NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — If it wasn't for some guy named Ja Morant, Dylan Windler would've been the OVC Player of the Year this past season and gone down as one of the best players in league history. But the former Belmont star still has a chance to make history Thursday in the NBA Draft.
The 6’8 wing from Indianapolis is expected to become the first Belmont player ever selected in the NBA Draft, joining the Pelicans’ Ian Clark as the second Bruin to play in the league.
“Dylan Windler is an elite shooter,” former Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew told Newschannel 5. “He’s a very long wing, you know, he’s a plus-four wingspan (measuring 7’0), so he defends better than what people give him credit for.”
Windler was most known for his offensive prowess under legendary coach Rick Byrd at Belmont. He averaged a double-double as a senior, getting 21.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 54 percent from the floor and nearly 43 percent from three-point range.
He also averaged 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game to show that he’s an all-around player. It’s that type of production coupled with his unique size and athleticism that have some believing that Windler could even sneak into the first round of the Draft on Thursday.
“I really think that if someone wants to take a chance on a guy that could have a great NBA career, (like a) Kyle Korver, a shooter like Klay Thompson,” Drew said. “You look at some of the shooters that have done really well. Why not Dylan Windler?”
