NBA G-League Combine: What We're Watching
Deep sleepers and fringe prospects attempt to make a name for themselves in front of countless NBA scouts in Chicago the next few days. Who will move up to the main NBA Draft combine?
The G-League Combine is a great place for prospects to make their name. That may not turn into a draft selection, but getting a headstart on workouts, finding ways to be coveted for Summer League and just getting a foot in the door is incredibly important. Many of the names in attendance at this combine check one of two boxes: guys on the borderline of the top-60 that scouts want to see dominate, and deep hidden gems they want to get a look at before inviting them to their own facilities.
Last year, Duane Washington from Ohio State took an opportunity from the G-League Combine and turned it into a standard NBA contract by the end of the season. All guys need is to get their foot in the door, and the rest is for them to take care of. What we love about the combine here is that the door is cracked for these guys to pry their way in.
Some of the top performers from this year’s event will follow in the footsteps of Washington and earn their way into the main draft combine, also taking place in Chicago this week. Last year, the inaugural G-League Combine provided a ton of value for prospects and teams alike.
Just look at the crowded field and what we know about these names a year later. Aaron Wiggins, Dalano Banton, Duane Washington and Jose Alvarado all made the league and even a positive impact in year one. Guys like EJ Liddell went back to school and drastically improved their stock, while others like Hunter Dickinson, Kofi Cockburn, Scotty Pippen Jr, Jalen Wilson and several others went back to school for another year. Mac McClung, Aamir Simms and MaCio Teague straddled the line of G-Leauge All-Star and Two-Way player as well.
Advice — honest feedback — is the biggest thing most of these guys can gain. The G-League combine features 44 players; last year, only three participants wound up getting drafted (one was Juhann Begarin, a draft-and-stash). The vast majority of guys in attendance are outside the top-60 for teams (if they were inside that grouping, they’d bypass the G-League combine and go straight to the main event). Receiving advice on whether they should stay in the draft or remove themselves is pivotal for many prospects, and it’s important to note that more players last year withdrew than saw an NBA floor in Year One. With NIL money in college basketball green-lit, we’d expect the same type of result this year. June 1st is the deadline for early entrants to announce their intentions and decide if they’ll stay in school.
On a recent episode of The Box and One Podcast, SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell came on to discuss what really happens at the NBA Draft combine and why it’s so valuable to earn an invite. It has less to do with playing in the scrimmage or testing, and more to do with interviews and being around decision-makers more often.
Courtesy of ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, here is a list of the attendees scheduled for the G-League Combine this week in Chicago:
The list is chocked full of a diverse range of players. There are international guys, mid-major representatives, D3 players, guys from non-traditional paths and some high-major achievers. There are guys who did little on their rosters this year and National Champions, Draft Twitter darlings and yet-to-be-uncovered gems. There’s also a great deal of diversity on our overall board represented at camp: three guys from our top-60 are in the fold, while six outside our top-200 are also in attendance.
Going through each of the 44 players is a little too rich, but we can and will highlight a few standouts, position groups and intriguing names we simply want to learn more about.
Our Favorite Guys
Our big board is very different than mainstream ones. We aren’t afraid to go against the grain and put our favorite guys higher than consensus. There are three guys in our top-60, and a few more just outside that mark who are likely to slide into that range as a few prospects withdraw their names and return to college.
Jordan Hall, St. Joseph’s - Hall has three traits that we covet in prospects: size (6’7”), shooting (shot above 35% from 3) and playmaking (one of the best passers in college basketball). Guys like him are, at the very least, helpful in terms of being a connective tissue type of player. Hall has his struggles defensively and isn’t an NBA-caliber athlete, but when surrounded by other great players, his game will pop. We have a top-45 grade on Hall and think he’s got the best chance of anyone here to get drafted.
Hyunjung Lee, Davidson - We stick in the Atlantic-10 and move to a specialty shooter. Lee is elite coming off screens, has great feel for backdoor cuts and has good size at 6’6”. Athletically he’ll be tested, but far smaller and worse athletes have survived in a shooting specialist role in the NBA. He’s got a little more juice off the dribble than given credit for, too. Scrimmages without a ton of structure may be a tough place for his game to shine, but he’s a definite top-60 guy on our board.
Marcus Sasser, Houston - Before a season-ending leg injury, Sasser was a fast riser on our board. He combines tough, gritty on-ball defense with deep-range 3-point shooting off the bounce. That rugged combo is perfect for a modern backup guard. It’s hard to predict how Sasser’s injury may impact his performance here; we initially thought he’d return to school and get a full year under his belt before declaring. Big fan of how he plays, and he’s squarely on the bubble of draft range and returning to school for a special run at Houston. He could be a big riser throughout the week.
Tevin Brown, Murray State - Brown is, like Lee, a speciality shooter. A little smaller than Hyunjung, Brown is a better athlete and was incredibly consistent during his career with the Racers. Sitting just outside our top-60 right now, Tevin is a popular pick to earn his way up into the main combine with a strong showing.
The Shooting Specialists
There’s a strong contingent of 3-point shooters who are looking to stick as snipers in the NBA. The first thing from a talent perspective that stood out to us was this category of prospect and, quite frankly, how many there are sharing the floor at the same time. In addition to Hyunjung Lee and Tevin Brown mentioned above, there are at least a half-dozen others who fit that designation
Buddy Boeheim, Syracuse - A really good movement shooter, Buddy made over 300 triples during his four-year career with the Orange. He’ll have some defensive limitations, but of all the guys in this category, he may have the best track record for scoring inside the arc and some of the deepest range.
Kyle Foster, Howard - A sleeper who is starting to get more attention, Foster shot 46% from 3 on major volume this year with the Bison. He was always a shooting specialist for Howard, launching 75% of his career attempts from behind the arc. A quick trigger and solid movement upside highlight what he brings to the table.
Ryan Turell, Yeshiva - Speaking of smaller colleges, no invitees come from a more unique background than Turell. A D3 All-American, he turned down Division I interest to study at an orthodox Jewish school in Yeshiva. He has good size, is a fantastic shooter with range and is used to being chased around everywhere on the floor. Could he be this year’s version of Duncan Robinson?
Baylor Scheierman, South Dakota State - Scheierman is one of those guys squarely on the fence of the draft. While he played with the Jackrabbits last year and made the NCAA Tournament, he’s recently announced that if he withdraws from the 2022 NBA Draft, he’ll transfer to Creighton. There’s really no wrong decision here for Scheierman to make, but if he doesn’t get the call-up to the big combine event, it’s likely he returns to school.
Kellan Grady, Kentucky - We really like Grady for the known commodity he is: a high-volume shooter who is really good off screens. He is unlikely to move into draftable territory, but a positive showing will convince the right team to snatch him up with a priority two-way and prevent him from going to Europe. Defense is and will be his challenge in the league.
The Portsmouth Invitational All-Stars
There’s been a long-running tradition for some player from the Portsmouth Invitational event to get drafted. Every year, some attendee hears his name called in the draft. There are a few who need to make a pitstop here at the G-League Combine first. Who is most likely to keep rising up boards and be one of the 58 players drafted this year?
Quenton Jackson, Texas A&M - A live-bodied athlete, the 6’5” combo guard put together an impressive under-the-radar season for the Aggies. He’s a great finisher, an effective shooter and a steals-maven on the defensive end. There’s a creativity to his game that can make his role pop far beyond that of a traditional off-ball threat.
Tyrese Martin, Connecticut - This year’s version of Jose Alvarado, Martin is a gamer and competitor who maxes out everything he has to offer. He’s only 6’6” but plays bigger and more physically, shot 43% from deep this year and battles on the glass every night. All it takes is one team to fall in love with his intangibles to earn a draft pick, but a really good showing could slide him up into the main combine event.
Keve Aluma, Virginia Tech - A skilled, mismatch forward, Aluma is potentially caught between being a 4 and a 5 in the NBA. He’s a good shot-maker, incredibly active defensively and rarely makes mistakes. His defensive impact will be tested if he’s to be a full-time rim protector, but Aluma was one of the two or three best players in Portsmouth by many accounts.
Jared Rhoden, Seton Hall - A guy we weren’t too high on before Portsmouth, Rhoden shot the ball really well at the PIT and opened eyes of many scouts as to how he can impact the game as a defensive menace. He loves to get after guys and could be a competitive nightmare for many.
The Point Guards
As we mentioned earlier, the floor will be well-spaced at the combine with a ton of shooters. That could lead to great assist numbers, increased space for finishing and other positive to many point guards in attendance. How these guys test physically will also go a long way in NBA teams feeling comfortable in their upside.
Michael Devoe, Georgia Tech - Not to invite the direct comparison, but Jose Alvarado’s college teammate has a little bit of that toughness in him. Devoe is a skilled shot-maker and has terrific size at 6’5”. He’s more of a combo guard naturally, but a good showing with the ball in his hands could help an NBA team feel comfortable in his upside to run a second unit.
Eli Brooks, Michigan - The savvy Wolverine is drastically underrated in terms of his playmaking ability. He had a great five-year career at Michigan, shot over 39% from deep each of his last two seasons and rarely turns the ball over. Similarly to Devoe, a positive showing could convince scouts he’s ready to make the full-time leap to lead guard. He has EuroLeague All-Star written all over him to us.
Max Abmas, Oral Roberts - Let’s be real: last year was a disaster for Abmas at the combine. He didn’t play well, test well or fit in athletically. Not much has changed since then, but he becomes a really good litmus test as a returner against other prospects here.
Jamaree Bouyea, San Francisco - Big fans of Bouyea here at the Box and One. He’s really shifty and quick, plays a cerebral game and has been lauded by coaches who have to go against him. He’s not going to dominate athletically or take over the game, but makes the right play and competes. He’s one guy we’d expect to be a riser and a prime candidate to move up to the main combine.
The Swing Forwards
A position of growing importance in the NBA is the swing forward spot. Guys who can defend the 3 and 4, play both a skilled and physical style of basketball and knock down shots to provide positive spacing are the new iteration of the 3-and-D wing from a few years ago. Several prospects fit that mold while having unique tools that they bring to the table.
Vince Williams, VCU - About a month ago, Chip Jones came onto our podcast and professed that he gave the VCU product a lottery grade on his board. While that is way too spicy for us, there’s merit to what Williams brings: dependable shooting, toolsy defense and solid playmaking. He’s a tad undersized for the traditional mold of this position, but his activity on the glass and willingness to guard nearly every position for the Rams makes up for it.
Luke Travers, Perth Wildcats - The only international prospect in the field, Travers is a uniquely talented defender. He’s got a really good feel at 6’8” and can be a secondary playmaker in the pros. If he keeps shooting it at a high rate and doesn’t look out of place athletically, there’s a good role player ceiling for him in the league.
Brady Manek, North Carolina - Manek exploded during the NCAA Tournament and shot the leather off the ball. There’s no doubt he’s a talented shooter and can score in a variety of ways. How his game fits into the pro mold, and if he can find a position to naturally defend at 6’9”, will dictate his pro ceiling.
Tyler Burton, Richmond - Burton is a modern 3-and-D wing/ forward with good size, strong defensive chops and the ability to finish through physically. His game style fits with the league, but his impact has to be good enough to deserve a shot. Curious to see if he can score it enough and be efficient from 3 in a way that causes a team to want to see him against a higher-caliber athlete later this week.
Jermaine Samuels, Villanova - We love Villanova guys, and Samuels is another in the big, physical wing category to come out of Jay Wright’s program. His college career was marred by drastically inconsistent 3-point shooting. If he can show growth and instill faith in NBA general managers that he’ll provide value off-ball, everything else is there for him to be a priority two-way signing.
The Unknowns
The list of candidates for the G-League Combine features several unknowns in the major draft landscape. Can any of these deep sleepers leave a positive impression on the decision-makers in attendance in Chicago?
Kok Yat, Overtime Elite - A high-volume shooter in the frontcourt, Kok checks a lot of NBA boxes. I, for one, have really struggled to know how to evaluate the level of competition and structure that has taken place with Overtime Elite. This is the first example of cross-pollination from their program to college players in a while; Kok could easily be drafted this year and be the best guy at this event. He could also blend into the crowd and really do damage to his own stock and the program’s. Everyone will be tuning in to see how he fares.
Shareef O’Neal, LSU - Name recognition counts for something. Shareef barely got onto the floor this year for the Tigers after transferring away from UCLA to his dad’s alma mater. There’ll be nowhere to hide this week in the combine, so we’re really curious to see if there’s pro potential hiding with Shareef.
MJ Randolph, Florida A&M - A 6’4” scoring guard, Randolph’s best trait in our eyes is how much contact he draws and how he gets to the free throw line. He doesn’t shoot it well and his assist to turnover numbers leave a lot to be desired, but he’s a stat-sheet stuffer and plays with a great pace.
Brison Gresham, Texas Southern - Gresham is old, actually starting his college career back in 2016. He produced a ton defensively and is an athletic 6’8” undersized big. He’s a lunch pale big who we’re looking forward to seeing for the first time in a talented setting. His motor will have to win out in order for him to climb the ranks into draft or two-way territory.
The Fence-Straddlers
At the top, we discussed how many prospects last year took the feedback from the G-League Combine, saw they weren’t going to move up into the top-tier of the draft and made the decision to return to school. There are probably 8-10 guys who will make a similar move after the next few days in Chicago. While we already mentioned Marcus Sasser and Baylor Scheierman as having that potential, there are a few more with key decisions to make. These prospects are both some of the more talented ones here (which is why there’s merit to staying in the draft) and guys who are outside our top-60 at the moment.
Kevin McCullar, Texas Tech - There’s been so much additional chatter in the Draft Twitter space recently about McCullar being a draftable prospect. Our good friend CJ Marchesani, chief among those who has him as a first-round guy, really believe in the on-ball defense. McCullar is a solid spot-up shooter who, Marchesani believes, had his numbers dragged down by needing to take pull-ups, and is the ideal connective tissue piece. We certainly buy into the defense. McCullar has already announced that, if he returns to college, he’ll head to Kansas or Gonzaga. We’ll see if NBA circles are as high on McCullar as the online community is right now.
Mouhamed Gueye, Washington State - Gueye is a one-and-done prospect flying under the radar but has a ton of natural traits NBA teams love to invest in. He’s a stretch-5 (only 7-25 from deep, but the upside is there), toolsy defender, dominant rebounder and clearly raw. He’ll either be a guy who gets a promise to go in the second round or returns to school.
Jalen Wilson, Kansas - A national champion, Wilson had some off-court issues which disrupted the early parts of his season. As a skilled 4-man, he fits squarely into the mold of what teams look for in today’s NBA. He’s a solid defender, good shooter and fills many roles. He’s not quite a top-60 guy for us, though, and think he may opt for a return to college instead of going undrafted.
Kenneth Lofton, Louisiana Tech - One of the hardest guys to peg in this draft, Lofton was dominant as a low post scorer with Louisiana Tech. He also was incredibly productive for the FIBA U-19 team last summer and won a gold medal. His game may struggle to translate to the pros due to his lack of mobility, but he has such high feel as a playmaker. He’s one guy who definitely needs to listen to feedback, but is an intriguing talent for many reasons.