Gradey Dick's NBA Draft Projection: Where Will He Be Drafted?
Gradey Dick projects to be one of the most versatile scorers in the 2023 NBA Draft. Coming out of Kansas, Dick is widely anticipated to be a lottery selection on June 22.
Bleacher Report's latest mock draft has Gradey Dick going 11th to the Orlando Magic. Assuming the Kansas product does end up in Disney World, he will be another scoring threat on a roster that already possesses Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. As such, it makes sense that Orlando would be happy to acquire Gradey Dick. CBS Sports' most recent mock draft also has Dick going at 11th.
"Dick is arguably the best shooter in this draft, one who made 40.3% of the 5.7 3-pointers he attempted per game in his one season at Kansas," Gary Parrish wrote for CBS. "The wing would be a welcomed addition to an Orlando franchise that finished 25th in the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage this season."
This past season, Dick averaged 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game, shooting 44.2% from the field, 40.3% from deep, and 85.4% from the free-throw line.
In his most recent draft profile, Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer noted how Gradey Dick boasts some upside that has seldom been discussed during this draft cycle.
"Dick offers more than shooting, though, because of his playmaking ability and at-rim finishing, making him a higher-upside player than people give him credit for," O'Connor wrote.
Gradey Dick will enter the NBA after a one-and-done collegiate career, so will likely need some time to acclimate to the pace and physicality of the NBA game.
NBA Insider excited by the Orlando Magic's roster
According to an NBA Insider who spoke with Sportskeeda regarding the upcoming NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic are 'in great shape' heading into June 22.
"The one team that's definitely in the driver's seat is the Magic," the source told Sportskeeda. "They drafted (Paolo) Banchero last year and he was outstanding. They are in an even stronger position this year based on their current roster no matter what they chose to do. They have amazing flexibility. They can trade up, trade down or they can use their picks to continue to build out that roster. They are in great shape."
Boasting the sixth and eleventh draft picks, the Orlando Magic can add a further two high-level young talents to their roster on draft night. Suddenly, the Magic will look like potential playoff contenders despite their roster being full of young and developing players.
The future looks bright for the Orlando Magic and could become even brighter on June 22, especially if Gradey Dick is still available when they pick at the tail end of the lottery. Adding a shooter who can score off the catch when curling off screens or by putting the ball on the floor will add a whole new dimension to the Orlando Magic's offense.
Still, there will undoubtedly be other teams interested in the Kansas product, so it will be interesting to see where Dick is eventually drafted on June 22.