reason will be based solely on his size.

Clarke – who, along with Washington’s Matisse Thybulle and Virginia’s De'Andre Hunter – is easily one of the best defenders in this year’s class. In fact, he led the NCAA in defensive rating last season, when he averaged over three blocks per contest while measuring in at just 6-8.

Clarke might not be a 20.0 ppg scorer at the next level, but he guarded four positions in college and can likely do the same in the Association. That’s not to say he’s not efficient on the offensive end – finishing last season averaging 16.9 points and 8.6 boards per while shooting a jaw-dropping 69 percent from the floor. And he’s one of the toughest, most hard-nosed players in the Draft.

Clarke posted poor measurables at the Combine, for what that’s worth. But like many players on this list, teams will have to look past some warts to see how a player can contribute at the next level. And there have been plenty of undersized big men who’ve navigated long NBA careers.

TY JEROME – 6-5, 195 – Born: July 8, 1997 – (New Rochelle, NY) – School: Virginia – Is it possible the Cavaliers could wrap up Thursday’s first round with two more Cavaliers? Several mock drafts have the Wine &amp; Gold tabbing De'Andre Hunter with their top pick at No. 5. Could they take Hunter’s point man at No. 26?

If you watched Virginia’s title run last year, you saw a point guard with the “it” factor – a confident combo-guard with built-in toughness who learned the game on the playgrounds of New York City. Jerome – who started 71 games in back-to-back 30-win seasons – is a proven winner, having led the ‘Hoos to the 2019 title. He averaged 13.6 ppg as a senior, 5.4 apg over his last two years in Charlottesville.

Jerome brings more than intangibles to the party. He shot just under 40 percent from long-range over his college career and has the size, IQ and tenacity to play both backcourt positions at the next level. He’s an outstanding ballhandler and decision maker, posting an excellent assist-to-turnover ratio. On the other end, he was a lockdown defender throughout his career at Virginia.

The knock on Jerome is his overall lack of athleticism. He’s not an explosive, above-the-rim type player and will struggle against those type of guys in the league. But he succeeded at the highest level in college without those qualities, and the ones he has – toughness, intelligence, consistency – usually translate well anywhere.

CAMERON JOHNSON - 6-8, 205 – Born: March 3, 1996 – (Moon Township, PA) – School: North Carolina – Teams focus far less on “upside” in the late first round, but teams focus on “shooting” at any stage of the first round. And this year’s marksmen don’t get any better than North Carolina senior, Cameron Johnson – who shot 46 percent from deep in his senior season at Chapel Hill and 41 percent for his college career.

The “upside” problem comes with the fact that he’ll turn 24 in early March and is viewed as just an average athlete by NBA standards. By the same token, the former ACC All-First Team performer – who kept top-5 recruit (and probable Lottery pick) Nassir Little, out of the starting lineup all year – can step right in and contribute as a rookie.

Johnson has limitless range and a pure shooting stroke. He improved his midrange game over the course of his college career, is an outstanding free throw shooter and had his biggest games under the brightest lights against the toughest competition.

Teams won’t go into Thursday’s Draft wondering what Johnson will become. They know what he is. And based on that knowledge, he’ll be off the board before Mark Tatum takes the stage.

DYLAN WINDLER – 6-7, 195 – Born: September 22, 1996 – (Indianapolis, IN) – School: Belmont – Another older prospect who put himself on the Draft map with a monster senior season at Belmont. The lefty two-guard led the Bruins to their first Tourney appearance and victory this season as one of only three players in Division I to average at least 20.0 points and 10.0 boards this past season.

Windler turns 23 in September and, as is the knock with most players his age, doesn’t look to have a big upside. But how much more can he do – canning 100 triples as a senior, shooting 43 percent from deep on 7.1 attempts per game. And his senior campaign wasn’t an anomaly; he shot 43 percent from beyond the arc as a junior, 40 percent as a sophomore.

He’ll need to hit the weights at the next level to improve on his thin frame, but Windler is a tremendous multi-sport athlete with very good measurables; he’s a legit 6-8 with a 6-11 wingspan. He’s an aggressive player – both in looking for his shot, but also on the glass and the defensive end.

Like any senior that’s drafted – it’s a lot of ‘what-you-see-it-what-you-get.’ If a great college player is out of his depth at the NBA level, it’s apparent almost immediately. But limitless three-point range, a high-motor and wiry athleticism are qualities that usually transcend everything else. Will that be the case for Windler?

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Possibilities for the 26th Pick

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