Where Blake Wesley stands in NBA mock drafts as he begins his pro journey
Blake Wesley is all-in on pursuing his NBA career after one season at Notre Dame.
The 6-5, 185-pound guard, who led the Irish in scoring this season, declared for the NBA Draft Wednesday and stated he has no plans to return to school. He’s not in the draft to test the waters. He has intentions of becoming the first one-and-done draft pick in Notre Dame men’s basketball history.
Wesley, 19, averaged 14.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 35 games for Notre Dame, shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 30.3 percent on three-pointers. He begins the process firmly in the first-round mix, according to the latest mock drafts. Here’s where draft analysts have slotted him in mocks and on big boards.
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The Athletic
Sam Vecenie has Wesley as the No. 25 overall pick to the Milwaukee Bucks in his latest mock, released Friday. (Note: the 2022 draft order is not final). Wesley is Vecenie’s 12th college one-and-done selection.
“Wesley is an extremely talented shot creator, a dynamic guard who can legitimately take on lead responsibilities and make things happen out of isolation and ball screens,” Vecenie wrote. “The act of getting past the first level of defenders and collapsing the defense is something he has no issue with.
“The only problem for Wesley right now is the final product. After college coaches got eyes on Wesley and were able to devise schemes to slow him down, he struggled immensely. Over his final 17 games of the season, Wesley shot just 36 percent from the field and 26 percent from 3. His NCAA Tournament appearances were a good encapsulation, as he shot 15-for-45 over his three games and looked a bit overwhelmed at times.
“Having said that, his ceiling is immense. You can’t really find guys who can break down defenders like Wesley every day. Sometimes, they go the way of [Houston Rockets guard] Kevin Porter Jr., and it takes more than three years (at least) to improve that. Sometimes, they improve rapidly.
Bleacher Report
Jonathan Wasserman has Wesley as the No. 20 overall pick to the Chicago Bulls and the 11th freshman taken in his March 29 mock draft.
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“Teams who can afford to stay patient with their first-round pick will consider Wesley,” Wasserman wrote. “Even when he struggled to put the ball in the basket at different points of the season, his long-term potential was evident. Wesley has an explosive first step, takes long strides, makes shots from three levels and gets into passing lanes. It just may take a few years before he becomes a more nuanced finisher and consistent shooter.”
The Ringer
Kevin O’Connor’s March 24 mock has Wesley as the No. 17 pick to the San Antonio Spurs. Wesley is also the No. 17 player and eighth freshman on O’Connor’s big board, which updated Friday, with pro comparisons to Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro, 21-year veteran Jamal Crawford and Denver Nuggets guard Bones Hyland.
“Last season, the Spurs went with a raw prospect in Josh Primo,” O’Connor wrote. “Selecting Wesley follows a similar logic. He’s actually about one year away from being ‘NBA-ready,’ but he could turn into a steal if the Spurs are willing to be patient.”
Other mock drafts
ESPN draft analysts Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz’s latest mock, released March 28, pegs Wesley as the No. 20 selection to the Spurs. Wesley is a lottery pick in NBADraft.net’s March 30 mock, with the Atlanta Hawks taking him 13th overall.
