Tap here to get an in-depth look at the top prospects in this year's draft class leading up to the NBA draft, which takes place on June 25 in Brooklyn.
Sam Dekker stands as an experiment in how high an insane dose of NCAA tournament swagger can take someone on draft boards.
The Wisconsin forward has been the same player for two seasons now, though that mattered little come March, when he led the Badgers to the national championship game and gained a number of fans in the process. Scouts will look at the larger picture, but when workouts figure in they may find they previously underrated Dekker, who opened the season as a bubble first-rounder and now finds himself on the fringes of the lottery.
Relevant Background
| Position | DraftExpress Rank | ESPN Rank | Height w/ Shoes | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | 16 | 15 | 6' 9" | 219 |
| Wingspan | Standing Reach | Max Vertical (in.) | Hand Length (in.) | Body Fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6' 11.5" | 8' 10" | 34.5 | 8.5 | 7.5% |
| NCAA Stats | PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 13.9 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 52.5% | 33.1% |
| 2013-14 | 12.4 | 6.1 | 1.4 | 46.9% | 32.6% |
| 2012-13 | 9.6 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 47.8% | 39.1% |
Scouting Report
Strengths: Attitude and demeanor may be intangible, but that doesn't mean they're not easily identifiable. Watching Dekker play is a blast, because he's a terrific athlete who has his foot on the gas constantly and plays with a palpable toughness. He's also an adept ball-handler from the wing with the ability to score in a variety of ways, and his frame and intangibles should allow him to at least prove serviceable on the defensive end.
Weaknesses: It's somewhat odd to see confidence as a potential issue for a player who seems to exhibit as little fear as Dekker does. That's the knock, though, as Dekker struggled to draw fouls and at times shied away from being assertive in the Badgers' offense. An NBA team will want him to make the most of what will likely be a limited number of offensive opportunities, and he'll need to get more aggressive in that regard, especially if his inconsistent 3-point stroke doesn't settle in to a respectable mark as most believe it will.
Highlight Reel
What to Expect on Draft Day
Unlike some other wings in his tier, it seems unlikely Dekker could make a late rise closer to draft day. His upside appears somewhat limited compared to a Stanley Johnson or Kelly Oubre, and teams aren't generally drafting with a high floor in mind in the first half-dozen picks of the draft. While the Miami Heat represent a realistic landing spot at No. 10, it wouldn't be all that surprising to see him slide as far as No. 19, either.
