His name is Sam!
Know him well? Rolling alongside a tank may avert the oppositions gaze off you, especially when it’s the mighty machine of Frank Kaminsky that you’re rolling with, but that’s exactly what Sam Dekker wanted in his last NCAA season last week. He didn’t want you to notice him when Kaminsky was wreaking havoc in the paint, because on the perimeter, guarding the tank was a sniper, taking aim and waiting for his time.
Bang!
Former Wisconsin Badger star Sam Dekker made real estate out of the NCAA regulation, three point line during his college career. From the halls Dekker helped Frank the Tank to the Final Four and the last dance. He shot down the bulletproof Kentucky marksmen in his white and red vest, as the Badgers clawed at the Wildcats, but was beaten by the devil. The red hot Duke left Dekker ice cold and pulled no punches, as the Coach K legendary collegiate side disarmed the tank and left the Wisconsin sniper, zero for six, no confirmed shots.
What a way to kill a Cinderella campus career. Duke champs. Wisconsin first losers…but what a run it was and should always be credited as, never mind the final score that settles in critics drying ink.
Now declaring himself alongside Frank in the 2015 NBA Draft after his junior season, Dekker leaves the Badgers set for a new future. Still the hole he leaves on the perimeter of Wisconsin will leave him open to so much more in the National Basketball Association, the land of double teams and open season three point shooting. We don’t know how far this kid will go, but if the ball falls the right way this lottery pick, lucky steal for any team should be a first round knockout.
Bang!
Sure he needs to extend that pure three-point range to the NBA’s long ball field goal regulation, but he’s still a sweet spot shooter with an extended heave. Plus did you not see how much muscle this “skinny” kid put on before last season as he went from 6 foot 7 to 6,9? He knows how to improve and to bulk up those rock throwing arms. This 20 year old looks primed and ready. Sure when it comes to college classic, hot hands, some make a career in the NBA as J.J Reddick’s others as Mike Penberthy’s. Still, there’s no shame in being a shooting coach for the future mighty Wiggins led Minnesota Timberwolves, with all due respect to the former Los Angeles Laker. Yet you can bank on Dekker playing for a keeper career in the NBA like his shot was as easy as a Kaminsky one off the glass.
A raw talent who could come off the bench and earn some burn, whilst getting hot and clutch cooling off the opposition, Sam could soon be the big ‘I am’ if given half the chance or play. Matter of fact you don’t even have to run or write any of the dry erase for him, if he’s open he’ll find his place before it all kicks out.
With a sneaker in the door, another long range runner is about to affiliate himself with an association of purists. From wetting jumpers to the NBA dream of walking on water, its time for Sam to make his own name beyond the tweets from Clipper Blake Griffin or the Drake quoting of “whispering accomplishments”. Time for his career to scream!
Clear the open basketball floor, Dekker’s about to hit the deck.
