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Thunder NBA Draft Prospect Series: D.J. Wilson

By Nick Delahanty

Mar 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward D.J. Wilson (5) celebrates in the closing seconds of the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game at Verizon Center. The Wolverines won 71-56. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward D.J. Wilson (5) celebrates in the closing seconds of the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game at Verizon Center. The Wolverines won 71-56. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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With two years of college eligibility left, it was believed that DJ Wilson would elect to return to Michigan for another season.

As a versatile big man, DJ Wilson has many attributes that will be enticing to perspective NBA teams. However, Wilson’s lack of physicality and unpolished game could ultimately hurt his draft stock.

According to Chad Ford of ESPN, the decision to stay in this year’s draft was likely a good decision for Wilson.

Wilson possesses raw talent, but still has plenty of room to develop. He is currently projected as a late first round/early second round pick, and definitely could be in play for the Thunder.

Specifics: 
Height: 6’10
Weight: 240
Wingspan: 7’3
Position: Power Forward
Age: 21 years, 3 months
Statline: 57th
College: Michigan (redshirt sophomore)
Hometown: Mount Shasta, California, United States

Current Rankings:

Please note, rankings come from versions as of time of writing. However, not all  mock drafts provide second round ranks or updates. Due to this if rankings change after posting it’s likely due to updates and a shift in the rankings.

Chad Ford, ESPN: 28th overall prospect
Draft Express: 29th
NBA DraftNet: 35th
CBS Sports: 57th
Basketball Insiders: 29th
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor: 25th
Hoops Hype: 24th
Jeremy Woo, SI.com, The Crossover: 28th

Skills:

One of Wilson’s strengths is that he has the ability to play like a guard. He has good ball handling skills and has the ability to spread the floor. Known as a very good shooter, Wilson has very good range for his size. He has a smooth release, and is very good at shooting off the dribble.

As a defender, Wilson has the ability to guard virtually anyone on the floor. He has the size and length to defend big men, but also possesses the athleticism and quickness to keep up with smaller and quicker players.

As per Draft Express:

"“It took Wilson some time to grow into his body, but he looked much more comfortable in his 6’10, 234 pound frame as a redshirt sophomore. He is agile and moves his feet well on the perimeter, and with his 7’3 wingspan complementing his size, he has elite physical tools for the type of big men NBA teams are searching for to stretch the floor. Wilson displays versatility and skill as a perimeter threat, and is the type of player that can fit into modern NBA offenses as a power forward or center (particularly as his frame fills out). He has a nice shooting stroke, making 37% of his 3.8 three point attempts per 40 minutes. He is a confident shooter with a projectable stroke to NBA distance, and is able to catch and shoot from spot-up situations or pick and pop in ball screen situations.” –  Source:  ©DraftExpress"

Weaknesses:

One of Wilson’s biggest weaknesses is his lack of physical play. His thin body frame hurts him, as he is not a very good interior defender and also struggles rebounding at times.

Most of Wilson’s scoring comes from the perimeter, as he is not known as an interior scoring threat. He shies away from contact, and will elect to settle for shots rather than attacking the basket. Wilson is not afraid to shoot the ball, and sometimes takes ill-advised shots because of it.

On defense, Wilson must work on staying in position. On many occasions, Wilson isn’t where he is supposed to be on the floor, which usually results with him being completely out of the play. His wingspan and jumping ability could make him a defensive force, but he must work on staying in position and being smart defensively.

Honors and Awards:

College:

  • Michigan’s Rudy Tomjanovich Most Improved Player (2017)
  • Michigan’s Loy Vaught Rebounding Award (2017)

High School:

  • MaxPreps All-NorCal first team
  • California All-State second team
  • Division IV Most Valuable Player (2014)
  • Golden Empire League MVP (2014)

Pro Comparisons: 

For each NBA Draft prospect, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer provides ceiling comparisons for each player. O’Connor lists Tayshaun Prince, Lamar Odom and Perry Jones III as ceiling comparisons for Wilson.

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Due to each their length and ability offensively, you can see why O’Connor compares Wilson to these three players. Thunder fans remember Perry Jones III, as the 2012 first round pick spent his three NBA seasons in Oklahoma City. Prince and Odom both developed into successful NBA players, as they were quality role players that understood what they had to do to help their team win. Both had the ability to score the basketball, but developed their overall games to impact the game in numerous ways.

The Fit:

If the Thunder are looking to develop a big man for the future, Wilson could be an intriguing option for them.

Due to his athleticism and size, Wilson has a high ceiling, and has the potential to turn into a very good NBA player. He has room to develop, but could end up being a nice fit for a young Thunder team that is looking to add a raw talent with a ton of athleticism.

If the Thunder feel they can develop him into a quality NBA big man, taking Wilson is definitely worth the gamble.

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