Brew Hoop Community Draft Board - Pick #16

The number 15 spot on Brew Hoop's 2015 Draft Board goes to in-state star Sam Dekker, a junior forward from Wisconsin. Dekker outpaced a trio of other forwards in one of the tighter races of our series.

Dekker's mid-to-late-first-round profile was raised immensely by a sensational run in the 2015 NCAA Tournament before backsliding with a clunker in the Championship game. Prior to his 6-15 shooting performance in the title game, Dekker had been outstanding for the Badgers, pairing with Frank Kaminsky and providing clutch scoring nearly every time the Badgers needed it. Scoring is Dekker's calling card, and he can do it in a variety of ways, attacking the rim off the dribble and hit open mid-range jumpers. He's very athletic and has good size for an NBA small forward or smallball 4. His ascent up draft boards relies heavily on the outside shooting prowess he displayed through much of Wisconsin's tournament run, though that skill is still fairly inconsistent: after shooting 39.1% from behind the arc as a freshman, he only hit about 33% in his sophomore and junior seasons. An efficient college scorer (61% True Shooting last season) even without a reliable three-point shot, Dekker will surely see his numbers dip in the NBA as he faces tougher defenders. While the added space of the pro game could help him make more plays with his athleticism than he was afforded in college, his potential is undoubtedly capped by his shooting ability, as he's not much of a passer. Additionally, for a player who could get much of his offense from drawing fouls, he's not a great free-throw shooter (69.5% career).

Defensively, Dekker's strength lies more in versatility than any elite ability. He should be able to handle perimeter switches fairly well, and any Bo Ryan product is going to know how to defend one-on-one to a certain extent. His poor length (6-10 wingspan) could be a concern, however, and if his so-so ball handling forces him to spend much of his time at the PF spot, teams with size could exploit that matchup.

Brew Hoop Draft Board 2015

1. Karl-Anthony Towns - PF/C, Kentucky, Freshman - DraftExpress Profile
2. Jahlil Okafor - C, Duke, Freshman - DraftExpress Profile
3. D'Angelo Russell - G, Ohio State, Freshman - DraftExpress Profile
4. Emmanuel Mudiay - PG, International - DraftExpress Profile
5. Justise Winslow - SF, Duke, Freshman - DraftExpress Profile
6. Mario Hezonja - G/F, International - DraftExpress Profile
7. Willie Cauley-Stein - C, Kentucky, Junior - DraftExpress Profile
8. Kristaps Porzingis - PF, International - DraftExpress Profile
9. Stanley Johnson - SF, Arizona, Freshman - DraftExpress Profile
10. Frank Kaminsky - PF/C, Wisconsin, Senior - DraftExpress Profile
11. Myles Turner - C, Texas, Freshman - DraftExpress Profile
12. Kelly Oubre - SF, Kansas, Freshman - DraftExpress Profile
13. Devin Booker - SG, Kentucky, Freshman - DraftExpress Profile
14. Cameron Payne - PG, Murray State, Sophomore - DraftExpress Profile
15. Sam Dekker - F, Wisconsin, Junior - DraftExpress Profile