NBA Draft Prospects Who Helped Themselves The Most At The NBA Draft Combine
The NBA Draft Combine is starting to become a bigger event year after year it seems and I will admit that while we typically don’t have the best 5-on-5 games, a lot of big names played this year. That said, every year there are guys who end up having strong measurements or who have a strong 5-on-5. So with that in mind, we’ll take a look at some of the guys who had a strong two days in Chicago that really helped themselves.
Donte DiVincnezo – The star of the national championship game, Donte DiVincenzo had a real strong trip to Chicago. DiVincenzo is currently just testing the waters, but I’m going to guess that changes as I think he solidified a first round landing spot. DiVincenzo tested in the top-4 ever for max-vertical and no-step vertical, which I believe makes him sneaky athletic. But, what he is is a shotmaker. He has good enough size to play off the ball at over 6’4″ and 6’6″ wingspan and has the ability to create for himself. He played in the 5-on-5 as well and showed off his range during that. I’m going to guess he slides in to the late first round, very early second at the worst.
Mo Bamba – I talked about how he measured the longest wingspan ever at the combine at 7’10” and he’s really starting to solidify himself as a top-5 prospect in my eyes. I still think the best fit for him is Dallas where he can work with Rick Carlisle and they have experience working with a player like him in Tyson Chandler.
Kevin Huerter – The rising junior from Maryland had a real strong five-on-five. In fact he played so damn well on day 1 he actually sat out on day 2. His numbers aren’t eye-popping, but he is that sort of playmaker that NBA teams like. He has good size and we saw in the U-19s last season he can still have an impact on the game if he’s not shooting well. He’s an above average passer and at 6’7″ can provide a different look. I still think he’s an early second round pick, but some believe he may sneak into the first round. I wouldn’t be surprised though to see him come back to Maryland and make a jump into the top-20 next year.
Jaren Jackson Jr. – The freshman from Michigan State also tested incredibly well. The only person with a longer wingspan than Jackson was Bamba and Jackson grew across the board from before he started at Michigan State. Jackson didn’t play in the 5-on-5, but that wingspan and growth should help him out when it comes to what teams think of him as a top-3/5 pick. He’s an excellent shot blocker, but will need to be able to stay out of foul trouble at the next level.
Josh Okogie – One of the more intriguing prospects out there is Josh Okogie from Georgia Tech. He tested well at 6’4″ with a 7’0″ wingspan. Now, here’s the thing. He does a lot of little things well -as he always plays hard, defends and went 2-for-4 from the 3-point line during 5-on-5s. However, he still lacks great ball control and while playing on a bad Georgia Tech team, some negative tendencies carried over. He tends to drive in a straight line with his head down and doesn’t really look to get others involved. That has to change at the next level. I do like him as an early 2nd round pick though.
Melvin Frazier – A name that the casual fan may not know – the Tulane standout was really good, especially in day 1 during 5-on-5s. ESPN actually brought him on stage to interview him after his scrimmage and broke down game with him. It was actually refreshing listening to him talk about his strengths and weaknesses as he said his biggest strength is 1v1 defense while acknowledging he needed to improve his jumper. Both are true. Frazier is 6’6″ with a 7’2″ wingspan should be a first round pick. He could fit a team like the Warriors at 28, Nets at 29 or Hawks at 30.