Wisconsin junior Sam Dekker was a strong NBA prospect before the NCAA tournament.
But his play in leading Wisconsin to the championship game – despite a clunker in the final against Duke – shined an even brighter light on skills.
Now, it’s time to capitalize.
Jeff Goodman of ESPN:
Wisconsin junior forward Sam Dekker told ESPN he is heading to the NBA.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 10, 2015
Dekker, a 6-foot-9 forward, has excellent size and good athleticism for his position.
He has a reputation as an elite outside shooter, something bolstered during Wisconsin’s tournament run. But he shot just 33 percent on 3-pointers this year and last, down from 39 percent as a freshman.
His real skill is using his strong ball-handling and excellent movement to find and make shots all over the court – without turning the ball over. He made 64 percent of his 2-pointers last season.
Dekker can guard multiple positions, a real asset in a league that is more frequently switching on pick-and-rolls.
Offensively, his aggressiveness can fluctuate, and he doesn’t get to the free-throw line much.
But the positives outweigh the negatives, and Dekker should go in the middle of the first round – maybe even in the lottery.