Getty Belmont guard Dylan Windler
The Belmont Bruins may have been a bit surprised to hear their names called during the 2019 NCAA Tournament bracket reveal, but they’re looking to make some noise in the dance. Guard-forward Dylan Windler leads the way for Belmont, and he put together an impressive 2018-19 season while leading the team to a 26-5 record.
Windler has now had back-to-back big seasons for the Bruins and is squarely on the radar of NBA draft scouts. After averaging 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game last year, he increased those marks to 21.4 points and 10.7 rebounds along with 1.4 steals per game this season.
The 6-foot-8 standout does a number of things well and we’re going to break down his latest projections and mock drafts, along with NBA draft profile.
Dylan Windler NBA Draft Profile
For the most part, Windler appears to be a player on the fringe of most draft boards. There’s a lot to like about his game and the knocks are few and far between. While he stands at 6-foot-8, what position he’d play and how he’d defend athletic opponents could be a question mark. he’s not a poor defender by any means, but Windler also isn’t as athletic as many other shooting guards/small forwards.
On the positive side, the Belmont star is a good rebounder, shooter, and just has that “it” factor that teams look for. He has the makings of a second-round steal, and one of the most impressive parts of his game is the shooting numbers.
Windler shot 55.9 and 54.8 percent from the field over the past two seasons while knocking down 42.6 and 43.0 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Those numbers, paired with his ability to score off the dribble are all appealing attributes and will help his draft stock immensely.
NBA Draft Projections & Mock Drafts
It’s obvious how split many draft analysts are on the Bruins guard-forward, and the proof of that comes from the fact that many don’t have Windler listed anywhere on mock drafts. With that said, the latest mock from Tankathon has him as the No. 60 pick overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, making him the very last selection.
Looking at the other end of the spectrum, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie offered an eye-opening ranking for Windler on his latest big board. Vecenie has the Belmont senior listed as the No. 39 prospect in the entire draft. This places him just behind Marquette’s Markus Howard, but ahead of the likes of Maryland’s Jalen Smith and Purdue’s Carsen Edwards.
While those appear to be two outlooks on different sides, Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo was slightly higher on Windler than the mock draft but lower than Vecenie. Woo’s latest big board pegs him as the Noo. 55 prospect, a huge jump from his previous ranking of No. 80, pointing to his impressive homestretch of the year making an impact.
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