Joe Wieskamp Scouting Report

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Joe Wieskamp
Photo Credit: Dan Fritz

School: Iowa

Year: Sophomore

Height/Weight: 6’6, 210 lbs

 

Strengths:

Joe Wieskamp is one of the best catch and shoot players in college basketball. The sophomore from Muscatine, Iowa, shot 42.4% from three point range his Freshman season, and is off to a similar start as a sophomore. Wieskamp possess a great stroke and a quick release and is always ready and waiting on the wing to catch and shoot the rock.

Wieskamp has ideal size for a shooting guard at the next level. At 6’6 and 210 lbs, Wieskamp fits the mold of the tall wing with elite outside shooting ability that can stretch the defense that NBA teams have loved in recent years- think Kevin Huerter, Cam Johnson, and Tyler Herro.

Another impressive part of Joe Wieskamp’s game is his high IQ. While he takes a lot of threes, he never forces them. He also uses ball fakes effectively to free himself for an open jump shot or drive, and when he does put the ball on the floor he seems to always make the right call on whether to go all the way to the rim or dish it off to a teammate.

Wieskamp is a very unselfish player as well, and he’s shown improvement as a passer from his freshman to sophomore season. The Hawkeyes will need him to act as a playmaker more often this year as Jordan Bohannon is playing through a hip injury and doesn’t look like himself. While Joe probably won’t bring the ball up too much, he’s shown the ability to attack from the wing and hit an open teammate when the double comes, a good sign for the Hawkeyes and for his future as a professional.

Weaknesses:

Joe Wieskamp is a below average athlete compared to NBA players, which will put him at a disadvantage at the defensive end of the floor. He’s been a competent defender at the college level, but his sub-par quickness, strength, and athleticism could get exploited against most NBA wings. This concern could also hurt him on the offensive end, as he’ll likely struggle to create his own shot against quicker and more athletic defenders.

I’d also like to see Wieskamp be more aggressive on the offensive end. He does a good job of not forcing the issue, but he needs to attack the rim more when the three ball isn’t open. He can disappear for long stretches on offense, which has a negative effect on his team and something he needs to work on fixing before his collegiate career is over. As a freshman, it was understandable for him to be passive on a team with so many offensive weapons, but he is clearly the best perimeter player on the Hawkeyes roster this year. His team needs him to look for his shot more, something that NBA teams will want to see as well.

Future Outlook:

Joe Wieskamp is still under the radar as an NBA prospect, but I think he has the tools to make a career for himself in the association. Given how much emphasis NBA teams have put on shooting in recent years, Wieskamp fits the mold of the tall spot up shooter who can come off the bench to knock down shots and give his team a spark.

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Photo Credit: Dan Fritz

In terms of whether or not Wieskamp will be drafted and what round if so, I think it’s too early to tell. When looking at players with similar games to Wieskamp over the past couple of seasons, Cam Johnson and Tyler Herro both went in the lottery in 2019, Kevin Huerter went 19th in the 2018 draft, and Duncan Robinson signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent in 2018, but has played very well for the Heat this season. This trend is a very good sign for Wieskamp as none of these players, with maybe the exception of Herro, were considered serious NBA prospects the year before they were drafted. Wieskamp is not yet at the level of those guys who went in the first round, but he is just a true sophomore and could stay another year and improve his all around game to potentially become a first round prospect in a year or two.

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