Gradey Dick Hyped As a 'Steal' by Fans After Raptors Take SG in 2023 NBA Draft

Players selected in the teens of the NBA draft first round can turn into stars. It happened with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 11, 2018) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 15, 2013).

Toronto fans are hoping the Raptors have found the next hidden gem with Gradey Dick.

Dick, who recently set the Kansas freshman record for single-season three-pointers with 83, is being hailed as a steal after the Raptors grabbed him at No. 13.

Dick was a 5-star recruit out of Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, where he was named the 2022 Gatorade Male Basketball Player of the Year. He's in good company: Winners of the high school honor include Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, as well as Jrue Holiday, Andrew Wiggins, Ben Simmons, and Jayson Tatum.

As a freshman at Kansas, Dick averaged 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 36 starts to help the program finish atop the Big 12. He then led the Jayhawks with 9.0 rebounds per game during the NCAA tournament.

Perhaps most importantly, Dick shot over 40 percent from three-point range on nearly six attempts per game throughout the season.

Dick recorded a 40-inch vertical and a nearly seven-foot wingspan at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine. He named Indiana Pacers Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, one of the best shooters in NBA history, as one of his inspirations.

With shooting potential like that, Raptors fans will hope Dick will soon be making NBA headlines for more reasons than his sparkling sartorial choices.