3 college basketball players to keep an eye on for the OKC Thunder
By Rylan Stiles
Gradey Dick can be a fantastic sharpshooter to add to the OKC Thunder in the 2023 NBA Draft
That College Basketball world was introduced to Gradey Dick pretty early on in the season. When the Kansas Jayhawks faced off with the Duke Blue Devils in game three of the season.
Gradey Dick put on a show, nailing five triples on seven attempts on his way to 14 points and a steal defensively. This followed up on his season opener against Omaha where he had 23 points, two steals, and nailed five triples as well.
Through ten games, Gradey Dick has already seen 27 three-point shots fall on 58 percent for a jaw-dropping 46 percent from downtown. That three-point shot has netted two 20-point games already and seven games of 14 or more points through the first ten contests.
Gradey Dick would be perfect in OKC. Spot up 1.324 PPP in the 90th percentile on synergy, 1.444 PPP in transition (89th percentile), shoots 46.5% on catch and shoot, 69th percentile at rim, shooting 46% on long 3's. I remember the last time OKC drafted a Jayhawk that wore 4. pic.twitter.com/wFFaHCRfD5
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) November 29, 2022
Synergy grades Gradey Dick out as an “excellent” offensive player averaging 1.181 points per possession in the 95th percentile in all college hoops. Defensively, synergy grades Dick out as average which given his 6’8 frame is a good baseline for his NBA future once he gets into an NBA gym with NBA coaching he can expand his game defensively.
The big tool for Gradey Dick is the three-point shooting Oklahoma City desperately needs. You can see how much better Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey are when you add shooters, like Isaiah Joe, around them this year. Next season, there is a shot you are adding two 40-plus three-point shooters from college to the fold in Chet Holmgren and Gradey Dick. That could do wonders for OKC’s offense and star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
NBA Draft Range: 8-15