KU basketball freshman Gradey Dick selected in first round of 2023 NBA Draft
Former University of Kansas guard Gradey Dick was selected in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Dick, a 6-foot-8, 204-pound Wichita native, went No. 13 overall in the two-round, 58-player draft. (Chicago and Philadelphia lost their second-round picks this season for violating the NBA’s tampering rules.)
Dick is KU’s 19th lottery pick and 13th in coach Bill Self’s tenure with the Jayhawks, which is entering a 21st season. Dick is also KU’s 28th first-round pick and 41st draft pick overall since the NBA adopted a two-round draft in 1989.
Dick believes he can add quite a bit to Toronto’s roster.
“Just a player that is really going out there, giving all he’s got,” Dick told reporters after getting picked. “The competitiveness, it’s the answer a lot of people say, but it’s really true for me personally that I want to go out and win. I want nothing more than that. But personally just a versatile type player that takes pride in his shooting.”
Dick averaged 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game last season, shooting better than 40% from three. He also won multiple honors in his lone season at KU — he landed on the All-Big 12 second team and appeared on the All-Big 12 freshman and newcomer teams.
According to RealGM, as the No. 13 pick of the NBA Draft, Dick will make $3.8 million in 2023-24, $3.97 million in 2024-25 and $4.2 million in 2025-26.
Getting picked in the NBA Draft was a surreal moment for Dick — it was a realization of a dream coming true.
“Like I said, it’s hard to put this all into words,” Dick said. “But just the raw emotion, ... everything comes out when I’m looking around the table seeing how my family is reacting, stuff like that. Tonight I’m going to take it for myself and my family to celebrate, celebrate this success.
“But tomorrow just know that I’m going back out there, and this wasn’t the end goal by any means. This is kind of the start to my real-life goals, and that’s to be in the NBA and compete.
Dick recently measured 6-6 1/4 without shoes at the NBA Combine. He weighed in at 204 pounds with a 6-10 1/4 wingspan and 8-8 standing reach.
The KU freshman had reported individual workouts with the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks.
Long considered the best shooter in the draft, NBA Draft expert Sam Vecenie of The Athletic had a comprehensive scouting report on Dick:
“He is smart at using the threat of his shot to drive and cut to the rim, and he’s a sharp processor of the game,” Vecenie said. “He finishes at the rim and has plus positional size for his role. He’s also a useful team defender, with quick hand-eye coordination and reactivity, but he did have some issues navigating exchanges on and off the ball this season.”
Last season, Dick was KU’s second option on offense and spaced the floor with his shooting. He helped lead KU to a Big 12 title and No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Self didn’t see Dick as a one-and-done candidate until Dick scored 14 points in a comeback 69-64 victory over Duke in the Champions Classic.
The Raptors ranked No. 28 in the NBA in three-point shooting (33.5%) in the 2022-23 season, so Dick will be an immediate help in that spectrum.
The biggest question surrounding Dick is his defense. He averaged 1.4 steals per game but struggled to keep up with quicker opposing players. Dick’s ceiling in the NBA likely hinges in part on his ability to improve his overall defense.
Dick is now the third Jayhawk (Christian Braun and Ochai Agbaji) in the last two seasons to be drafted in the first round. Dick is also Self’s highest selection in first round since fellow one-and-done forward Josh Jackson was selected No. 4 overall by the Phoenix Suns in 2017.
