Dwane Casey spoke to the media about picking Delon Wright.
Our scouts have followed him extensively this year. He’s one of the top defensive point guards in the draft. He defends, can run the pick ‘n roll very well. a great kid, great characer, great team guy. Excellent at ball movement, passing in the pick ‘n roll game. We’re excited to get him, he’s one of the guys with tremendous upside. He reminds me a lot of Nate McMillan as far as a long point guard we had in Seattle who could defend multiple positions.
He really fits in what we’re trying to do, and goes right into the plan of getting the young group to grow.
[Him being older at 23 years old] is good, he’s a kid that’s been around the NBA. He knows the NBA, he’s been around the NBA, he’s talked the NBA with his brother (Dorell Wright). Even if he was younger, it wouldn’t be an issue. It wasn’t talked about a lot as far as when the scouts saw him play.
It was unanimous in the room as far as guys that had seen him play, and felt like he’s a guy that we needed.
All week it’s been about Delon, there were a couple guys in the conversation, but as the week went on and we studied more film, more film, more film, it became clear [he’s what we] needed defensively. Again, your defense starts on the ball coming up the court. On the pick’ n roll you got to have guys who can defend the pick ‘n roll and he’s a good start for us.
He can create off the dribble, the question is on his jumper like most young players coming out of college, getting used to that three point line. It’s a little longer for him. I think through repetition, not having to go to class, getting a couple thousand shots a day will help him tremendously, so it’s not a major concern.
[In the workouts], everything was easy for him. Moving the ball is easy, he doesn’t get sped up against pressure. In the workouts he got kneed in the groin, didn’t finish, but we saw enough. He does’t get sped up, doesn’t get excited when double teamed, in pick ‘n rolls, always makes the easy pass.
