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This year’s crop of combine participants lacked the usual group of top prospects, but the 2017 group also had some familiar faces of those who tested the waters last season, and are back after another year of college ball. Here are some of the winners, and losers of the measurements portion of the combine.

Link: 2017 NBA Draft Combine Measurements

Winners

Harry Giles (Duke) With injuries hampering his freshman season at Duke, Harry Giles showed up in Chicago certainly looking the part of an NBA lottery pick. Standing 6’10.5’’ in shoes with an impressive 7’3.25’’ wingspan and a 9’1.5’’ standing reach, Giles has great size to play the 4, and even the capability of sliding to the 5. It isn’t just his length, Giles tipped the scales at a chiseled 232 pounds with just 5.2% body fat. If his height and weight stats weren’t already good enough, his mitts measured out the biggest of anyone in the field at 10.75’’ wide and 9.5’’ long. A clean bill of health will do more for Harry on draft night than his measurements, but showing up in Chicago and sizing up against the rest of the field was a nice reminder to NBA teams and GMs alike.

Ike Anigbogu (UCLA) After averaging just 4.7 points per game in his only season as a Bruin, Ike Anigbogu’s draft status is heavily related to how teams perceive his upside. While Ike is not going to blow you away with his height (6’8.5’’ barefoot and 6’9.25’’ in shoes) his length and body makeup are absolutely elite. Anigbogu’s 7’6.25’’ wingspan was second among this year’s combine participants, and his 9’2.5’’ standing reach is great for someone under 6’10’’ tall. What really jumps off the page is that Anigbogu weighed in at 252.2 pounds at only 5.4% body fat. Did I mention he’s 18 years old?!?! While his skill set has a ways to go, guys that long and muscular don’t come along every day.

Edmond Sumner (Xavier) After going down with an injury in late January, Edmond Sumner’s promising Junior season was cut short, as was his momentum going into the 2017 draft. This week in Chicago helped his cause a little as he measured out with excellent length for a point guard. Sumner stood 6’4’’ barefoot, and he must have donned his finest Reebok Pumps, as he stood 6’5.75’’ in kicks. Shoe selection aside, Edmond possesses a 6’9’’ wingspan and an 8’6.5’’ standing reach, which are extremely good numbers for a point. While many guard prospects in the 2017 draft measured out shorter than expected, Sumner verified his lanky reputation in Chicago.

Zach Collins (Gonzaga) One of this season’s biggest risers from the start of the college season to the end was Gonzago big man Zach Collins. Confirming his massive frame took away any concern he was possibly not as big as advertised. Blessed with high level agility, Collins stood 6’10.25’’ barefoot, and while his shoe choice again seemed to give him the lift of an early 90’s high top, he’s still well over 6’11’’ in a pair of more modest shoes. Zach’s 9’3’’ standing reach is another indication that his rim protection as a Zag (4.18 blocks per 40 minutes ) can translate to the next level. While there were no eye popping numbers for Collins, as a player without as robust of a measurement history as many in this class. He measured out very solid, and that’s a win for him in my book.

Jarrett Allen (Texas) It was already pretty well advertised that Jarrett Allen has a monster 7’5’’ wingspan, was a shade under 7’ in shoes, and could easily clear a 9’ standing reach, but in terms of filling out his lean frame Allen showed some nice progress after a check up in Chicago. Last year, Allen tipped the scales at just 224 pounds while player for USA Basketball in 2016, but less than a year later, he’s put on a solid 10 pounds of lean muscle. Allen still is maintaining a nice 7.4% bodyfat and this kind of improvement in just a year is a nice sign going forward for a player who looks to tack on more muscle as a pro.

Losers

Nigel Hayes (Wisconsin) After testing the waters last season as a junior, everyone knew what to expect in terms of Nigel Hayes’ height and length. He did, however, come in at 245 pounds and 10.9% body fat in 2016. Hayes isn’t the most explosive athlete, and players have a history of improving their outlook with increased attention to their training regimens and improving their overall athleticism. Nigel Hayes actually weighed in heavier this season (254.2 pounds) and is also sporting a higher body fat percentage (11.5%). Nigel’s performance on the court as a senior was far superior than his junior campaign in Madison, but it would have been nice to see lower numbers on the scale to match his improvement on the hardwood.

Rawle Alkins (Arizona) For a player whose physicality is such an important part of his game, Rawle Alkins did not measure very well in terms of NBA outlook. As a player who guarded primary shooting guards and small forwards in college, Alkins’ size brings some serious doubt about taking his game to the next level. Standing just 6’3.75’’ in shoes, his wingspan is a solid 6’8.5’’ but his standing reach is merely 8’3’’. Watching Boston in the playoffs, a positive spin would be witnessing Marcus Smart consistently out muscle larger opponents on a nightly basis. Alkins is a similar size, and possesses some of that same type of potential, but without the billing as a point guard. I don’t often count out gutsy players based on size, but I’d be lying if I said I felt these measurements helped his cause.  

Andrew Jones (Texas) Longhorn freshman, Andrew Jones, is testing the waters after an up and down first season in Austin. Jones is a dynamic player, but not much in terms of a primary ball handler or point guard. Jones stands a below average 6’4.25’’ in shoes, and sports just a 6’6.5’’ wingspan to make up the difference. An 8’3.5’’ standing reach paired with a lean 185 pound frame might spell a sophomore season for Andrew. The kid no doubt has some upside, but I think some continued work handling the ball and increasing his decision making might do him some good now that we know he lacks real size for a shooting guard.

Other Notables

This year’s Zhou Qi award ( The guy we know was going to be huge, and guess what? He is!) goes to Jonathan Jeanne. At 7’2’’ in shoes, Jeanne sports not only a 7’6.5’’ wingspan, but a Gobert-esque 9’5.5’’ standing reach. Filling out his 207 pound frame will take time, but guys with this kind of size and mobility are uncommon to say the least.

Bam Adebayo has some of those key metrics for an NBA power forward. A 9’ standing reach, a 7’2.75’’ wingspan, a powerful 242 pound frame and he’s just a shade under 6’10’’ in shoes. Players who are less polished are often hit hard by being smaller, but Bam certainly has the size for an NBA four man.

This year’s Terry Crews award winner (Lowest Body Fat%) goes to Kansas State swingman, Wesley Iwundu, who measured in at a shredded 4% body fat.

Oregon big man Chris Boucher confirmed his amazing length. His 7’4’’ wingspan was among the best of the group, but at 182 pounds, he’s giving up girth to sub 6’ point guards Frank Mason III and Jawun Evans.

For an NBA stretch 4, Tyler Lydon really measured out well in terms of length. With a 7’ wingspan, and an 8’11.5’’ standing reach, Lydon has legit size. The downside is that he’s just 215 pounds, and still 13.6% body fat. His stroke is pure, but his conditioning needs work before he hits an NBA court.

This year’s Kawhi Leonard award winner was a close one. Mortiz Wagner and Harry Giles both measured hands 10.75’’ wide, but Giles edged out the German big man with a 9.5’’ length compared to 8.75’’ of Wagner.

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1 Comment

  1. Justin Jackson

    Surprised there’s no mention of Justin Jackson as a winner or in the other notables. Measured out perfect for his lane at the next level.  

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