Summer League Blog:

Dylan Windler



The Wine & Gold's 26th Pick Checks In From Utah

What’s up, Cavalier fans! It’s Dylan, checking in from Salt Lake City Summer League. We’ve been practicing two-a-days getting ready for Monday’s opener, but while we have a minute, here’s a quick update from Utah.

I’m kind of relieved that the Draft process is over and I’m here with my new team.

Even though it’s only two months, it’s not an easy process leading up to the Draft. It can be physically and mentally exhausting. But I just tried to stay focused and stay strong through it all; try to come into the workouts as best prepared as I can be and just play hard every day, because you never really know what the right team is going to be.

So you just come in with that same attitude every single day and just give it your best effort, leave everything on the court – and the rest of it is really out of your control.

Dylan Windler snatches a rebound at Day 1 of practice in Utah.

Photo by Matt North / Cavs.com

I feel like I had a really good workout with the Cavs in Cleveland. Coach Beilein and Koby, I think they liked me a lot. I got to talk to them after, had a good interview and they seemed to be really interested. So, I got a good feeling from it.

I wasn’t sure if Cleveland was going to draft me or not, but overall it was a good workout and I was happy with it.

After getting taken by the Cavs, I went to the media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts the day after the Draft, then I went back home to Indianapolis for about a week – lifting, training, getting ready for Summer League.

I came right from home here to Salt Lake, and now I’m looking forward to spending the next 10-15 days with this team – having a little bit of fun but also competing and playing hard and try to get some wins.

I’ve heard about Coach Belein’s practices. And they’ve been good. They’re a little different than anything I’ve ever done, but they’re very thorough and he has such a great attention to detail. He sticks with the basics and goes back to simple passing and cutting and 2-on-1 transition, where to be, things like that.

"It’s a grind, but it’s all good, because we’re trying to be well-prepared for these three games. " Dylan Windler Talks Practice

It’s a lot of fundamentals, but that’s good. It’s good sometimes to get those things programmed back into your head. The little things are important. So it’s been great, but it’s been tough, for sure.

When we wrap up Summer League – both here and Vegas – I want to show the team that I came out here and I really like to compete and play hard and show them what I can do offensively and defensively. But ultimately, I want to help this team to get a few wins out here and try to make a little playoff run when we get to Vegas.

It’s been a little bit of a grind – we have two-a-days right now – just practicing, getting used to the system and so forth. It’s a grind, but it’s all good, because we’re trying to be well-prepared for these three games.

And when both Summer Leagues are complete, I’ll probably go home for a couple weeks, just get back to training and everything while I’m there.

And then I’ll try to get back to Cleveland a little early and get situated, get a place, and then just start coming into the practice facility and get acclimated with all the rest of the guys and start training with them.