CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the hours before the NBA Draft, Dylan Windler needed to clear his head so he grabbed his clubs and ventured out to the golf course with former Belmont head coach Rick Byrd -- one of the few who saw Windler’s basketball potential early and played a pivotal role in Windler shifting to to that sport full time.

“I hit one 350 off the tee,” Windler said with a smile.

Not surprising. Windler is a long-range specialist.

Golf, not basketball, was Windler’s main sport. It wasn’t until late in high school, at the end of his junior year, when hoops started to move to the forefront.

“It was actually a very difficult choice for me early on,” Windler said. “I played both of ‘em growing up my entire life. I excelled at both of them.”

Windler decided to try AAU for the first time prior to his senior season. He wanted to see how he stacked up against others from around the state -- and country. He joined Indiana Elite, which also featured second-round pick Kyle Guy from Virginia. As Windler recalls, he was the seventh or eighth guy on that team, overshadowed by many others with more natural talent. But one weekend -- and one program -- changed everything.

When a handful of his Indiana Elite teammates went away for a different camp, Windler had a bigger platform. He got more minutes, had a chance to showcase his other skills and eventually led his new-look team to the tournament championship. That’s when the offers started coming in -- mostly from mid-majors or smaller schools.

“Ended up picking about 20 offers up in one weekend and I was like, ‘This is probably the sport for me’ and I never looked back,” Windler said. “I was very fortunate to be able to go to Belmont, obviously it got me here today.”

Here, being in the NBA, with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Windler was team’s second pick in the first round. Despite a few other appealing prospects still on the board at No. 26, including USC shooting guard Kevin Porter Jr. -- a player the Cavs eventually traded up for at the end of Round One -- and Kentucky’s Keldon Johnson, Cleveland opted for Windler.

In his senior season at Belmont, Windler averaged 21.3 points on 54 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point range to go with 10.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals. He made at least two 3s in 25 of the 33 games, leading Belmont to its first ever NCAA Tournament win. In his final game against Marlyand, Windler poured in 35 points and buried seven triples, getting a ton of social media buzz as one of the tourneys surprising stars.

But the Cavs were on to him much earlier than that, taking trips to Nashville throughout the season and other Ohio Valley Conference games. After all, Murray State’s Ja Morant was considered one of the top prospects in this class and seeing Windler in person was an added bonus.

In one of the scouting trips, general manager Koby Altman saw Windler, a 6-foot-8 wing, pull down 21 rebounds. That same night Windler poured in 32 points and canned a season-high eight 3-pointers in a win against Austin Peay that led to a conference tournament showdown against Morant.

Over the years, the Cavs have invested heavily in their analytics department. Windler ranked top 10 in effective field goal percentage. He ranked top 15 in Player Efficiency Rating and Offensive Box Plus-Minus. His shooting chart pointed to a modern-day player who understands where this game is headed. Windler also had plenty enough athleticism to match, ranking in the 80th percentile or better in lane agility, shuttle run and max vertical at the combine.

“If you had to check a bunch of boxes that fit coach Beilein’s system, he fits them all," Altman said. "He’s tall and also rebounds. He can make plays off the bounce. He’s lefty so he sort of gives you an unorthodox look. So we’re sitting at 26 and we’re like, ‘Who is the best shooter in draft?’”

During Windler’s pre-draft visit, he met with Beilein. The two watched film together and discussed how Windler would fit in the offense. Windler was able to show off his ambidextrous game and smooth shooting stroke.

“Honestly if I didn’t shoot left-handed I’d be more dominantly right,” Windler said. “I like to finish right, drive right. But honestly I can do both and that’s one of the things that helps me a lot is that I can pass with both hands. Just being able to go either way and be confident going either way and being able to pass with both hands is definitely a major asset."

Windler said he thought he could be a first-round pick. But he didn’t want to set any expectations. In a way, it was kind of like his journey to the league.

At one point, Windler didn’t even know which sport to choose. Because of his junior tour golf background, he slipped off the recruiting radar. Local programs -- Purdue, Indiana, and Butler -- were too late. Belmont’s Byrd went to Windler’s high school to watch him play. Windler visited Belmont first and had a good feeling immediately, not wanting to take any chances. So he committed quickly and eventually helped Belmont reach new heights.

If not for Belmont and Byrd, Windler might be a pro golfer, hitting those long-range bombs off a tee instead of on the hardwood. If not for the Cavs, maybe Windler wouldn’t have been a first-round pick.

It seems to have worked out well for everyone involved, especially the Cavs. They are already envisioning the added spacing Windler’s outside shooting will provide and the many ways he can help an imbalanced, rebuilding roster that is desperate for wings -- and future hope.

“He’s not just a shooter," Altman said. “Everything we are looking for is guys who can dribble, drive, pass and shoot. Add basketball IQ to that and you fit into coach’s system.”

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