Julian Stawther could have been a season deep in his NBA career at this point, but instead he withdrew his name from the 2022 NBA Draft and returned for another season of college ball at Gonzaga.
Strawther played a total of three seasons of college basketball and will be 21 years old when this year’s draft rolls around. While his age may come as a slight hindrance to his overall draft stock, it doesn’t play that big of a role as he still has plenty of NBA prospects in the future.
Strawther is a 6-foot-7 forward who had a career season for the Bulldogs last season. He averaged 15.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and just over one assist per game a season ago. All those were improvements from the 2021-22 season. His 3-point percentage also rose this season as he ended with a 40.8% mark on more than five attempts per game.
The only major statistical category that declined was his overall field goal percentage, which dropped from 49.8% to 46.9%, which could be expected as he was shooting more this season than he did in 2021-22.
Strawther is built like and excels at the wing, but can play multiple roles in a lineup providing versatility and boosting his overall draftability for teams. His basketball IQ and decision making is key to his success as he has learned quickly and doesn't try to do too much when he has the ball.
Defensively Strawther is also efficient. He is quick and long meaning he can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. He can defend multiple positions, which is a positive for a prospect making a transition to a league that continues to grow more positionless.
For OKC, Strawther would make a great impact as another 3-point threat and playmaker on the wing. His versatility and ability to play in any role he is given is crucial, and makes a good skill for the NBA. Oklahoma City has two picks in the second round, and Strawther would likely lean toward the higher of the two picks as he may be off the board by pick No. 50.
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