Kansas freshman guard Gradey Dick has decided to declare for the 2023 NBA draft.
The 6-foot-8 guard from Wichita, Kan., made the announcement Friday afternoon on Instagram and ESPN’s NBA Today show.
“First and foremost none of this would be possible without God,” Dick wrote on Instagram. “I also wouldn’t be in this position without the help from my coaches, teachers, friends and most importantly my family.
“As a kid from Kansas I have fulfilled my goal of playing at my dream college. I cannot thank Jayhawk Nation enough for the love and support you have shown to me and my family. I will always have Kansas in my heart but I now have to chase the ultimate dream that I have had since I first started playing ball. So with that being said I have decided to declare for the 2023 NBA draft. Rock Chalk forever, Gradey Dick.”
Sources close to the situation told The Kansas City Star Dick’s public relations team set him up with an exclusive with ESPN to make the decision known. The Dick family is not commenting at this time whether there is a chance he could still return to KU after getting feedback from the NBA on his draft position, indicating Dick on Friday merely is declaring for the 2023 draft.
He is projected as a likely lottery pick and has long been considered a strong one-and-done candidate.
KU coach Bill Self did not immediately return a request for comment.
Appearing live on the NBA Today set, Dick said he wanted to “start off by thanking some special people, my coaches, teachers, friends in my life, they know who they are, most importantly my family and God, my three siblings, my mom and my dad. They helped me every step of the way and really made me the person I am today and the player I am today. With God anything is possible. My goal is to glorify Him in everything I do. With that being said I am excited to announce I’ll be declaring for the 2023 NBA draft.”
As the decision was announced, Jonathan Givony of ESPN wrote: “At 6-foot-8, with picture perfect shooting mechanics, toughness, a strong feel for the game and a confident, assertive demeanor, Gradey Dick fits an easy mold for what NBA teams are seeking on the wing with a high floor and plenty of upside left to tap into at 19-years old.
Dick is the No. 11 prospect in ESPN’s NBA draft projections. He averaged 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game his freshman season, shooting 40% from 3.
“This year was amazing,” Dick said in an interview with ESPN. “KU has always been an incredibly special place for me and my family. Growing up in Wichita, I saw my siblings go there, so I dreamed of being there in a jersey. Being on that court in Allen Fieldhouse was truly special. I learned so much about myself on and off the court. Kansas will always be in my heart.”
Dick noted that from playing this season at KU, “teams have learned more about my competitiveness. My goal has always been to try and out-compete everyone in anything that I do. I also wanted to show my resilience. No matter what happens, how I play, I’m always going to come back levelheaded and ready to go. I often get labeled as a shooter, but I love to show the versatility that I have to my game.”
At upcoming workouts with teams he said he “Iooks forward to showing more examples of my versatility. I feel like there are many facets to my game that I can put on display and I’m excited to get in the gym and work on those. I also want to show the teams how hard I work.”
His comments to ESPN indicated he likely will remain in the draft. He spoke of the experience that awaits on June 22 in Brooklyn.
“I just want to live in the moment on draft night and take in everything. This has been my biggest goal in my basketball career, so I want to enjoy every moment and be there with my family and loved ones. My goal is to be with a NBA team that is a great fit for me, and I look forward to giving 110 percent to whoever selects me. In the end, I just want to make my family proud in everything that I do,” Dick said.
The NBA draft combine will be held May 15-21 in Chicago.
