Draft Prospect Highlights: Gradey Dick
Overview
Gradey Dick spent his lone collegiate season at Kansas, where he averaged 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game en route to Second Team All-Big 12 honors. A consensus five-star recruit out of high school, Dick was named a McDonald’s All-American, as well as the Gatorade National Player of the Year for 2021-22. Dick started all 36 of his appearances at Kansas, reaching double-figures 24 times and scoring at least 20 points on seven occasions. In a win over Oklahoma State on Feb. 14, Dick went for a season-high 26 points with four 3-pointers. Earlier in the season, during a Nov. 23 victory over North Carolina State, Dick drained a season-high six 3-pointers on his way to a 25-point night. On the year, Dick shot 44.2% from the field, 40.3% from deep and 85.4% at the free-throw line.
Analysis
At 6-foot-8, Dick has prototypical size for an NBA wing, and he projects to slide between shooting guard and small forward at the next level. Outside shooting projects to be his biggest asset, but Dick is far more than just a three-point specialist. Dick drained nearly 49% of his two-point attempts at Kansas and worked his way to the free-throw line 3.0 times per 40 minutes. He also boasts above-average length and athleticism for his size and competes extremely hard with tangible passion on both ends of the floor.
Projection
Viewed as a mid-to-late-lottery prospect, Dick figures to have a great chance to be a key contributor right away in Year 1. Landing spot will ultimately determine his immediate upside, but Dick has the size, smarts and skillset to be a rotation player as a rookie. If he were to land with a rebuilding team, he could easily compete for a starting spot at two-guard or small forward. In terms of an NBA comparison, Dick displays shades of Gordon Hayward, Bojan Bogdanovic and Saddiq Bey. Tyler Herro also comes to mind, as Dick displays similar confidence and shot-making ability, though he’s bigger than Herro and not quite as shifty.
— Profile by RotoWire