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Philadelphia 76ers: Don’t sleep on Belmont forward Dylan Windler at 24

By Matty Breisch

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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Of all the non-Lottery players in the 2019 NBA Draft, none fits what the Philadelphia 76ers like to do more than Belmont forward Dylan Windler.

As the 2019 NBA Draft inches closer and closer, fans in the 215 have one final chance to put together their dream board of future Philadelphia 76ers, but when the clock strikes 8 (PM EST) and the New Orleans Pelicans officially go on the clock, things can get really real, really fast.

While you may have figured out the perfect route to add three top-25 players with the 24th, 33rd, and 34th overall selection, or have dreams of scoring a rapidly dropping prospect on the cheap (I’m looking at you, Bol Bol), those dreams will in all likelihood be dashed seconds, minutes, or hours before the Sixers go on the clock.

It happens every year, and it’s always a bummer.

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However, last season, the 76ers went the other route and added a player at 26 that virtually no one thought would be a first-round pick in Wichita State point guard Landry Shamet because they identified a unique scheme fit with upside, and before flipping him to the Los Angeles Clippers, it looked like they’d stumbled upon the steal of the draft.

And as the draft plays itself out, and players like Cameron Johnson, Ty Jerome, and *gasp* Carsen Edwards come off the board earlier than expected, there may be very few ‘recognizable’ names left to pick.

But barring some wild turn of events, Dylan Windler should be there at 24, and if push comes to shove, he’d be an excellent consolation prize whose game is tailor-made for Brett Brown‘s offense.

Measuring in at 6-foot-8, 200 pounds, Windler is the prototypical modern-day 3-and-D wing player – a guard/forward combo who can switch on defense and hit 3 pointers at a 42 percent clip.

And despite being a lefty, Windler’s shot is effortless.

Oft tasked with being the focal point of the Belmont Bruins‘ offense for his final two seasons with the university, Windler truly came into his own as an upperclassman: averaging a 19.3 and 10 (rebounds) double-double over his final 66 games in Nashville while knocking down 169 of his 395 3 point attempts (42.8 percent).

So for those keeping track at home, Windler fits the bill for what Elton Brand publicly stated he’s looking for in this year’s draft: an upperclassman with position flexibility, defensive versatility, and a pro-ready outside shot.

Now on the surface, there are a number of players who fit that bill, like mock draft favorite Cameron Johnson, but unlike UNC‘s 3-and-D forward, Windler is a hyper-athletic force who can dunk with the best of them and develop into a more rounded, all-around scorer with some seasoning.

Sure, he mostly did it against ‘lesser’ competition, but when you watch Windler’s highlight reel, it’s hard not to smile at the sheer volume of impressive step back jumpers, Trae Young-esque ‘4’-pointers, and even a few contest-worthy dunks.

Windler is also athletic enough to generate movement and create separation on the wings without the ball in his hands- maybe the signature play in Brett Brown’s offense.

Though he’s more of a project than most fourth-year seniors with 97 games of college experience, as he’ll need to adjust to the size, and speed of the NBA, Windler is still almost a year younger than Johnson and has higher upside over the course of his rookie deal based on athleticism alone.

Bol Bol is a risk worth taking at 24. dark. Next

Will he ever become an NBA All-Star? Probably not, but Dylan Windler has plus-athleticism, plus-size, and plus-shooting, and could eventually replace J.J. Redick as the Philadelphia 76ers long-term starting shooting guard. For a team that loves to play big, (slightly) overdrafting a 6-foot-8, starting-caliber shooting guard with the 24th overall pick is pretty amazing value, even if he didn’t play for a big, often nationally televised schools like UNC, Virginia, or even Purdue.