Scouting Report: Delon Wright, PG, Utah
Tap here to get an in-depth look at the top prospects in this year's draft class leading up to the NBA draft, which takes place on June 25 in Brooklyn.
Age ain't nothing but a number, except to NBA scouts.
Despite two terrific seasons at Utah, Delon Wright is 23 years old and, thanks to two years of junior college before the NCAA, a senior. The reality of the NBA draft is that few seniors sniff the top-10 regardless of college performance - ask Frank Kaminsky - with an extended path to the NBA portending a lack of long-term upside. Fair or otherwise, that will keep Wright outside of the lottery, with teams likely skeptical he can make the leap from quality, two-position backup to starter at either spot.
Relevant Background
| Position | DraftExpress Rank | ESPN Rank | Height w/ Shoes | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | 28 | 24 | 6' 5.5" | 181 |
| Wingspan | Standing Reach | Max Vertical (in.) | Hand Length (in.) | Body Fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6' 7.5" | 8' 5.5" | 31.0 | 8.0 | 6.6% |
| NCAA Stats | PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 14.5 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 50.9% | 35.6% |
| 2013-14 | 15.5 | 6.8 | 5.3 | 56.1% | 22.2% |
Scouting Report
Strengths: The size to play the two and the skill to play the one. Wright's size is a huge asset, and while he needs to fill out more, his length is great for the point and - along with his high effort and sharp anticipation - should make him a quality defender and dangerous ball hawk. On the other end, he's polished running an offense, making smart, crisp passes, and using his burst and unorthodox, variable-pace attacking to open up cracks in the defense. Crafty is probably the best word for Wright's offense, drawing fouls and creating for others without any elite athletic trait or go-to move.
Weaknesses: If Wright's to play at shooting guard, he's going to need to get in the gym, and quickly. While he's intelligent and effective at both ends, his lack of elite athleticism leaves a question as to how well his game will carry over against larger, smarter opponents. Though, that mostly just works to limit his high-end projection. His outside shooting took a nice step forward last year and his free-throw shooting suggests he should be a good shooter. But it's not a consistent or reliable shot yet, and he still struggles pulling up off the bounce.
Highlight Reel
What to Expect on Draft Day
Age working to effectively put a ceiling on where seniors can go actually works as a boon to quality teams and, in some cases, the player. Instead of landing on a rebuilding team with enormous responsibility immediately, Wright may instead land on a contending team in a more reasonable role to start. There's a very good chance he ends up being a quality rotation player, and a playoff team - perhaps one that leans heavily on analytics - will be happy to get him in the second half of the first round. His range begins with the Houston Rockets at No. 18 if Tyus Jones is off the board, and his floor is probably the Golden State Warriors at No. 30 - hardly a bad worst-case scenario.