Wisconsin junior Sam Dekker announced that he will forego his final season of eligibility at the University of Wisconsin and enter the 2015 NBA Draft. Dekker, a native of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, wrote an open letter to Badgers fans thanking them for their support in his time with the team and throughout the Badgers run to the National Title game. Dekker became an instant star throughout this championship game run with Wisconsin.
From the Wisconsin Badgers.
To the Badger Nation,
I really don’t know where to start. Most importantly, I just want to say thank you.
These past three years have been the best, most memorable years of my life. Growing up in the state and being able to wear Wisconsin across my chest has been a dream come true.
It has been a true honor to represent this University and the state of Wisconsin. I can’t say enough about how much all of your support has meant to me and my teammates. The privilege of playing in front of a sold out Kohl Center or looking around at the sea of red that filled Lucas Oil Stadium last weekend are things that most college basketball players never get to experience and I never took that for granted. Badgers fans are the greatest in the world.
After lots of thoughts and prayers, I’ve decided that it is in my best interest to enter the NBA Draft at this time. It is difficult to leave Madison and the only state I’ve called home, but I’m excited for the next chapter of my life.
I truly can’t say thank you enough to my teammates, coaches, training staff and you, the fans, for everything you’ve done. I am so grateful for the opportunities Coach Ryan and UW-Madison have given me. I couldn’t have asked for anything more from my experience.
I will continue to represent the University and entire state of Wisconsin to the best of my ability wherever my future takes me. I will never forget these years as a Badger; not just for the basketball victories, but for the friends made, lessons learned and the memories that will last a lifetime.
God Bless and On Wisconsin!
Sam
Dekker didn’t have the greatest game in the National Championship game against Duke but he did have a few great moments throughout this tournament including his big games against the North Carolina Tar Heels, Arizona Wildcats and Kentucky Wildcats.
Dekker is a 6’9″ forward that has fantastic size and solid athleticism for his position which isn’t really determined but it appears he’ll most likely play the small forward/3 slot in the NBA. His reputation is that of an elite outside scorer, something that was put on the forefront during Wisconsin’s tournament run when he shot 47% from 3. The flip-side is, he did shoot only 33 percent on 3-pointers this year and last years as well, down from 39 percent as a freshman but he made 64 percent of his 2-pointers last season.
His true skill is using his strong ball-handling and excellent movement to find and make shots all over the court. Whether it means he drives to the basket, pulling up for a jumper or using a screen, he can score and he does it without turning the ball over. Dekker can guard multiple positions, a real asset in a league that is more frequently switching on pick-and-rolls so that also helps his stock on the defensive end combined with his size. Offensively, his aggressiveness can be showcased with a big dunk or a huge three as he has the ability to take a game over but sometimes he just sits back and lets the offense come to him and it shows because he doesn’t get to the free-throw line much.
We have Dekker ranked pretty high in our 2015 NBA Mock Draft, check it out and let us know what you think.
