2015 NBA Draft Profile: Delon Wright

With the 2015 NBA Draft fast approaching, we look at some of the players who may be available for the Portland Trail Blazers at the number 23 selection. Up today: point guard Delon Wright.

Overview:

The brother of current Portland Trail Blazer Dorell Wright, Delon Wright is the tallest point guard in the draft at 6'6. However, he only weighs in at 181 pounds, and will need to add muscle at the NBA level. A junior college transfer to Utah, Wright started for his final two seasons with the Utes. His shooting numbers greatly improved from his junior year to his senior season, even if he dropped from 15.5 points per game to 14.5. Struggled massively from the field in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, shooting a combined 29.6% from the field in Utah's three games. This culminated in a Sweet Sixteen loss to Duke where Wright shot just 4-of-13.

Strengths:

1) Excellent defensive instincts. Wright averaged 2.3 steals per game across his college career, many of them on the back of his knack for getting into passing lanes. He has good quickness moving side to side, allowing him to keep opposing guards in front of him, and has a long standing reach to even help out against small forwards.

2) Good open shooter. He shot 53% from the field for his career, and his jerky and awkward dribbling style throws opposing defenders off balance, allowing for easy layups.

3) Good ball handling. He has an endless array of tricks to throw at 1-on-1 defenders, and combined with a solid passing instinct can make plays happen occasionally.

Weaknesses:

1) Shooting. He shot just 30% from further than 12 feet over his career at Utah. He has a very low release point on his jumper, making it an easy block target at the NBA level. He is a poor jumper, making the situation even worse. Last season, teams would ignore him on the pick-and-roll entirely as the year progressed. He will find it much more difficult to juke opposing players in the professional league, and does not finish strong at the rim.

2) Age. He will be 23 on draft day, making him the oldest prospect in the draft. Many scouts have projected that he is at the limit of his body growth and potential, which is an issue since he has so many holes in his offensive game.

Floor and Ceiling:

His ceiling is Ricky Rubio, a strong defensive point guard with the occasional offensive flash.

His floor is Nolan Smith, a player who peaked in college and simply lacks the tools to succeed at the next level.