Former Cleveland Cavaliers' 1st-Round Pick Signs With Australian Team

A former Cleveland Cavaliers first-round draft pick has decided to make the move to Australia.

Jan 24, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dylan Windler (9) rebounds in the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Back in 2019, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected forward Dylan Windler with the 26th overall pick of the NBA Draft.

Windler possessed a unique skillset, as despite being just 6-foot-6, he was a terrific rebounder and averaged 10.8 boards a night—as well as 21.3 points—during his final collegiate season at Belmont. He even holds the G-League record for most rebounds in a game with 33.

Needless to say, the Indianapolis native did not work out with the Cavaliers, and now, he is signing with the Perth Wildcats, an Australian team in the NBL, via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Windler spent three seasons in Cleveland, so it's not like he only had a mere cup of coffee with the Cavs. The Cavaliers gave him a real chance.

He played in 31 games during his rookie campaign, registering 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds over 16.5 minutes per game on 43.8/33.8/77.8 shooting splits.

Windler then appeared in 50 contests in his second season, but in a much more limited role. That year, he logged 2.2 points and 1.8 boards across just 9.2 minutes a night. He would participate in just three games during his final season in Cleveland in 2022-23.

Injuries certainly played a role in Windler's lack of success with the Cavs, and in the NBA in general. The 27-year-old would also spend time with the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks, having brief stints with all three clubs last year.

Windler played in a grand total of 17 games during the 2023-24 campaign, posting just 2.5 points over 6.4 minutes a night.