For the first time since 2021, Louisville has a player coming off the board in the NBA Draft. Guard Ryan Conwell got picked by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the No. 37 overall pick in the second round and was traded to the Miami Heat. It’s a big moment for Conwell, who gets his professional career underway. But Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey now has some proof of concept to sell.
Conwell played high school basketball at Indianapolis (IN) Pike, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 304 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
USF is where Conwell committed out of high school, marking the beginning of a long journey. Indiana State was his second destination before getting back to the power conference level at Xavier. And as we all know, Conwell finished his college career at Louisville. It turned into a great decision.
Conwell played in 34 games this past season, averaging 18.8 points per game while shooting 40.8% from the field. He added 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists every time out there.
Once getting into NBA Draft mode, testing was a key part of the process for Conwell. His wingspan came in at 6’7, while his vertical leap was 39.5 inches. That was good enough for 12th of all particiapnts in the drill.
The NBA does not assign specific contract values for second-round picks, allowing teams to negotiate with the player. While they are able to offer a fully-guaranteed deal, they can also offer non-gauranteed money to mitigate risk. This section will be updated when Conwell’s contract is made public.
What NBA Draft analysts are saying about Ryan Conwell
Ahead of the draft, On3’s James Fletcher produced a scouting report on Conwell. He talks about the positives and negatives surrounding the Louisville product. More than anything, scoring stands out for Conwell but he will need to find a long-term position in the NBA.
“Ryan Conwell has been a go-to scorer and shooter in the college game across multiple seasons, taking his skills to a higher level each year,” Fletcher said. “His size and best positional fit remain the largest question for a player with undeniable skills.”
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