As NBA Draft approaches, Notre Dame guard Blake Wesley still trending as first-round pick with lots of intrigue

The June 1 NBA Draft entry deadline passed with nary a peep from Blake Wesley. The former Notre Dame guard stayed in the draft, just as he stated he would when he declared in March and reiterated in May at the NBA Draft Combine.

Wesley is all-in on chasing a pro career now after just one college season, a reality that not even he pictured before this season. His name began appearing on NBA radars before the calendar flipped to 2022. First-round projections became more common during the winter and spring. They were enough to convince Wesley to take the plunge and try to become the first one-and-done in Notre Dame history.

More than two months into the pre-draft process, he has maintained his status as a projected mid-to-late first round pick. That’s the consensus of the latest mocks and prospect rankings two weeks out from the June 23 draft.

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For as wide as his range of outcomes as a pro appears to be, there’s agreement among draft analysts that his upside is worth a first-round pick. The Athletic’s David Aldridge polled three college head coaches whose team faced Notre Dame this year in his draft confidential and found a similar theme.

“I think he’s fabulous. I love him,” a college head coach who played Notre Dame told Aldridge. “He can get downhill, he can score, he can shoot it. Got good size, athleticism. I was thoroughly impressed with him. He’s good. I like him a lot. I think Blake Wesley is a dude.”

Another head coach echoed that same sentiment to Aldridge.

“I’m watching their game against Kentucky, and I’m like ‘Who is this?’” the coach said. “Nobody could stay in front of him. When you see him in person, the size, the length, the stride, the explosiveness … I think he’s really good. I think he’s got a very, very high upside. Seems to be a kid who’s that hungry, that has a chip on his shoulder because he wasn’t entitled.”

A third coach agreed, but brought up one of the questions surrounding Wesley: shooting. Wesley made just 30.3 percent of his three-point attempts at Notre Dame.

“He’s got it all, except can he shoot the 3 consistently enough?” that coach said. “He’s got ball skills, a good defender for a young player, can make midrange shots, he’s athletic. I think he’s a true point. But he should be a better shooter, you know what I mean? He just hasn’t shot it consistently well enough. But he’s legit.”

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What does the intrigue in Wesley equate to in draft range? Somewhere in the late teens to late 20s, according to most mocks. Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo pegs Wesley as the No. 21 overall pick to the Denver Nuggets. NBADraft.net predicts the same landing spot.

“This would be a pure upside bet for the Nuggets, with Wesley’s athleticism, slashing ability and significant room to improve from a physical and skill standpoint making him a worthy bet in this part of the draft,” Woo wrote. “He’s a good athlete and showed flashes of brilliance in college, but he’s also quite raw and profiles better as a scoring combo guard than a true point.

“He’ll need to become a much more effective catch-and-shoot player, while also sharpening his decision-making on the ball.”

Another team frequently connected to Wesley is the Memphis Grizzlies, who hold picks No. 21 and 29 of the first round. NBC Sports’ Raphielle Johnson predicts Wesley will go in the latter pick. So does ESPN’s Jonathan Givony in his “needs vs. best available” mock, which pegged Wesley as the player that fits Memphis’ biggest need. Givony slotted Wesley as the No. 25 pick to the San Antonio Spurs in the best available portion.

“If…the Spurs are still looking to take a plunge on a high-upside prospect who needs time to develop, Notre Dame’s Wesley is another attractive option,” Givony wrote. “Wesley is one of the most physically gifted guards in this draft, capable of getting into the paint at will with his strong frame and explosive first step.

“He made strides as the season moved on both defensively and with his ability to create for teammates, and if he can continue to evolve as a shooter, he has the potential to be an absolute steal at this stage of the draft.”

San Antonio also has the No. 20 overall pick.