Besides measurements, medical tests, shooting drills, and five-on-five, college players are swarmed with questions not just by the media but NBA teams at the NBA Combine.
Some players are being interviewed by eight or more teams exhausted by the cloned questions however there maybe one or two that catch these young men off guard. Belmont’s Dylan Windler knows firsthand.
“I’ve been interviewed by like eight or nine teams,” said the 22-year old guard.
When I asked if he was asked any questions that caught him of guard, he laughed.
“When you’re approaching a yellow light, are you going to stop or are you going to speed through it.”
The majority would say stop. In reality, many of us would go through it safely. Windler felt it was best to be honest with the team and not give the conventional answer.
“I was honest, Im a speed through it. That’s what I do,” he laughed. “I told them the truth.”
Charlotte Hornet, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings were a few of the teams he spoke with. He still has five or more left.
Windler started at Belmont riding the bench but had a break out junior season averaging 17.3 points per game, 9,3 rebounds per game and shooting over 45% from three. He improved his senior year averaging 21.3 points per game, 10.8 rebounds per game and leading his team to the NCAA Tournament.
Belmont’s head coach Rick Byrd’s advice to Windler was to be himself during this process and be geniune. On court, play your game as you are here for a reason.
“Trust everything you put into this and just play relaxed,” Windler said was one of Byrd’s recommendations.
If drafted, Windler will be the first player from Belmont to be drafted in almost 50 years.
Listen to what Windler said about transiting from college basketball to the NBA, his inspiration and his relationship with Boston Celtics’ Gordon Hayward on the next page.