One week after going undrafted, Kaleb Wesson has reportedly landed a training camp contract with the Golden State Warriors.
The Athletic's Anthony Slater reported the news on Wednesday night.
Source: Kaleb Wesson is signing a camp deal with the Warriors. He's a 6-foot-9 bruising big from Ohio State who can shoot it a bit. Gives them an extra big body at the outset of practices.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 26, 2020
While that doesn't guarantee that Wesson will make the Warriors' roster, it will at least give him an opportunity to practice with an NBA team during the preseason and show what he can do, potentially giving him an opportunity to earn a full contract.
The former Ohio State center retooled his body by dropping 34 pounds before his final season in Columbus with the specific intention of positioning himself for the NBA in response to feedback from NBA personnel. He extended his shooting range, improved his lateral quickness and developed both as an interior defender and rebounder before opting to bypass his senior season at Ohio State for the draft.
Last season, he averaged 14 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 29.5 minutes per game. Leading the Buckeyes in scoring both in 2018-19 and 2019-20, Wesson increased his 3-point percentage from 34.7 to 42.5 percent between his sophomore and junior years. Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann was adamant that he believed Holtmann can play in the league.
"Listen, Kaleb Wesson is the best-shooting big in the NBA draft right now," Chris Holtmann said last month. "He is the best-shooting big in the NBA draft. One-hundred-and-six 3s last year. He took 14 as a freshman. He took 106 last year at 43 percent. He shot 43 percent overall, 43 percent in league play. He's the best-shooting big in the NBA draft."
Wesson, who turned 21 years old this summer, still might face an uphill battle to make an NBA roster this season, but he'll look to prove wrong all the teams who passed on him.
