How Arizona unlocked Dell’Orso’s NBA potential

• Dan Hurley says Dell’Orso will make an NBA team
• Arizona validated his shooting under reduced usage
• Elite free-throw numbers signal real NBA shooting translation
• Fits modern NBA role as a connector and spacer
• Late draft or two-way contract firmly in play

Australian 1.98m guard Anthony Dell'Orso is not in any 2026 NBA Mock Drafts but that doesn't mean the Arizona Wildcats bench spark doesn't have a legitimate shot of becoming another Aussie in the NBA next season.

UConn's championship winning coach Dan Hurley said 22-year-old Dell'Orso knew how to play his role after the Wildcats rolled the #3 ranked Huskies 71-67 on November 20, 2025.

"I think [he's] going to make an NBA team, just because he's got size and he shoots it with the way the new NBA plays," Hurley said.

"I know he wasn't good tonight, but that guy is maybe the best bench player in the country."

Dell'Orso, born in Melbourne and went to Marcellin College, has started every game on the bench for the Wildcats this season but is playing 24 minutes per contest for the No1 ranked unbeaten Big 12 leaders.

"It’s a little easier knowing what you’re stepping into," Dell'Orso said of coming off the bench.

"You can prepare better, feel more comfortable. But the higher level you go, you’ve gotta be better at playing in uncontrollable situations. "The NBA’s a great example of that — you’ve gotta be ready at all times, whether it’s one minute or 20 minutes. I think that’s preparing us well for that next stage.

"The NBA’s a great example of that — you’ve gotta be ready at all times, whether it’s one minute or 20 minutes. I think that’s preparing us well for that next stage."

Typically Australian, Dell'Orso said being ranked No1 in the country: "(Is) really cool for about two minutes. You say, 'That’s pretty cool', and then you go on about your day."

Given Sydney point guard Tyrese Proctor, albeit a slightly different archetype, was drafted in the second round in 2025 with the 49th pick, basketball.com.au has delved deep into the data to try to understand whether Dell'Orso can push his way into the draft or sign with an NBA team undrafted.

tl;dr: Yes.

College Career Breakdown

• Name: Anthony Dell’Orso
• Position: Guard
• Size: 6-6, 190 lb (198 cm, 86 kg)
• Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
• High School: Marcellin College (AUS)
• Colleges: Campbell to Arizona

His rise has been production-driven, not hype-driven — every level earned through performance.

Campbell (Big South / CAA transition)

Dell’Orso was immediately impactful at Campbell, progressing from elite freshman to all-conference guard.

2022–23 (Freshman)

• ‍GP: 34 │ MIN: 28.9 │ FGM: 4.4 │ FGA: 9.0 │ FG%: 48.7 │ 3PM: 1.1 │ 3PA: 3.6 │ 3P%: 32.2 │ FTM: 2.6 │ FTA: 3.1 │ FT%: 83.0 │ REB: 5.8 │ AST: 1.3 │ STL: 0.9 │ BLK: 0.1 │ TO: 1.9 │ PF: 2.0 │ PTS: 12.5

• Big South Rookie of the Year
• Big South All-Freshman Team
• Established himself as a two-way rotation guard with scoring versatility
• Comfortable shooting off movement and in secondary creation roles

This season laid the foundation: strong feel, shooting confidence, and mature decision-making well beyond a first-year guard.

2023–24 (Sophomore)

• ‍GP: 27 │ MIN: 34.1 │ FGM: 5.1 │ FGA: 10.4 │ FG%: 49.1 │3PM: 0.3 │ 3PA: 1.6 │ 3P%: 15.9 │FTM: 1.1 │ FTA: 1.8 │ FT%: 62.5 │REB: 6.5 │ AST: 5.7 │ STL: 2.1 │ BLK: 0.4 │TO: 2.4 │ PF: 2.4 │ PTS: 11.6

• All-CAA
• Big South Tournament Team
• Became Campbell’s primary perimeter weapon
• Showed improved shot creation, especially off pin-downs and dribble hand-offs
• Defensive versatility expanded — capable of guarding 1–3 in scheme

This was the year Dell’Orso moved from “good college player” to transfer-level impact guard.

2024-25 (Junior — Transfer to Arizona)

• ‍GP: 37 │ MIN: 18.2 │ FGM: 2.4 │ FGA: 5.4 │ FG%: 45.0 │3PM: 1.4 │ 3PA: 3.3 │ 3P%: 41.3 │FTM: 1.0 │ FTA: 1.1 │ FT%: 90.2 │REB: 1.4 │ AST: 1.4 │ STL: 0.5 │ BLK: 0.1 │TO: 0.7 │ PF: 0.9 │ PTS: 7.2

Moving into Arizona’s system represented a significant role compression test — fewer touches, higher athletic baseline, faster decision windows.

His 2024–25 season at Arizona was not about numbers — it was about validation.

He showed he can:

• Sacrifice usage
• Maintain efficiency
• Fit into a winning structure
• Play a professional-style role

For NBA teams, that season strengthened his case as a plug-and-play developmental guard, not just a high-volume mid-major scorer.

2025–26 (Senior — Arizona)

• GP: 9 │ MIN: 24.0 │ FGM: 3.8 │ FGA: 8.1 │ FG%: 46.6 │ 3PM: 1.6 │ 3PA: 4.0 │ 3P%: 38.9 │ FTM: 2.3 │ FTA: 2.6 │ FT%: 91.3 │ REB: 2.0 │ AST: 2.9 │ STL: 1.0 │ BLK: 0.2 │ TO: 1.6 │ PF: 1.4 │ PTS: 11.4

Key translation notes:

• Efficiency held, even with reduced usage
• Three-point shooting remained stable on NBA-style attempts
• Assist rate increased — trusted as a connector
• Free-throw shooting (91.3%) reinforces real shooting touch

This is high-volume proof — not a one-year spike.

Skill Evaluation

Offensive Profile

Strengths

• Legitimate NBA-level shooting mechanics
• Comfortable off catch, relocation, and movement
• Strong decision-maker out of advantage situations
• Can run secondary P&R without stalling offense

Limitations

• Not a burst athlete
• Limited rim pressure against elite defenders
• More efficient as a play finisher than a primary creator

Defensive Profile

• Size allows multi-position coverage
• Team-scheme defender rather than isolation stopper
• Reads passing lanes well
• Needs strength gains to hold up vs NBA wings

What Arizona Actually Validated

1. Shooting Translates Under Role Compression

At Campbell, Dell’Orso was a high-minute, multi-responsibility guard. At Arizona, he became a low-mistake, high-efficiency perimeter piece.

Key signal:

• Junior year: 41.3% from three, 90.2% FT
• Senior year (to date): 38.9% from three, 91.3% FT

That combination is one of the strongest NBA shooting indicators available in NCAA data.

2. Decision Speed Holds Against Higher Athletic Baselines

Arizona reduced his:

• Touches
• Shot freedom
• Time on the ball

Turnovers fell to ~0.7–1.6 per game despite quicker reads. Assist rate remained functional (2.0–2.9 APG) without forcing creation. This confirms connector viability, not just mid-major control.

3. Defensive Survivability, Not Defensive Driver

At Campbell:

• STL peaked at 2.1 spg in his sophomore year

At Arizona:

• Steals settled closer to 0.5–1.0 spg
• Rebounds fell sharply (role + spacing)

Interpretation:

• Defensive value is positional reliability, not event creation
• He holds scheme, switches adequately, doesn’t break structure

That’s a bench NBA defender profile, not a stopper.

NBA Skill Translation

Offense

Translatable

• Catch-and-shoot three (both corners and slot)
• Movement shooting
• Secondary P&R reads
• Ball reversal and flow maintenance

Non-Translatable

• High-usage creation
• Primary advantage generation
• Rim pressure vs length

Defense

• Can guard 1–3 in team schemes
• Needs strength for NBA wings
• Relies on positioning and anticipation

Draft / Contract Projection (Updated)

Draft Range

• Late Second Round
• Two-Way Contract Priority
• Priority Undrafted Free Agent

Arizona removed the “mid-major inflation” concern.

NBA Role Projection

Likely Outcome

• Two-way guard / wing
• 9th–11th man
• Shooting-driven rotation minutes
• G League + NBA spot usage

Best-Case Outcome

• 7–8 man rotation wing
• Reliable playoff spacer
• Low-mistake closing-unit option

Why Teams Will Take Him

• Size + shooting + decision making
• 90%+ FT shooter (elite predictor)
• Proven role acceptance
• Multi-year durability (100+ games)

Why Teams May Pass

• Average burst
• Limited self-creation ceiling
• Needs physical development to defend NBA wings

Final Scout Verdict

Anthony Dell’Orso’s NBA case is made at Arizona, not Campbell.

Campbell proved he could produce. Arizona proved he could scale.

That combination places him squarely in the “rotation shooter with connector upside” tier — exactly the type of player teams try to uncover late in drafts or on two-way deals.

The Proctor Baseline (What Pick 49 Represents)

Tyrese Proctor going 49th overall tells us exactly how the league priced him:

What teams paid for

• Multi-year high-major starter
• Proven on-ball guard
• Solid (not elite) shooting on volume
• Defensive reliability
• Age + international pedigree

What teams discounted

• Lack of elite burst
• Finishing inconsistency
• Shooting efficiency that was good, not elite
• Ceiling capped more as a rotation guard than a lead guard

Pick 49 = “rotation guard pathway, not guaranteed minutes.”

What Proctor at 49 Means for Dell’Orso

It raises Dell’Orso’s credibility — but not his ceiling

If Proctor (with:

• more usage,
• more minutes,
• more ball-handling responsibility,
• but lower shooting indicators)

went 49th, then Dell’Orso’s Arizona profile clearly sits in the same evaluation bucket, just on the role side rather than the creation side.

But here’s the distinction NBA teams make:

• ‍You draft creators earlier.
• You sign role shooters later.

Practical Draft Translation for Dell’Orso

Realistic Outcomes (Ordered by likelihood)

1. Priority Undrafted Free Agent

• Guaranteed Exhibit 10 or two-way invite
• Summer League + training camp look
• This is the most common outcome for his profile

2. Late Second Round (Picks ~52–58)

• Requires:
  • A team specifically hunting shooting + size
  • Or a draft-night trade-up using cash
• Comparable to Proctor’s slot, but only if a team is role-hungry, not creation-hungry

3. Two-Way Contract Post-Draft

• Very strong probability
• Arizona validation + 90% FT keeps him on boards

Why Dell’Orso Still Might Not Go Where Proctor Did

Even with elite shooting indicators:

• He doesn’t offer on-ball redundancy insurance
• He doesn’t collapse defences
• He doesn’t run second units

Those traits push players into drafts, not just onto rosters.

The Clean Scout Answer

If Proctor is a 49th-pick player, Dell’Orso is:

A 50–60 range evaluation who is more likely to be signed than drafted, but not less valued in a roster-building sense.

In other words:

• Proctor = drafted for what he might have to do
• Dell’Orso = signed for what he already does

‍

Bottom Line

Proctor going 49 validates the tier, not the slot.

Dell’Orso sits:

• in the same late-second / two-way ecosystem
• with a higher shooting floor
• but a lower creation ceiling

That combination historically produces:

• Fewer draft selections
• But longer NBA survival rates if the shot holds.

Dell'Orso won't go in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft but teams searching for a big guard who can shoot and defend 1-3 will be watching closely. Expect him to play in the 2026 Summer League in pursuit of a two-way contract.