Tag: NBA Draft Combine

Here is why shuttle times will be much faster at 2020 NBA draft combine

The 2020 NBA draft combine, which was conducted virtually this season due to the ongoing pandemic, has yielded some very wonky results.

The 2020 NBA draft combine, which was conducted virtually this season due to the ongoing pandemic, has yielded some very wonky results.

Rather than traveling to one central location like previous years, prospects are getting measured at the NBA team facility that is nearest to a player’s home or their interim residence. Medical testing and examinations were performed by NBA-affiliated physicians in the same market.

That means that results are trickling in rather than coming streamlined on the same day, as usual. It also means that while the league is taking measures to ensure that everything is as consistent as possible, there are some inevitable inconsistencies when comparing year-over-year testing.

One reason could be that these prospects have had far more time to prepare for the combine than players have had in other seasons due to the draft being pushed back five months. But now that certain scores have been reported, some are drastic enough to cause serious eyebrow-raising to the point where we knew we needed a deeper dive.

This has been most apparent when looking at results for the shuttle run this year. For example, speedy guard prospect Devon Dotson improved his score by 0.58 seconds since tested last season.

Earlier today, we speculated that the shuttle run may have been measured differently this season as it was unlikely that (at least) the four fastest shuttle times in history all would have been from the same draft class. Fortunately, however, we received some clarification as to what may account for these eye-popping changes.

Shuttle runs times are typically based on reactive pro agility; a light goes off and the prospect completes the drill in the direction of the light. According to someone who spoke with USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, this year, the direction of the run was predetermined for the shuttle run before the drill began and no lights were used.

For comparison, you can watch participants complete the drill in the video above and see that they are being judged on split-reaction time. Previously, the drill started when the light went off and the direction of that light (left or right) was randomized.

But not every team facility had access to that equipment, so to make sure that the drill was standardized, no lights were used. Instead, prospects were told which way they were to run ahead of time.

“That could easily change the time by a few tenths of a second,” one trainer, who has helped pro prospects prepare for the NBA draft, told Rookie Wire.

Eliminating the reaction time contributed to the fast times that have leaked, which for such a short drill, can feel drastic.

The trainer also mentioned that basketball players usually have one foot that is stronger than the other. For example, if a prospect typically takes off from their right foot on their vertical leaps, their right leg will have more muscle. So if they’re able to push off the stronger foot and use all of their strength and body momentum in that direction for a shuttle run, their score will be better than if the light told them to go the direction of their “weaker” leg.

Combine (no pun intended) all of that with the aforementioned fact that prospects have had more time to prepare for the testing than ever before due to the elongated draft process, it makes far more sense why there are already so many historic numbers for the shuttle run this offseason.

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Source: Warriors to interview Penn State’s Lamar Stevens at NBA Draft Combine

According to a source, Penn State’s Lamar Stevens is slated to speak with the Golden State Warriors at the NBA Draft Combine on Thursday.

Before they’re on the clock with the No. 2 overall selection in November, the Golden State Warriors will cross off one of the final steps of the pre-draft process.

At the virtual edition of the NBA Draft Combine, Steve Kerr and Bob Myers will be able to meet with prospects from the 2020 pool. During post-combine media availability, Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton and France’s Killian Hayes have confirmed their pre-draft interviews with the Warriors.

According to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke to USA TODAY Sports Media Group on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, Penn State’s Lamar Stevens is one of the players scheduled to speak with the Warriors. This was confirmed by a second person, who added that the interview is scheduled for Thursday.

In Rookie Wire’s Mock Draft 5.0 from Bryan Kalbrosky, the 6-foot-8 forward landed with the Washington Wizards with the No. 56 selection in the second round. Stevens ranked as the No. 69 overall prospect on Rookie Wire’s Pre-Combine Top-100 Big Board. According to Rookie Wire, Stevens is an “above-average finisher” as the ball handler in pick-and-roll possessions for someone his size.

Here is what Stevens recently told Kalbrosky about this unusual skill set (via HoopsHype):

“Playing at Penn State, I was able to showcase more of my offensive game. I think I can make plays, especially when there are bigger guys on me. I’m too quick, too athletic, and a lot of time, too strong for a bigger man to stay in front of me. If there’s a small guy, I usually bring them into the post. In pick-and-roll situations, usually against a bigger person, head coach Pat Chambers trusted me to make those plays. We had plays designed to have me come off of the pick-and-roll and they were pretty successful.”

Stevens is one of the more experienced players in the 2020 class, starting all four years with the Nittany Lions. On his way to leading Penn State to a national ranking as a senior in 2020, Stevens tallied 17.6 points on 43.3% shooting from the field with 6.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals in 31.1 minutes per game.

In a tilt against potential first-rounder Daniel Oturu and Minnesota in February, Stevens recorded a career-high 33 points on 11-of-21 shooting from the field. The 23-year-old added seven boards and three assists in Penn State’s 83-77 win over the Golden Gophers.

After impressive campaigns in 2019 and 2020, Stevens was named to the All-Big Ten First-Team in back-to-back seasons. In Penn State’s run to the NIT Championship in 2018, Stevens earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. Along with his accolades on the court, Stevens penned his own children’s book titled “Lamar’s Climb — A Journey to Happy Valley.”

Similar to Eric Paschall and Draymond Green, Stevens fits the accomplished college player mold the Warriors have had success drafting during the second round in the past.

With a handful of expensive contracts on the books, Kerr and Myers will need to identify talent in the later rounds they can plug around Green, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins.

While Golden State’s first-round pick will make headlines, their ability to add steady contributors with a pair of second-round selections could be a key factor in the Warriors climb back to the top of the Western Conference.

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Report: LaMelo Ball withdraws from remainder of 2020 NBA Draft combine

After taking part in the interview sessions with both the league and the media this week, LaMelo Ball has withdrawn from the draft combine.

After taking part in the interview portions of the 2020 NBA Draft Combine, LaMelo Ball has withdrawn from the remainder of the combine, as reported by Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo. The move comes after Ball took part in a media interview on Monday, a rarity, but before he could speak to any teams.

Ball had an eventful interview session with the media on Monday. Taking place in an empty weight room, the most notable comment saw LaMelo distance himself from his father LaVar, stating he had his own opinions separate from LaVar. Specifically, LaMelo’s comments were about his father saying he would not be a good fit with the Warriors.

Ball also fielded multiple questions about which teams he has and hasn’t spoken to. After a string of denials of speaking to a number of specific teams, Ball did acknowledge that he spoke with the New York Knicks, which does fly in the face of Woo’s report, though, that could be the only team Ball spoke with.

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LaMelo Ball, a unique, one-of-one prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft

LaMelo Ball took part in media availability for the NBA Draft Combine on Monday and showed again why he’s one of the most unique prospects.

LaMelo Ball has been described as many things in the many years he has been in the national spotlight, both on and off the court.

Flashy. Arrogant. Cocky. Fearless. Smart. Hard-worker. Quiet. Immature.

Each word in some way or another has defined Ball at some point. A shrewd thinker, though, has not.

But as Ball sat in an empty weight room in front of a computer on Monday taking part in a media availability via Zoom as part of the NBA Draft Combine, the question was posed as to how he was handling the unique nature of the pre-draft process this season and a typically concise Ball had a moment of profoundness.

“I think I’m dealing with it really well,” he said. “I kind of like how it’s just like the first time we’ve ever seen it and it’s all unique because I feel like I’m like that, too. I feel like it’s all something new.”

In many ways, it’s fitting that Ball’s pre-draft process comes from a distance as it’s a perfect summation of the vast majority of his basketball career up to this point.

His games have been consumed behind computer screens and on social media via 60-second highlights. Since leaving Chino Hills in 2017, only brief stints with SPIRE and in the JBA have fans in America even had the opportunity to catch Ball’s games firsthand.

Trips to Lithuania and Australia have been more than just stamps on Ball’s passport, but situations and environments that have forced the youngest member of the Ball family to adapt and grow or be left behind.

“Honestly, I feel like that helps a lot,” he said of his experience in the NBL with the Illawarra Hawks. “I feel like that (explains) how I am now with any team that picks me, I’m good because being over there, it’s just a whole different world, you know. It’s something you’ve got to see.

“Even with Lithuania, being through that, too, it’s just a lot of stuff I’ve been through to make me who I am today.”

Ball may not have taken his stop in Lithuania in stride, but he hit the ground running in Australia and needed just a dozen games to establish himself as one of the top prospects for November’s draft.

Monday, then, provided a glimpse at the person Ball has become since his days of hoisting half-court shots and cherry-picking his way to 92 points with Chino Hills.

“I feel like everything I did led me to who I am today,” he said. “So, I’m grateful for it, thankful, and I feel like it all just helped.”

Ball fielded questions from reporters across the globe. He was asked if he had spoken to numerous teams, ranging from the Pistons to the Cavs to the Suns and the Timberwolves, who hold the No. 1 pick. Each inquiry was met with an increasingly coy denial with one notable exception in the Knicks.

He did admit to having talked with teams, which made the admission of a conversation with New York all the more noteworthy. Like everyone else, the questions from the franchises centered on getting to know who Ball is.

“I feel like (the teams want to) just get to know me,” Ball said, “because there’s a whole lot of stuff out here that just doesn’t really, you won’t even know if it’s me or not. So, pretty much just get to know me.”

Ball isn’t the kid with the trademark hair cut and jump shot from those days at Chino. He isn’t the kid who lets his dad do his talking anymore, as he was sure to point out.

“I’m my own man,” he said. “He’s his own man. He has his opinions and I have mine. Like I said, I feel like I can play on any team, do good anywhere I go. Anything that happens, I’ll be positive.”

Instead, he’s blossomed into a very legitimate prospect, one that can pass at an elite level, run the pick and roll with the best of them and will make an impact from day one in the NBA.

Despite consistently noting that he feels he can fit with any team, Ball also added that he wanted the ball in his hands, a fair request for arguably the top point guard in the draft.

“Like I said, I feel like I could be successful in any situation,” he said. “But I would like to have the ball because, as a point guard, I feel like the point guard needs the ball to make plays.”

He also noted the validity of the comparisons to Lonzo, his oldest brother and current Pelicans point guard who was selected No. 2 overall in 2017. LaMelo said he’s in touch with his brother on a daily basis, seeking advice for what is to come.

The comparison stems largely from the familial bonds because the two are hardly similar on the court. Lonzo has carved out a role as a three-point shooter and defensive point guard. But neither of those things were calling cards for LaMelo in the NBL last season, who hung his hat largely on his playmaking ability. One of the lone common characteristics is their passing ability with both showing an understanding of the game well beyond their age.

LaMelo, though, isn’t modeling his game after any player, past or present, family or not. His unique journey to where he is now has led to a unique prospect that has hardly been seen before.

“I don’t really compare myself to nobody. I feel like I’m myself. One of one.”

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Kaleb Wesson set to take part in virtual NBA draft combine

Former Ohio State basketball big man Kaleb Wesson is among 61 players set to take part in the virtual NBA draft combine this week.

The official list of names has been announced for the virtual 2021 NBA Draft combine and former Ohio State big man Kaleb Wesson will be a part of the 61 players involved.

Rather than have the standard in-person combine in Chicago like normal this year, the combine has been moved to a virtual event. And yes, you guessed it, the new set up is because of the COVID-19 pandemic that has already pushed back the original date of the NBA draft to October initially, to now November 18.

Each participant will attend virtual interviews and go through medical exams as a part of the process. Wesson and all others will also have the opportunity to submit workouts for each team to view as desired.

The 61 participants were first reported by basketball insider Jeff Goodman by way of the below Twitter post.

Wesson flirted with the NBA draft process at the end of the 2018-2019 season but ultimately decided to come back for his junior season at Ohio State. He took valuable feedback from that discovery to reshape his body, and polish his game as a better outside shooter, and improved footwork on the interior.

Now, he believes he’s ready to be a valuable asset to an NBA team and is going all-in on trying to impress NBA scouts and executives. It all goes down this week. If we get any reports of how Wesson is doing, we’ll bring them to you.

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Report: LaMelo Ball to participate in team interviews, media session for virtual combine

LaMelo Ball will be the only top prospect to take part in the NBA Draft Combine as he is slated for team interviews and a media session.

On Sunday, Shams Charania released the surprising report that LaMelo Ball would be taking part in the 2020 NBA Draft Combine, which will be conducted virtually this season due to COVID-19. While the initial report raised some eyebrows, Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo added some context to Charania’s report with one of his own.

Per Woo, Ball is slated to have team interviews and a media session, all virtual, this week. For now, it’s unclear if he’ll take part in other portions of the draft combine, most notably the physical portions.

Even with his participation scaled back, Ball is the most notable player to take part in the combine. The likes Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, Memphis’ James Wiseman, Dayton’s Obi Toppin and USC’s Onyeka Okongwu.

There was already some confusion about Ball potentially taking part in some form of a draft combine in Boston. However, it was later noted that Ball was in Boston for a meeting with Puma.

Report: LaMelo Ball set to participate in 2020 NBA Draft Combine

Unlike typical top prospects entering the NBA draft, LaMelo Ball will take part in the 2020 NBA Draft Combine, which will take place virtually.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Sunday evening that LaMelo Ball would take part in the 2020 NBA Draft Combine. Ball is going against the typical modern trend for top prospects of sitting out of the draft combine to avoid either hurting their draft stock or potential injury risk.

Charania also released the full list of combine participants that did not include Anthony Edwards of Georgia, James Wiseman of Memphis or Obi Toppin of Dayton, further proving the trend of top prospects sitting out.

Ball’s decision to take part in the combine is a curious one. The best argument for why he would take part is to give teams more information about him. Even with his dozen games played in the NBL, most franchises lack the basic information on him.

He’s never taken part in a Nike showcase or a USA camp where any sort of measurements are typically taken. By taking part in the combine, Ball gives the franchises a baseline of information they didn’t otherwise have.

There’s also only so far Ball could realistically fall in the draft. Even if he has a poor showing whether in agility or lane drills or his measurements aren’t as expected, he’ll still be one of the top prospects taken in November’s draft.

Ball’s unique situation affords him the chance to take part in the combine without the typical risk that comes with top prospects competing. The draft combine is set to take place in phases throughout the months of September, October and into November.

Report: NBA has held preliminary discussions on potential 2020 Draft Combine

As the NBA moves further into its plans for restarting the league, a potential NBA Draft Combine of sorts has been discussed for late August.

Every part of the NBA’s normal scheduling has changed in the wake of COVID-19. The league being put on hold for what will eventually be the better part of four months has had ripple effects in every aspect of the league.

One of the areas that has been most impacted with the fewest answers yet is the draft. Whereas during a normal NBA calendar year prospects would be working out for teams currently as the draft closes in at the end of June, present-day scenarios include Zoom interviews and at-home workouts with NBA teams instead left to game tape as the only way to see prospects in action.

In most seasons as well, a draft combine would have already been held with measurements gathered and drills completed, but the combine was another victim of the coronavirus stoppage. While the NBA has begun including plans for the 2020 NBA Draft, including setting dates for the lottery and the draft itself, a possibility of a combine had not yet been mentioned, let alone a date given.

DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony reported on Sunday, though, that the league has begun talks of something potentially resembling a combine.

Multiple team sources told ESPN that preliminary discussions are underway for some type of draft prospect gathering in Orlando during the last week of August. This would include medical testing, player interviews and, possibly, measurements. The exact format, including how many players would be invited, is still under consideration, though workouts or scrimmages would be unlikely.

Givony went on to note that the league is waiting to see how the NBA’s restart plan plays out before potentially bringing more prospects into the bubble inside Disney World. NBA teams have still been working under the expectation that, eventually, in-person interviews would be allowed which has meant fewer Zoom interviews for the top-level prospects.

Not having a combine or potentially individual workouts likely works against LaMelo Ball – as well as James Wiseman – in the competition for the No. 1 pick. Team workouts would have been the time for Ball to prove he is healthy and for teams to see him in-person rather than on a computer or TV screen halfway around the world.

Without in-person workouts or even a combine, Ball will be unable to answer questions about his game or put to rest any concerns about his health. Getting his measurements could be a further boost for Ball as his height has not been officially noted anywhere but has been speculated to be around 6’7″ or potentially even 6’8″. Those small things can add up against him in a tight race for the No. 1 pick.

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NBA looking at options for a virtual 2020 NBA Draft combine

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the NBA is looking at getting a player pool for the NBA Draft combine.

As the NBA looks at contingency plans to potentially save their season, the latest draft class is in limbo as much as anybody right now, facing an unprecedented draft situation for the league with the pandemic. On Monday, the league reportedly sent ballots to teams to have them vote on eligible players to be part of the rookie combine, which will possibly be conducted virtually, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

As the league tries to minimize contact for games and do not envision fans being in the stands for a long time, it would make a lot of sense for teams to conduct a virtual combine of sorts, where players are organized for set times to interview with respective teams and team psychologists. The NBA would be able to do a virtual combine in a central location, but it’s very unclear if the current state of the virus in the United States would allow for that.

The NBA also decided on Monday to give themselves more time before they declare the CBA void due to the force majure event of the pandemic.

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NBA Postpones 2020 NBA Draft Combine & Draft Lottery

The NBA postponed both the NBA Draft Combine and the Draft Lottery. Read how this affects Michigan State players eligible for the Draft.

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Today, the NBA announced the postponement of both the 2020 NBA Draft Combine and the NBA Draft Lottery. The event was originally scheduled to take place in Chicago starting on Thursday, May 21, and ending on Sunday, May 24. Three Michigan State Basketball players declared for the draft this year: Cassius Winston, Xavier Tillman, and Aaron Henry.

Note, the postponement of the Draft Combine & Draft Lottery likely means a postponement for the Draft as well. Although, no formal announcement has been made on the Draft just yet. The Draft is currently scheduled to take place on June 25.

Here is a Tweet from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski with more information:

According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, there is a possibility that the NBA Draft takes place in either August or September. We will keep you posted on the Draft Combine and Draft updates along with how these changes affect the Spartans eligible for the 2020 NBA Draft. In the latest Athletic mock draft, Tillman and Winston were both picked in the second round of the Draft.

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