Dylan grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he attended Perry Meridian High School. In addition to basketball, Windler excelled at golf and participated in various junior golf tournaments.[1] In the summer of 2014, Windler was selected to play for the Indiana Elite AAU team alongside future Virginia player Kyle Guy. His performance attracted scholarship offers from 15 Division I schools, and he eventually signed with Belmont.[2] Windler led the state in points and rebounds per game as a senior with 27.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per contest.[3]
College career
Windler played at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. As a freshman, Windler played a reserve role, averaging around 4.3 points per game. His following sophomore year, he took on a starting guard position and became an outside threat with a 39.8% three-point completion rate, averaging 9.2 points per game.[4] Windler's junior year was a breakout season with 17.3 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game, and shooting over 45% from three. He had a career-high 36-point, 20-rebound game against Morehead State on February 17, 2018. He was named to the First-Team All-OVC. Coming into his senior season, Windler was named to the 2019 Julius Erving Award Watch List.[5] Windler broke his career-high in points with 41, including a career-high eight 3-pointers, along with 10 rebounds and three steals in a 96–86 win against Morehead State on February 10, 2019.[6] As a senior, he scored 21.3 points per game and collected 10.8 rebounds per game, helping Belmont qualify for the NCAA tournament as an at-large. In a win over Temple, Windler had five points, 14 rebounds, and two assists and three steals. The Belmont Bruins faced off against the Maryland Terrapins in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. Despite 35 points and 11 rebounds from Windler, Belmont narrowly lost 79–77.[2]
Professional career
Cleveland Cavaliers (2019–2023)
Windler was drafted 26th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2019 NBA draft.[7] On July 3, 2019, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Cavaliers.[8] He played for the Cavaliers in the 2019 NBA Summer League.[9] He was diagnosed at the start of the 2019–20 season with left lower leg stress reaction.[10] He was assigned to the Canton Charge of the NBA G League on December 4 and then recalled on December 8.[9] On January 13, 2020, he was ruled out for the season due to ongoing symptoms with the leg injury.[11] He had surgery on January 21.[10] He played two games for the Charge but did not make his NBA debut with Cavaliers.[9]
Windler returned to the Cavaliers for the 2020–21 season.[9] He made his NBA debut on December 23, 2020, recording three points and two steals in a 121–114 win over the Charlotte Hornets.[12] On February 23, 2021, he scored a career-high 15 points in a 112–111 win over the Atlanta Hawks.[13]
During the 2021–22 season, Windler was assigned six times to the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League. He also received six assignments to the Charge late in the 2022–23 season.[9]
New York / Westchester Knicks (2023–2024)
On July 26, 2023, Windler signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks.[14] The contract was later converted into a standard contract prior to the start of the regular season.[15] He was assigned several times to the Westchester Knicks in November and December before being waived by New York on December 13.[16] He was acquired by Westchester as a regular player two days later.[17] On January 5, 2024, he recorded 23 points and 33 rebounds in a 128–121 win over the Delaware Blue Coats, breaking the all-time NBA G League record for most rebounds in a game.[18]
Los Angeles / South Bay Lakers (2024)
On January 6, 2024, Windler signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.[19] He played eight games for Los Angeles in the NBA and three games for the South Bay Lakers in the G League.[9] On March 2, he was waived by the Lakers.[20]
Atlanta Hawks (2024)
On March 4, 2024, Windler signed a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks.[21] He played six games for the Hawks to finish the 2023–24 season[9] and then joined the Hawks in the 2024 NBA Summer League.[9]