Dan Nwaelele

The two things that stand out the most about Dan Nwaelele are his exceptionally smooth shot and the intelligence with which he plays. Nwaelele was the most efficient shooter in the NCAA this past season and it showed during the PIT. His ability to move quickly and with purpose to spots on the floor and get into his shooting motion immediately after the catch will be a real asset going forward into his pro career. Nwaelele’s first step and overall explosiveness were surprising when seen in person. He’s not a super athlete, but he’s certainly ahead of the curve in that department, at least compared to the initial impression you get when watching him play in Air Force’s system.

Nwaelele was able to use the threat of his shot very effectively to create driving lanes for himself. Unlike some of the other guards at the PIT, he was able to finish above the rim even when the help defense was able to put a body on him. He is extremely compact and has good core strength for powering through initial contact to still get up.

The offensive element that was really missing from Nwaelele’s game was a solid mid range game off of the dribble. He showed nice catch-and-shoot ability, but didn’t pull up very often when he had the chance. This is understandable because he was able to finish effectively in the paint, but at his size it will be imperative to recognize that floaters, runners, and straight pull-up shots will most likely be the order of the day for him going forward. Still, there was a lot to like in terms of his total game and he reminds one a bit of Kelenna Azubuike in terms of his stature and build, though he’s a superior perimeter shooter at this stage in his career.