2015 NBA Draft Pimp Your Prospect: Delon Wright

As the league smartens up and organizations look to maximize the long-term output of the talent they select at the top of the draft, older players tend to lose their footing and slide down the draft's slippery slope. There are exceptions, but going younger offers more of an opportunity to grow with a given team, while a player works towards his physical prime. It's simply the way the league is trending, as illustrated by Nylon Calculus' Jacob Rosen prior to last year's draft:

This coming draft class looks to be on a similar trajectory. But if Utah point guard Delon Wright slips on June 25, he deserves a look from Philly, whether it be via trade-up into the back nine of the first-round or a second-round pick if he ends up in free fall.

First-Team All-Defense

The Ute fits a happy medium of the criteria outlined by Jake Pavorsky for first- and second-rounders. He has the size measurements at his position to make scouts drool, but flushes out some of the intrigue of "upside" with tangible NBA-caliber talent, primarily on the defensive side of the ball.

Wright should see no trouble defending ones and twos at the NBA level, judging by his lateral quickness and stature - 6-foot-5.5, 6-foot-7.5 wingspan. He brings a ton to the table in that regard as a lockdown ball-stopper, but he could also contribute elsewhere. In a Philly defense that loves to force turnovers and get out in transition, he can utilize his other-worldly instincts and anticipation to get out in the open floor, where he thrives. Wright nabbed 2.1 steals per game in 33 minutes a night this past season.

(Video via YouTube user JazzyUte)

(Vine via Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman; clip from junior season.)

A Productive Offensive Player, in Moderation

Part of what makes Wright's success defensively so impressive is that he managed to have the success that he did while shouldering the bulk of the load on offense (22.8% USG). He did all of the heavy lifting, and although his size advantage is more apparent in the college ranks, where it may be a bit easier to see over the defense, he was impressively efficient in a Utah system that pounded the ball inside easy and often, with Wright and Jakob Poeltl taking turns.

About half of his offense came at the rim, where he finished at a 64.3 percent clip, per Hoop-Math.com. Watch him turn the corner off of a pick-and-roll, slither his way towards the basket and finish above the rim (and, like, twelve defenders).

(Video via Tyler Bischoff of Indy Cornrows)

(Vine via Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman; clip from junior season.)

This is all part of the package. A big playmaker with terrific playmaking skills and above-the-rim ability to keep defenses honest. For someone who somehow managed to maintain a 2.62 assist-to-turnover ratio in his role, one would think a smaller reserve role and less of a load to carry would further maximize his efficiency. That's where he'd ideally find his footing in the NBA from the outset.

His Brother Thinks He's Good

"I see him like a Rondo type of player," Delon's brother, former Sixer Dorell Wright told Sam Vecenie at SB Nation last year. "He's a big point guard, gets guys involved. He's a pass-first point guard, but he also gets to the rim whenever he wants to. People think just because Rondo can't shoot that he can't impact the game, and I feel like Delon is the same way. Just because he's not out there making three-pointers and showing you a nice pretty stroke, he can still impact the game in three or four different ways."

Dorell is Wright (I'm so sorry) - Delon's shooting stroke is a bit suspect. It's not broken by any means, as he still converted on over 35 percent of his looks from deep this season. But it's not something an NBA defense will respect. Luckily for him, he evidently has enough alternative talents to make up for that lack of a lethal outside game, and again, a smaller role should mitigate some of the concerns.

He may be 23, but Delon Wright's going to make someone in the 20-30's range very happy. The Sixers should consider stepping in as that catalyst.