D.J. Wilson is a bundle of athleticism and physical attributes. That is the exact kind of thing the NBA looks for in the Draft. Will Wilson put it together?
The NBA is a league of athletic and genetic marvels.
People at 6-foot-10 and gangly arms that seem to droop below their knees are not supposed to be able to glide gracefully through a sea of other similarly large men and deftly lay a basketball on the rim and in. Much less stop seemingly on a dime and rise up for the most coordinated of motions — a jump shot.
The players who have that length and athleticism to match with coordination and skill are exceedingly rare. But that length in its purest form is as valuable as anything. Many NBA teams have gone down the rabbit hole trying to find that uber athletic and long raw talent they can turn into the next star. Or at least the next usable player.
Basketball skills can be tough to pin down. Athleticism and physiology are sometimes difficult to reconcile into a particular skill needed to play this game at such a high level. But teams will mine. Inevitably they will take a player with incredible physical gifts, hoping to strike gold.
And that is what could make D.J. Wilson’s case so unique in this long pantheon of athletic bigs and wings teams try to groom into something.
Wilson burst onto the scene this year after two nondescript seasons (one ended up a redshirt year) with the Michigan Wolverines . Finally, it seemed Wilson put together his immense physical tools into something productive on the floor.
He averaged 11.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Wolverines last year, seeing his minutes increase from 6.1 minutes per game to 30.4 minutes per game. The playing time increase is eye-popping enough. Wilson earned that time with his energetic play. He finally put all those physical tools together.
Typically when the NBA gets their hands on a raw athlete, it is after their freshman year. They have just tapped the surface of their potential. Here Wilson has had a few years to learn how to put everything together.
And when he finally did, it looked like Wilson could be something intriguing for a NBA team.
The Good
The first thing that pops out with Wilson is his length. His height is impressive at 6-foot-9. That is about what you want from a power forward. But where Wilson stands out is with his length and reach.
At the NBA Draft Combine, Wilson measured with a 9-foot-1.5 standing reach, the eighth largest reach at the Combine. He also measured with a 7-foot-3 wingspan.
This is all to say he has the physical tools to wreak havoc defensively. A longer wingspan and bigger reach enable a player to catch up and make up for defensive mistakes. It essentially gives them more margin for error.
And for a player like Wilson, that is an added bonus. Wilson did not need much of a margin for error.
According to Sports-Reference, Wilson posted 1.6 defensive win shares and a 4.3 defensive box plus-minus. Those are impressive numbers. And no one needs numbers to know the kind of work Wilson can do defensively.
He has the speed and athleticism to step out to the perimeter and guard small forwards while keeping the size to defend power forwards closer to the block. Being able to step out to the perimeter with that length is incredibly valuable. And John Beilein is not a coach that will let anyone skate by without playing good defense.
Wilson should be able to jump right in and provide some defense, using that gift of his length to make up for any mistakes. There is something there to mold.
On top of that, Wilson uses his athleticism well to finish at the rim. He is smart cutting along the baseline and can finish emphatically at the rim.
The Bad
Like so many of his brethren in the super athletic, super long power forward class, Wilson still lacks many offensive skills. Outside of dunking and putbacks, his game is very rudimentary. And sometimes he tries to do too much.
He relies on his athleticism to create for himself. In the NBA, there are plenty of other athletes who have the same level of athleticism. It is more difficult to stand out.
Wilson shot 53.8 percent from the floor last year and showed some ability to step out and hit the 3-pointer. He made 37.3 percent on 2.9 3-point attempts per game. Perhaps Wilson can continue to improve and develop into a stretch-4.
But Wilson is not going to be able to do a whole lot with the ball in his hands. And he is not necessarily comfortable enough to be a knock-down 3-point shooter.
That is why it was somewhat confusing to see him settle for 3-pointers so often. He seemed to favor that shot more than others — 110 of his 305 field goal attempts (36.1 percent) — came from beyond the arc. That is concerning considering the athleticism he has to get to the basket and perhaps work as a slasher. In the end, that is not what he seemed to prefer for his offense.
This is all the sign of a player who has lived off his athleticism at every level and is still actually developing his basketball skills. Wilson is still coming into his own.
That is not to say he still cannot develop. But with three years of college basketball under his belt, that learning curve is much sharper. Wilson is about what he can be. And coming into the NBA, he is not going to be that featured player. NBA teams will need him to fill a role.
With some of the shots Wilson took when he got the ball, he may still have a bit of the star bug in him. That is not who he will need to be in the NBA.
Draft Sites Say
Mike Schmitz, DraftExpress
"Although he’s very intriguing as a long, rangy stretch four, Wilson also proved that he still has a ways to go before being considered a top-flight power forward prospect. He managed to grab only five defensive rebounds and dish out only one assist in 76 minutes of action during the first two rounds, and left much to be desired as an interior defender both in terms of physicality and toughness."
Aran Smith, NBADraft.net
"Wilson was a bit of a surprise to enter and stay in the draft and scouts feel that he has a good chance to land in the first round. While not the most polished or consistent player, his talent level when focused is considerable. He is a player whose success figures to be more dependent upon landing in the right situation than most. Wilson has NBA starter potential if his offense and feel for the game can develop."
Final Word
D.J. Wilson is the kind of player that will always intrigue the NBA. The league loves its athletes. And Wilson is certainly that.
He has some length that shows a lot of potential at the NBA level. With his size, he is worth giving a look out on the perimeter. He is an improving 3-point shooter and is working to become more of a stretch-4 player. The NBA will continue to develop him down that path.
But Wilson still has a long way to go. His offensive skills right now are limited to dunking along the baseline and hitting an open three. He is not going to take anyone off the dribble any time soon. That is not his game.
But often at Michigan he tried to make that his game. He tried to do more than he could and favored his 3-pointer rather than trying to use his athleticism as an advantage.
Wilson is still putting all the pieces together. He is not quite the raw mold you usually see from players of his type — he has some skills developed — but he is not quite fully formed yet either.
Orlando Magic
Where Wilson will make an impact, and where he needs to hang his hat, is with his length on defense. Versatility is the name of the game in the NBA these days and Wilson has that locked down.
His long wingspan and reach will make him a pest on the perimeter. Defending other stretch-4s, he should be able to dig in adn help and get back out to challenge shots. That could make him a valuable role player.
And with his age and experience, Wilson should be able to step in quickly and contribute at the NBA level. There is no reason to think he would not be able to fill this role if he accepts it.
Wilson is an intriguing bundle of physical gifts and tools. The NBA will always be willing to take a chance on that. And his stock and value only seem to be growing in this versatile NBA. It would be easy to see him switching on any pick and roll involving a power forward.
If Wilson can improve his offensive game and become a better decision maker when he has the ball, Wilson should be a strong contributor off the bench or in a defined role in the NBA.