As a second-round pick, Spencer Dinwiddie has had a challenging route throughout his NBA career to become the player that he is today with the Brooklyn Nets.
Dinwiddie spent the first two seasons of his career with the Detroit Pistons and then played parts of three seasons in the G League, bouncing around with a few teams. He landed in the perfect situation with the Nets as he finally received the chance to show off his skill set, which has culminated in averaging a career-high 20.2 points per game this season.
With the NBA Draft approaching, projected first-round pick R.J. Hampton recently drew a comparison to Dinwiddie. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, one NBA scout saw Hampton as an athletic version of Dinwiddie. The Nets veteran pushed back on that notion but took the comparison as an honor, nevertheless.
Yea, I mean I know ppl don’t think you’re athletic if you don’t dunk. But 6’6 (220 during quarantine 🤣) with a 40’ and running a just sub 4.5. There’s a reason ppl can’t guard me along with the Bball IQ.
But I take lottery pick comparisons as an honor honestly. Positivity 🤙🏾 https://t.co/3pQgKkZurD
— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) May 6, 2020
As noted by Nick Friar of Nets Wire, Dinwiddie would certainly be a first-round pick in a re-draft of his class in 2014. In fact, several second-round picks that year would likely be first-rounders: Joe Harris (No. 33), Dinwiddie (38), Jerami Grant (39) and Nikola Jokic (41).
Of course, Hampton is considered to be a first-round talent after playing one season in the National Basketball League. He has been touted as an athletic forward but is seen as a project player that will need time to develop over his first year or two.
The statement by Dinwiddie on Twitter just further proves that drafting is an inexact science and that it often takes several years to truly figure out which team performed well in the draft.
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