Analyzing Kyle Wiltjer's plusses and minuses

Apologies for posting the complete analysis but it shows how well the Draft Express folks analyze prospects in just five paragraphs and also displays what most of us fans fail to catch on the court. Wiltjer could very well be the leading scorer in the NCAA next season if the necessary combination of outside-shooting guards can be found by Coach Mark Few yet still a second-rounder who may be best suited for overseas.

Kyle Wiltjer, Power Forward, 6' 10”, 6' 11.5” wingspan, 236 lbs

Mike Schmitz
Draft Express
July 6, 2015

Kyle Wiltjer torched the Nike Academy nets in a variety of ways and was without a doubt the best scoring big man in the group. Wiltjer drilled catch and shoot after catch and shoot three, and also showed the ability to attack an occasional closeout into a step back jumper or floater in the lane.

The Gonzaga sniper was the best shooter at the camp and he consistently made opposing bigs pay for giving him any time or space to get off his jumper. Wiltjer didn't just operate as a spot-up shooter, however. He's very skilled from mid-post spots, as a he displays solid footwork, a few nifty up fakes, turnaround jumpers, and very good touch on his right handed jump hook.

Wiltjer was also very effective in short roll situations as he did a nice job either stopping and popping in mid-range spots, making the right read or using up fakes to get defenders in the air. He's not a big-time athlete or overly long or strong, but the Canadian sharpshooter has a chance to be the best offensive player in the NCAA next year as a senior.

Defensively, however, Wiltjer is still a bit of a liability. While he did appear to add some weight to his frame, Wiltjer doesn't play with great toughness on the defensive end, as he struggles defending the post versus stronger bigs. He's not very involved on the defensive glass either, making him a focal point for opposing bigs to attack on the interior. Wiltjer could probably slide by somewhat on the defensive end if he was able to contain the ball in the pick and roll and stay in front of face-up power forwards in the half court, but his lateral quickness leaves much to be desired. He's actually fairly mobile on the offensive end, but his fairly wide hips and struggles consistently getting down into a stance and sliding really hurt him as a perimeter defender.

Wiltjer will most likely never be a prolific defender given his physical profile, but his stellar offensive package could make him a strong second round pick option next year when he becomes automatically eligible for the draft.