You’ve probably heard about Gradey Dick, the shooting guard from Wichita Collegiate who is highly ranked in the Class of 2022 and has been on KU’s radar in the recruiting game.
But given Dick’s most recent decision, you’re likely to hear a lot more about him in the near future.
The 6-foot-6 guard announced last week that he was transferring to Sunrise Christian Academy in nearby Bel Aire, where he is expected to play his final two seasons of high school basketball.
Sunrise is just 7 miles from Wichita Collegiate’s campus, but it’s a world away in terms of the exposure it can give to players in Dick’s shoes.
The Sunrise Academy alumni web page lists 40 current Division I players who once played in the Buffaloes program. And the most famous name to pass through the program is now playing for the Sacramento Kings, with former Oklahoma standout Buddy Hield now in his fourth season in the NBA after a stellar college career with the Sooners.
Dick’s blend of size and athleticism got him noticed. But making the move to Sunrise is something that can get him signed by the biggest programs out there.
He’ll still have to play and deliver, of course. And it’s possible that he could’ve made his way to the college program of his choice by continuing his career at Wichita Collegiate. But attending Sunrise figures to give him more exposure and better opportunities while also preparing him for the college stage before he gets there.
It’s clear from his social media posts announcing the decision to transfer that Dick did not make the move on a whim.
“I want to give a huge thank you to Wichita Collegiate and the school community for all the love you’ve given me over the last 7 years,” he wrote. “I am grateful for all of the relationships that I have made that will last a lifetime.”
Heading into the summer before his junior season, Dick is ranked No. 30 overall in the Class of 2022 by Rivals.com.
The Rivals data base shows offers from 11 programs — Baylor, Creighton, Iowa State, KU, Kansas State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas Tech and Wichita State — and interest from nearly a dozen others, including blue bloods like Duke and North Carolina.
Last month, Dick, as just a sophomore, was named the Gatorade Kansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds and just over 2 assists per game.
The coming months figure to be different from any Dick has experienced in a while, with AAU basketball and team workouts on hold in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But the smooth shooting guard who has shown an elite ability to attack the rim appears to be taking it all in stride.
“The only beneficial thing, at least right now, is I can get a hold of coaches during a time when they don’t have a lot going on right now,” he told Shay Wildeboor of JayhawkSlant.com after being receiving the Gatorade POY honor. “I can just sit down and make calls to them.”
The Next Chapter…???????? pic.twitter.com/Ff3EuNc1Xn
— Gradey Dick (@gradey_dick) April 24, 2020
