Miami Heat

2015 NBA Draft profile: Sam Dekker

Published Jun. 23, 2015 11:00 a.m. ET

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Few draft prospects to be selected in the upcoming NBA Draft on June 25 are as polarizing as Sam Dekker out of Wisconsin.

Much like his former frontcourt partner Frank Kaminsky, draft experts can't decide whether or not the skill set both players showcased with the Badgers can fully translate into the NBA against bigger, more skillful competition.

In the case of Dekker, his final season as a junior showed further overall improvement on both ends of the court after he initially struggled upon returning from an ankle injury and making the transition from power forward to small forward. At 6-feet-9 and 219 pounds, he demonstrated he can be a capable scorer and defender at either position because of his athleticism and high basketball IQ.

He eventually came on strong during the NCAA Tournament, where he increased his scoring average to 19.2 points as he helped lead his team to the championship game, but questions still remain over just how good of a NBA prospect he can be and how reliable a shooter he is.

"He can make shots," said ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas on a media call to discuss the 2015 NBA Draft. "He's a little bit streaky. I think he's very athletic. He's good in transition. He's long, he's got size. I like him a lot. I think he is a lottery player at the end of the lottery."

Though he played Robin to Kaminsky's bigger Batman role, Dekker still showcased his all-around game and averaged 13.9 points, 52.5 percent field goal shooting, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 31.0 minutes last season.

PROS

What makes Dekker an intriguing draft prospect is the fact that while he doesn't truly excel at one facet of his game, he is a strong player across the board on both ends of the floor. His mobility and footwork allows him to be a solid defender out on the perimeter and his size, strength and instincts gives him an advantage crashing the boards and defending multiple positions.

As the Golden State Warriors demonstrated on their way to a NBA title, versatile players who can run the floor well, score in transition and have the ability to take their man off the dribble can be highly effective offensive players and Dekker has multiple tools at his disposal to score. He can also finish at the rim, move well around the court without the ball and rarely turns the ball over.

As he continues to develop, Dekker could be an effective scorer off the bench against the opposing team's second unit without being a defensive liability.

CONS

Dekker's biggest knock is that he has yet to show he can be a reliable shooter and questions remains whether or not that will be an impediment in the pro ranks against more skillful defenders.

He will also need to show he can be a threat from beyond the arc, where he averaged 33.1 percent last season, and his free throw averages in three seasons at Wisconsin were also underwhelming.

"Consistency," said Bilas of what Dekker needs to improve on. "I don't think Sam is a great shooter. I think he's a guy that is streaky and he can make shots, but he's not a consistently good shooter. I think he needs to get stronger. Stronger in his drive, stronger in his finishing capability."

PLAYER COMPARISON

In a best case scenario, Dekker projects to be a similar player to Chandler Parsons, though perhaps not as good a shooter or passer, or Gordon Hayward, who is arguably a bit more athletic.

FINAL THOUGHT

A team looking to draft him as a mid to late lottery pick will benefit from his strong work ethic, maturity, and drive that will only aid him as he seeks to improve his game.

Most importantly, his versatility and efficient offensive game will allow him to make an immediate impact for any team that drafts him. Whether he can truly blossom into a starter role is up to him, but the skill set and moxie is there.

You can follow Surya Fernandez on Twitter @SuryaHeatNBA or email him at SuryaFoxSports@gmail.com.