Players of Intrigue at the Combine

[CFAN38]

The NBA Draft Combine starts tomorrow. I personally do not put much stock in the parts of the combine that we the fans can see. Most of these players have been so analyzed over the years in high school, AAU and college that nothing new will really come from a two day workout and testing session. This is particularly true given that Draft express does a great job publishing and organizing prospects measurement history. Where in the past there was a lot of drama around how a player would measure and was that stud PF really 6’9 or only 6’7 etc. However of the 63 guys going to the combine there are a few I am interested to see this year.

1.   Thon Maker, we know he is measurements thanks to the Canadian all American game but how will he test physically? Has he bulked up at all from 225lb back in April? The big one how does he look in drills and games compared to fare more polished players?   

2.   Ben Bentil, after a great college season he has entered the draft but is getting very little love from mock drafts. It seems to me his measurements will be an important factor for him. He currently has no official measurements. As a modern style face up PF if he measures at or taller than his listed 6’9 with decent length I still think he is worth of a 1st round pick.

3.   Caleb Swanigan, he is one of my draft sleepers. He has a long measurement history but his weight and athletic testing will be important. If his weight is sub 260 and he tests and shoots decent I think he is a dark horse 1st round pick due to his combination of skill set, age (just turned 19), and extreme length 7’4+ wingspan.

4.   Cheick Diallo, his measurements are known and everyone knows he is a good athlete but he must show that he gained weight since being 220lbs at the hoop summit and show a decent skill set in the drills and games. 

5.   Brice Johnson, he was last measured in 2011 and was 6’9.5” and 185lbs. It obvious he has gained weight but is he really his listed 230lbs? Also has he grown at all? His on court play shows his extreme athletic ability but it will still be interesting to see it tested.

6.   Kay Fielder/ Tyler Ulis, I personally think Fielder is going to be the better pro and this is his chance to start showing us why. While both are small PGs Fielder looks to be the bigger stronger more explosive athlete. He needs to prove it and test well.

7.   Marquese Chris, he will test well athletically but I think it will be important for his stock that he shows improved strength since the college season has ended. He has a lot to gain as a good combine and workouts could launch him into the top 5.

8.   Skal Labissiere, he must show a willingness to compete in the drill and 5 on 5 portion of the combine and hopefully has bulked up since his UK pro day.

9.   Zhou Qi, he is a total mystery to me and most casual basketball fans. His hoop summit measurements where extreme at 7’2 with a 7’6.5” wingspan but he only weighed 209lbs. How he fairs in the competition portion of this combine will likely dictate if he is an NBA player or a promotional piece for the Chinese market.

10. DeAndre' Bembry, as a projected fringe 1st round pick I will be curious to see how he measures out. Listed at 6'6 210 if he is at least that with decent length it will obviously help his stock.

[TwinTower14]

Really interested to see how Murray tests athletically, if he does well I would think he solidifies himself as the 3rd pick.

[saltlover]

My favorite part of the combine is seeing which players the Celtics end up interviewing.  Last year Terry Rozier was one of 16 players interviewed (as was Justise Winslow).  The year before Marcus Smart was one of the interviewees, and Ainge had some particularly nice things to say about him after the interview.  Kelly Olynyk was also interviewed.  So pay attention to the list of players they meet with -- one of these names is typically called on draft night by the Celtics.

[CFAN38]

Really interested to see how Murray tests athletically, if he does well I would think he solidifies himself as the 3rd pick.

I actually don't think Murray's testing will have any effect on his stock. He doesn't play an athletic explosive style of basketball he is more a smooth hesitation move type guard. Teams have seen him play in college and know what he can do. 

[CFAN38]

My favorite part of the combine is seeing which players the Celtics end up interviewing.  Last year Terry Rozier was one of 16 players interviewed (as was Justise Winslow).  The year before Marcus Smart was one of the interviewees, and Ainge had some particularly nice things to say about him after the interview.  Kelly Olynyk was also interviewed.  So pay attention to the list of players they meet with -- one of these names is typically called on draft night by the Celtics.

Great point

[CoachBo]

Saw a bunch of Diallo out here early in the season.

He was a total bust at KU, and has no business whatsoever entering the draft.

[acieEarl]

Where did you see Diallo?

Can't really disagree with you, but this kid was a McDonalds All American, 6'9" and has an NBA body. He must have had some issue at Kansas as he rarely got an minutes. Kid is really raw and if he does make a team it's going to be a couple years. I hope the Cs grab him with a late 2nd rounder and stick him in the D league. Maybe he just needs minutes on the court.

Saw a bunch of Diallo out here early in the season.

He was a total bust at KU, and has no business whatsoever entering the draft.

[TheSundanceKid]

My favorite part of the combine is seeing which players the Celtics end up interviewing.  Last year Terry Rozier was one of 16 players interviewed (as was Justise Winslow).  The year before Marcus Smart was one of the interviewees, and Ainge had some particularly nice things to say about him after the interview.  Kelly Olynyk was also interviewed.  So pay attention to the list of players they meet with -- one of these names is typically called on draft night by the Celtics.

Do you know if Ainge spoke to Fab Melo the year he drafted him? I'd be interested to know if that was an outlier or if it perhaps led to Ainge putting more focus on the interviews

[CFAN38]

My favorite part of the combine is seeing which players the Celtics end up interviewing.  Last year Terry Rozier was one of 16 players interviewed (as was Justise Winslow).  The year before Marcus Smart was one of the interviewees, and Ainge had some particularly nice things to say about him after the interview.  Kelly Olynyk was also interviewed.  So pay attention to the list of players they meet with -- one of these names is typically called on draft night by the Celtics.

Do you know if Ainge spoke to Fab Melo the year he drafted him? I'd be interested to know if that was an outlier or if it perhaps led to Ainge putting more focus on the interviews

Im not sure if DA interviewed Fab but it is safe to say he was an outlier in DA's typical draft plan. I would say Fab and Perk where similar in that they where long shot big man picks that he just rolled the dice on late in the 1st. I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen again this year. 

[Csfan1984]

100% agree DA should roll the dice on a few big men. Stay away from the undersized combo guards please.

[CFAN38]

Where did you see Diallo?

Can't really disagree with you, but this kid was a McDonalds All American, 6'9" and has an NBA body. He must have had some issue at Kansas as he rarely got an minutes. Kid is really raw and if he does make a team it's going to be a couple years. I hope the Cs grab him with a late 2nd rounder and stick him in the D league. Maybe he just needs minutes on the court.

Saw a bunch of Diallo out here early in the season.

He was a total bust at KU, and has no business whatsoever entering the draft.

Diallo's Kansas struggles are not without precedent Alexander had a similar situation the year before. The difference was Diallo had to be cleared by the NCAA and lost time early in the season and was not even able to earn the minutes Alexander did. I think he will impress teams enough in workouts to go in the late first. While undersized for the center position his length and ability to project as a switch everything type big man will find favor with teams. I can see him going to the Spurs, Warriors or Clipper late in the 1st.

[Evantime34]

Have they announced who is playing in the games? I'd love to see what a guy like Maker could do against other draft prospects.

[Csfan1984]

I want to know how Onuaku does in everything seems like a good big to gamble on in the second. Also is Onuaku indeed going to be a second round pick? Many had mocked draft placed him in 35-55 range and now he is off a few boards? He declared early that tells me he thinks he is a 1st round guy or his family is in need.

Zimmerman is another guy I think C's would be interested via slight trade up from 31.

[saltlover]

My favorite part of the combine is seeing which players the Celtics end up interviewing.  Last year Terry Rozier was one of 16 players interviewed (as was Justise Winslow).  The year before Marcus Smart was one of the interviewees, and Ainge had some particularly nice things to say about him after the interview.  Kelly Olynyk was also interviewed.  So pay attention to the list of players they meet with -- one of these names is typically called on draft night by the Celtics.

Do you know if Ainge spoke to Fab Melo the year he drafted him? I'd be interested to know if that was an outlier or if it perhaps led to Ainge putting more focus on the interviews

I wasn't able to find anything that far back on the intertubes.  But there are a few key points:

1) Teams and players both have limits on the amount of interviews they can conduct or participate in.  Each team submits it's interview requests, and the NBA plays a sort of matching game.  The fewer interview requests you make, the more priority you're given for your requests, which helps prevent teams from just requesting to interview everyone.  So while I don't know if Ainge interviewed Melo, he may have requested to but not been able, or he may have had others he wanted to interview more, and so Melo was left off his list. (The only name I could find that he did interview was Meyers Leonard.)

2) I would be shocked if Melo wasn't brought in for a workout, which also affords an interview opportunity, as well as a chance to see how quickly he responds to coaching.  The only time I remember hearing about Ainge really picking blindly was with Gerald Green, who was expected to be off the board several picks before the Celtics' turn, and even that story might be more apocryphal than true.

3) I also find it somewhat noteworthy that Robert Upshaw was given an interview last year, but never made it to a workout and was passed over in the draft.  He did have to cancel some workouts because of a medical issue, so maybe it was that more than anything else, but the interview also could have been an early weed-out (no pun intended, but I really wish it were!)

[CoachBo]

Where did you see Diallo?

Can't really disagree with you, but this kid was a McDonalds All American, 6'9" and has an NBA body. He must have had some issue at Kansas as he rarely got an minutes. Kid is really raw and if he does make a team it's going to be a couple years. I hope the Cs grab him with a late 2nd rounder and stick him in the D league. Maybe he just needs minutes on the court.

Saw a bunch of Diallo out here early in the season.

He was a total bust at KU, and has no business whatsoever entering the draft.

Diallo's Kansas struggles are not without precedent Alexander had a similar situation the year before. The difference was Diallo had to be cleared by the NCAA and lost time early in the season and was not even able to earn the minutes Alexander did. I think he will impress teams enough in workouts to go in the late first. While undersized for the center position his length and ability to project as a switch everything type big man will find favor with teams. I can see him going to the Spurs, Warriors or Clipper late in the 1st.

Totally different. Alexander earned playing time.

Once Diallo's NCAA problems were solved, he failed entirely to earn significant minutes, and Bill Self decided to bury him on the bench.

If he can't play at Kansas, he is nowhere near NBA-ready. The kid has made a massive mistake coming out, as will the team that drafts him.