The second piece of our coverage on the NBA Draft Combine focuses on the athleticism testing of the many prospects that competed in these tests in Chicago this past week. After the measurements, the athletic testing is the opportunity for the prospects to separate themselves from the competition and earn a promised selection from NBA scouts for the upcoming draft.
Draft Combine Strength and Agility
Stock Up:
Dyson Daniels, G-League Ignite
Despite the fact that he doesn’t appear overly fast or athletic, the athleticism testing proved different. If you can post the best-time in the shuttle ran at the combine, no one can question your athletic ability or defensive versatility as a 6’6 combo guard. That’s exactly what Daniels did in Chicago and it was a massive statement to NBA scouts that he can’t be taken advantage of in the pick-and-roll on the defensive end. Size and speed is the name of the game for backcourt players in today’s NBA, and no one can question Dyson Daniels when it comes to either of these abilities.
Christian Braun, Kansas
It’s hard to find a draft scout that questions the athletic ability of Christian Braun, and the NBA Draft Combine solidified this public opinion on the national champion wing from the Jayhawks. Braun was the only participating athlete who ranked in the top-three in both the standing vertical leap and the max vertical leap (40 inches), proving his value as a rim-running wing with great athleticism.
Combined with his playmaking skills and versatile defensive value, Braun should be a contributor and valuable role player who could be targeted by competitive teams at the end of the first round now that his athletic measurables are confirmed.
Kennedy Chandler, Tennessee
After a forgettable measurement test earlier in the combine, Chandler responded in the tests he can control with the best vertical leap and top-three performances in the lane agility and shuttle run tests. No one can control how tall or long their body is, but agility and leaping ability can be controlled and Chandler ensured scouts would be impressed with the second portion of his testing. I know if I was in control of an NBA team, I wouldn’t pass on this guy with a late first-round pick and would embrace his leadership and athleticism with open arms on the very first day of training camp.
Jalen Williams, Santa Clara
Despite not playing overly athletic, particularly speed wise. the fact that Williams measured a 39 inch max vert on top of his massive 7-foot-2 wingspan really helps his cause. He was seen as a likely mid second rounder heading into the combine by most. But now it’s become obvious to most that he could find a spot in the late first round with his crafty all around game and great length and athleticism.
Jake LaRavia, Wake Forest
After transferring from Indiana State in the summer, LaRavia took the ACC by storm with the Demon Deacons and ended up earning All-ACC honors in his only season in Winston-Salem. Despite looking rather slow in games, the playmaking combo forward stands at 6’8 and ranked in the top-three in the lane agility and shuttle run portions of the athletic testing at the combine.
These performances, to go along with his group-leading 18/25 showing shooting the ball from the perimeter, lead to his opt-out from scrimmages. Whether he can parlay this into a first round promise is anyone’s guess, but he certainly helped his cause with the athleticism portion of the combine.
Kendall Brown, Baylor
Brown showed what everyone already knew, he’s an absolutely elite level leaper. His 41 inch max very led the entire combine and showed just how well he gets off the ground with momentum. He gained nearly a full foot over his standing vert at 31.5.
Stock Down:
JD Davison, Alabama
Davison has built a reputation as a combo guard with freakish athleticism. But neither the combine measurements nor the athleticism testing did him any favors. We discussed how he measured closer to a point guard than a combo guard with a barefoot height at 6’0.5. His max vertical was solid but nothing above the ordinary (37.0 max vert), and not nearly the 40+ that would be expected from a player considered one of the most explosive in this draft. He likely under-performed and could have done better, but the results don’t back up his reputation as a freakish athlete deserving of being a first round pick despite his lack of skill.
Patrick Baldwin, Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Coming into the season, Baldwin was projected as a top-5 prospect with the athleticism and potential to compete to be a top-five pick in the draft. Instead, an injury-riddled season and underwhelming stat line pushed him into the first round bubble and his athletic testing did him no favors. Baldwin ranked in the bottom-six in all five tests, including one of the two worst performances in the lane agility test, the standing vertical test and the max vertical test. If Baldwin wants to hear his name called in the first round in June, he will need to blow away front office executives in interviews and shooting in workouts leading up to the draft.
Trevor Keels, Duke
After an average performance in the lane agility and three-quarter sprint tests, Trevor Keels made scouts question if he has the speed to hang with the most explosive guards in the world in the NBA. Even the leaping ability of one of Duke’s standout freshmen was in question after he ranked in the bottom-three of the shuttle run and standing vertical tests at the combine this week. We know Keels has the strength to hang with professional guards , but his speed is even more important and in even more in question after a disappointing performance at the combine.
