Blake Wesley Provides High Potential and Skills to be Next Thunder Prospect

Blake Wesley has a always shifting draft stock, but the Thunder could take the risk and reap the reward at the end of the first round.

Blake Wesley possesses sky-high potential.

However, entering the draft, he’s remaining under the radar. While his potential is high and showed that in his short time at Notre Dame.

Wesley, a 6-foot-5 and 185-pound guard, spent just one season in South Bend, Indiana, with the Fighting Irish. Wesley played in 35 games, starting 28 of them. In those games, he averaged 14.4 points per game. Wesley was a 40% shooter from the field and a 30% shooter from 3-point-range.

Wesley also grabbed 3.7 rebounds and just over two assists per game. Wesley provides teams with a solid secondary guard who can play well off the ball. Wesley is an athletic guard with good size who can get downhill and score efficiently at all levels.

Wesley, while being a viable off-the-ball option, can also play well on the ball and control an offense, especially with his slashing ability and ball-handling skills. However, in the NBA, he would most likely remain a secondary scoring option and play more like a No. 2 guard when on the court.

Wesley’s length makes him a difficult assignment for average-sized guards, most due to his 6-foot-11 wingspan. He’s another player in the rookie class who does a lot of small things well, like getting to his spots.

Wesley’s draft position fluctuates each day leading to the draft but mostly sits in the late-first round, near the Thunder’s No. 30 selection. If Wesley slides to the Thunder, it is unlikely he would find the starting lineup, as it would be with most other teams in his draft range. But he does provide some needed combo guard depth to Oklahoma City. With a selection of Wesley, the Thunder would be able to put little stress on him to perform immediately and be able to develop the potential many see in him.

Coach Mark Daigneault is a proven developer, stemming from his successful time with the Oklahoma City Blue, and letting him coach Wesley could unlock the potential in the young guard.

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