Michigan forward D.J. Wilson appears to have made the right decision. Wilson, having foregone his last two years of college, has been selected No. 17 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the June 22 NBA Draft.
Wilson was outstanding in the postseason in improving his stock.
“I think during that time I played my best basketball of the year,” Wilson said at the NBA draft combine last month. "I heard a lot of buzz around my name.”
There was plenty of buzz before the draft that he could move up into the teens, and he did.
Wilson had managed only 72 points and 24 rebounds in 31 career games before this year, but he broke out and averaged 11 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He becomes Michigan’s sixth first-rounder since 2013, best in the country in that time period. Only Kentucky (10) and Duke (7) have had more first-rounders than Michigan's five in the past four years, which should put to rest any concerns about head coach John Beilein's recruiting.
“It is really difficult, but it is good news,” Beilein said on Fox Sports Radio this week. “The kids are playing well. They are getting these other opportunities to play in the pros and you just got to continue to find other ways.It’s something we didn’t plan on; at the same time we are happy for them.”
Beilein was pleased to see Wilson get picked so high.
"I love the perseverance that D.J. showed throughout his three years at Michigan," he said. "He worked so hard as a redshirt freshman and then again as a role player in his sophomore year. He spent countless hours those first two seasons getting stronger and working with our coaches to improve. All that work paid off this season, as D.J. had a tremendous year. He was committed to proving he could play, and we saw him elevate his game time and time again.
"We are thrilled for D.J., and his mother, Taniya. They have both sacrificed and worked so hard to achieve this success. I know D.J. will bring that same work ethic to the NBA. The best is yet to come."
The first three years on Wilson's contract will be worth $6.36 million dollars per the rookie pay scale on basketballinsiders.com.
