Toronto Raptors select Gradey Dick in 2023 NBA Draft
Gradey Dick showed out as the latest star freshman to come through Kansas’ program. Now, with his time as a Jayhawk in Lawrence over, the 6’4 sharpshooting wing is officially a pro after the Toronto Raptors selected him with the No. 13 in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Dick averaged 14.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in his lone season under Bill Self. As the team’s second leading scorer, he shot 44.2% from the field and shot 40.3% from distance with a team-high of 83 makes from three in his 36 games.
Overall, his production, which earned him selections on the All-Big 12 Second Team, Big 12 All-Newcomer Team, and Big 12 All-Freshman Team, helped the Jayhawks win 28 games in ’22-’23 and earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
In On3’s Industry Rankings, Dick was a five-star recruit in the 2022 class out of Sunrise Christian as a native of Wichita, Kansas. He finished as the No. 17 prospect overall, a Top-10 SF, and the best player in his state.
With the way the game is played in the NBA today, Dick is exactly the kind of player that teams are looking for when you consider his size and stroke from deep. That potential is now Toronto’s to mold as he prepares for his rookie season in the association.
What NBA Draft experts are saying about Dick
Again, experts are high on Dick’s potential considering his size and skillset. When they consider his combination of frame, offensive ability, competitiveness, and confidence, they believe that he has a good chance to make an impact right away so long as he’s in the right opportunity.
“At 6-foot-8, Dick has prototypical size for an NBA wing, and he projects to slide between shooting guard and small forward at the next level. Outside shooting projects to be his biggest asset, but Dick is far more than just a three-point specialist. Dick drained nearly 49% of his two-point attempts at Kansas and worked his way to the free-throw line 3.0 times per 40 minutes. He also boasts above-average length and athleticism for his size and competes extremely hard with tangible passion on both ends of the floor.”
“Viewed as a mid-to-late-lottery prospect, Dick figures to have a great chance to be a key contributor right away in Year 1. Landing spot will ultimately determine his immediate upside, but Dick has the size, smarts and skillset to be a rotation player as a rookie. If he were to land with a rebuilding team, he could easily compete for a starting spot at two-guard or small forward. In terms of an NBA comparison, Dick displays shades of Gordon Hayward, Bojan Bogdanovic and Saddiq Bey. Tyler Herro also comes to mind, as Dick displays similar confidence and shot-making ability, though he’s bigger than Herro and not quite as shifty.”