2023 NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Gradey Dick a playmaking shooter who could benefit the Wizards

2023 NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Gradey Dick a playmaking shooter who could benefit the Wizards originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

When the No. 8 pick comes around the Wizards might look to take the best available player and not necessarily the player who they are looking to fill their biggest gaps. The Wizards would tremendously benefit from another guy like Dick who can create offense and push the pace up the floor.

Here is the latest player in our series of draft prospects who could end up falling to the Wizards and hear their name being called with the No. 8 overall pick.

2023 NBA Draft Wizards Prospect Profile: Gradey Dick

Team: Kansas Jayhawks

Position:  Shooting guard

Age: 19

Height: 6’8

Weight: 205

Wingspan: 6-8

2022/23 stats: 36 G, 14.1 ppg, 1.7 apg, 5.1 rpg, 1.4 spg, 0.3 bpg, 44.2 FG% (4.8/10.9), 40.3 3PT% (2.3/5.7), 85.4 FT% (2.1/2.5)

Player comparison: Gordan Hayward, Tyler Herro

Projections: NBC Sports Washington 12^th, Ringer 11th, Athletic 11th, ESPN 9th, NBADraft.net 9th, Bleacher Report 9th

5 things to know:

1. What makes Dick special is his high-level shooting talent. The 6’8 shooting guard is at his best in catch-and-shoot opportunities. He can also adapt to what the defense is giving him and not be afraid to put the ball on the floor. He can handle the ball but he’s not someone who’s going to hit his defender with a crossover step-back three. He is very effective at using a screen, taking one to two dribbles, and letting it fly. His game is similar to a player like Gordan Hayward, who will force the defender to respect his range but can also use his speed to get right to the rim.

2. Dick often stands out on the offensive end thanks to his feel for scoring the basketball. He's known for his shooting ability but what cannot be overlooked is how he can finish at the rim. When defenders try to run him off the line, he can drive the closeout to get a paint touch. Sometimes his finishes seem a bit acrobatic, but routinely finds a way to draw contact and finish with a layup or a loud dunk. When you watch Dick on the court, you’ll see that he never stops moving, unless spotting up for an open 3-pointer. This at times leaves the defense lost since he can come off a screen to knock down shots or simply continue to move until he creates opportunities for himself or his teammates.

3. What will make Dick stand out in the NBA is his ability to get involved on both ends of the floor. Due to his size and speed, Dick can be put on pretty much anyone on the floor aside from the center spot. Dick does a nice job of reading the defense and creating steals, which leads to easy transition points. His height will come in handy when crashing the boards but is used well on the perimeter, due to his ability to use his speed and leak down the floor.

4. Dick's playmaking ability gives him offensive versatility as well. What makes a scorer so threatening is not just their ability to shoot the three and take the ball to the rim, but how they can draw the double team and find the open man. Dick might have a scorer’s mentality at first but his ability to make plays for his teammates is strong. He might not be a high-level passer but his willingness to pass and ability to see the floor will be important to reaching his potential in the NBA.

5. Dick was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. He played high school basketball at Wichita Collegiate School and was named the 2021-22 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. One of the nation’s most elite basketball players, Dick sure enough had his choice of several with Division I offers (Alabama, Baylor, Purdue). Ultimately, Dick decided to stay in his hometown and committed to play for the Jayhawks. The accolades piled up for Dick after his one year as a Jayhawk. The Freshman helped Kansas win the Big 12 regular season title, earned First Team All-Big 12 honors, earned conference All-Freshman honors, and was named one of the Wooden Award Midseason Players.

Fit with the Wizards:

If the Wizards add Gradey Dick in the draft, they'd be getting an offensive threat who can use his speed to meet any player at the rim, as well as the ability to leak to the corner for a knockdown three. In addition to Corey Kispert, the Wizards would benefit from having an additional knockdown shooter. Having Kispert in one corner and Dick in the other would provide many drive and kick options for the Wizards guards, which would help improve their three-point percentage from last season (35.6%).

When you look at the Wizards' offensive efficiency from the 2022-23 season, you’ll see they were a solid shooting team, but nothing to write home about. They finished 21^st in the league in points per game, 13^th in the entire league in effective field goal percentage (55%), and finished in the top 10 (8^th) in two-point percentage (48.5%).

A scoring category they really struggled and lacked consistency in on a nightly basis was 3-point shooting. The Wizards ranked 18^th in the NBA (35.6%), about at the league average, but not good enough where the team saw many games slip away thanks to inconsistent shooting from beyond the arc. The addition of a sharpshooter like Dick could improve those numbers for the 2023-24 season.

Unless you have a Top 5 pick, it’s hard to predict if you’re going to be drafting a potential superstar or not. For some teams, their superstar might be sitting at No. 41 overall in the second round during a Taco Bell commercial.

While Dick doesn’t seem to have superstar potential, that doesn’t mean he doesn't have a chance to get there. A lot of what the NBA Draft entails is taking risks and taking chances on a player, without knowing if they will live up to their potential or not. Coming out of an elite basketball program in Kansas and with the skill and upside Dick has, he very well could be worth taking a chance on at No. 8