Add The California Post on Google Some NBA mock drafts have Tyler Bilodeau going late in the second round. Some don’t have him being taken at all.
None of that matters to someone who has never listened to the doubters.
Lightly recruited out of high school, Bilodeau proved himself at Oregon State before transferring to UCLA and becoming one of the top-shooting power forwards in college basketball.
So, no, Bilodeau doesn’t have a backup plan if he doesn’t hear his name called in the draft — he doesn’t believe he’ll need one.
“If I don’t get drafted,” Bilodeau told The California Post on Wednesday, “hopefully I get picked up [as a free agent]; I think there would be a good chance of getting picked up by a team and just go from there — keep grinding, keep working toward my dream. No Plan Bs.”
Bilodeau has used his uncertain status as motivation in the draft combine and workouts for NBA teams while rounding into form from the knee injury that has sidelined him since the Big Ten Tournament in March.
Although he didn’t compete in agility or strength drills or scrimmages during the recent combine, Bilodeau validated his reputation as a top shooter. He made 64% of his 3-pointers in one shooting drill and 68% in another, while also sinking all 10 free throws.
But the 6-foot-9 Bilodeau said there’s more to his game than being a floor-spacing big man who has the versatility to play multiple positions after spending part of the last two seasons as a small-ball 5 for the Bruins.
“I also want to showcase my other things like my toughness and being a winner, getting after it on defense,” Bilodeau said, “I think that’s going to be a big piece for me and then yeah, keeping it simple and just staying coachable.”
Having heard the criticism about his defense, Bilodeau wants to prove that perception wrong as well.
“I just want to show that I can guard smaller guys, be able to switch and hold my own in that regard,” he said. “I want to show them my quickness and my foot speed, lateral movement, guard without fouling and use my length and everything.”
Having slowly increased his activity level, Bilodeau was a more active participant in drills Tuesday at the Lakers’ practice facility during a showcase for about 25 NBA teams. He said he expected to be fully cleared for contact next week as he starts individual team workouts.
Of course, that won’t soothe the heartache that UCLA’s leading scorer felt when he couldn’t participate in his final NCAA Tournament after going down the previous week.
“I stretched out a lot of stuff in my knee and my knee wasn’t fully stable and my quad muscle, too, so it was not the safest thing to go,” Bilodeau said of playing in the NCAA Tournament. “I think it was always a long shot just with — like I’m just getting cleared for contact now, so that gives you some context, but I tried to go and everything, but I wouldn’t have been able to help the team.
“Obviously, it was super tough not being there for them, especially — like, the whole season’s to get to that point, a win-or-go-home situation in the NCAA Tournament, so it was tough, but I tried to be there for my team and encourage them and make sure I was there for them.”
One benefit of rehab has been strengthening his quad muscles, which Bilodeau said could make him more explosive. He also received some advice from Mavericks guard Dante Exum, who was rehabilitating his knee at the same facility.
“He’s like the ultimate professional, just like hearing from him and like you know, how you’re supposed to act with teams and how you speak to them and just how to carry yourself,” Bilodeau said, “but I think I’ve learned that a lot growing up with my parents, too.”
Bilodeau isn’t as courteous when it comes to mock drafts that seem to mock him.
“They’re always changing, and what those say really never happen in the draft, right?” he said. “Like, it’s always changing, so I’m just trying to get a little bit better every day, just focus on the day to day, but yeah, I think I definitely have a chip on my shoulder.
“I mean, ever since high school and like I wasn’t ranked in high school or anything like that, I’ve always been overlooked a little bit, so just keeping that chip on my shoulder and I think it helps me quite a bit with motivation, so it’s good.”
