Draft Profile: Sam Dekker

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By Taylor C. Snow

Sam Dekker dazzled during Wisconsin’s run to the NCAA Championship game and was named the West Region’s Most Outstanding Player. He averaged 19.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during the tournament, and combined for 50 points during the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 rounds.

Sam Dekker might be the most diverse offensive player we’ve profiled thus far. Standing in at 6-foot-9 in sneakers, he has elite size for a small forward. He also possesses elite athleticism, as he displayed to the world at the NBA Draft Combine. Dekker can pretty much do it all on offense. He’s fully capable of posting up, he can handle the ball on the perimeter, he can create his own shot, he can shoot it from long distance, and he can blow past defenders. He’s got a great step-back. I love that he’s quick and decisive with his moves, and he does so without predetermining his plan of attack. He’s excellent at shooting the ball off of the dribble to either direction. He was very inconsistent with his deep ball the past two seasons, but I can’t question his stroke. I really think he’s going to become a legit 3-point shooter in the NBA. I also love the way he finishes around the basket, particularly when teammates find him off of a cut. He has phenomenal hands and turns a pass into a shot at the rim like a middle infielder turns a double-play. He’s very intelligent, and I feel like he’s always playing at a faster speed than his opponents at the offensive end. He's invested in attacking the glass and is not afraid to bang around under the basket. Defensively, he’s strong, willing and agile. He answered a lot of defensive concerns with his physical tests at the Combine. We now know that he has the physical tools to defend both perimeter players and bigger forwards. He also has the instincts. A coaching staff will just need to hone his techniques. Dekker can bring a lot to the table and after his clutch performances during the NCAA tournament, I think it was a no-brainer for him to enter this year’s Draft.

By Taylor C. Snow

Dekker was born May 6, 1994 in Sheboygan, Wis. to Todd and Carol Dekker. His father coached him at Sheboygan Lutheran High School where the duo won the first WIAA state title in program history. That year, Dekker averaged a state-high 35.2 points per game and was named Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year and the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches’ Association’s Mr. Basketball. During the 2012 state title game, he knocked down 40 points, including the winning 3-pointer with two seconds remaining. He finished his high school career as the fourth-highest scorer in state history (2,629 points). Dekker played a significant role off the bench during his freshman season at Wisconsin, averaging 9.6 points and 3.4 rebounds. Over the last two campaigns, he started all 78 of the Badgers’ games. This past season, as a junior, he ranked second on the team in scoring (13.9 points per game), behind National Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky. He saved his best stuff for the NCAA Tournament, as the Badgers rolled all the way to the championship game. During the six-game tourney run, Dekker averaged 19.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, earning the West Region’s Most Outstanding Player award. He tallied a career-high 23 points during the Sweet 16 against North Carolina; he then surpassed that with a 27-point effort during the next round against Arizona. Dekker declared for the NBA Draft on April 10.