Gradey Dick was highly touted coming out of high school, and he has not disappointed at all. The freshman has been a phenom for KU in his first year in Lawrence.
Dick was the top recruit for the Jayhawks 2022 class, ranking as the No. 22 player in the country and the second most highly rated player in the state of Kansas. Now, he is one of the best shooters in all of college basketball.
Averaging 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game, Dick has been one of the best freshmen this season. Even more impressive is his 42.1% three-point percentage.
He has done plenty to make a case as a potential one-and-done at KU, even though there have not been plenty of those at KU. The last player to play just one season for Kansas and get drafted was Josh Jackson, who was selected No. 4 in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Dick would provide NBA teams with plenty of upsides, should he enter the draft this year. His 6’8″, 205-pound frame is perfect for an NBA wing. He has a long wingspan that allows him to get into passing lanes and fits the prototype for the average 3-and-D player.
A good portion of his offensive game is made up of his jump shot, but he is not limited to staying outside of the three-point line. He is an athletic finisher around the rim who often can showcase his bounce in-game:
Gradey Dick with the “sneaky athleticism” pinning the dunk attempt of a 6-10 center: pic.twitter.com/3OWSi4orkU
— fendo (@dancingwithnoah) January 18, 2023
https://twitter.com/KUHoops/status/1624502387145670658
Gradey Dick has a plethora of tools that could make him an extremely serviceable player in the NBA for years to come. But is there a chance that Bill Self convinces him to stay for his sophomore season?
In all likelihood, we will likely not see him back in a Kansas uniform next season. He could be one of the nation’s best players if he did decide to stay, but he is also risking losing lots of money and potentially plummeting his draft stock if an injury or down year were to occur.
Bleacher Report’s most recent mock draft has Dick being taken at No. 6 by the Indiana Pacers. If NBA scouts agree that he will be an early-to-mid lottery selection, it is hard to see him returning to KU.
He has become one of the most popular college basketball players this year and will be an integral part of the team should the Jayhawks repeat as National Champions. Assuming that he is gone next year, Kansas will have added yet another former alum to their long list of NBA players with Gradey Dick.