NBA Draft Combine: Day 2 scrimmages top performers
Chicago, Illinois – The NBA Draft Combine started on Monday and will go through the week. Selected players will go through interviews, five-on-five play, medicals, skill sessions, individual workouts, and more. Wednesday and Thursday are two days where the five-on-five portions are televised.
Two players, Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Tristan Vukcevic have opted to sit out for the second day of scrimmages, content with what they showed on day one. Prior to the start of the first day of scrimmages, Draft Express’s Jonathan Givony put out a list of 37 players who declined to play in the five-on-five portion of the event.
Day two of the scrimmages was a mixed bag. The first scrimmage was competitive, with a good consistent flow. The second game felt a little more clunky, with less flow and more question marks.
NBA Draft Combine: Scrimmages top performers part 1
This is not necessarily which players are the top NBA Draft prospects, but players who performed the best on this day in this setting. On3 fired up the app and took in the scrimmage. Here are Thursday’s scrimmage top performers from the NBA Draft Combine.
NBA Draft Combine roster and testing
On3 MVP: G Ben Sheppard, Belmont
Talk about taking hold of your moment. Ben Sheppard measured 6-foot-5.25 without shoes on with a plus-two wing span. The physical aspect checked his positional boxes. Sheppard came into the combine as a projected second-round pick, and he certainly took the stage to help elevate his status.
Sheppard averaged over 20 points at Belmont last season. You wanted to see if he could come in and fill a role. He knocked down shots, showed to be a good team defender with great instincts, and he consistently made the right pass. Day two was his second good showing at the NBA Draft Combine. He finished with 25 points, going 8-of-10 on the day. This had been a very productive week for Sheppard.
2. G Seth Lundy, Penn State
Seth Lundy was a standout during the first day of scrimmages. The Penn State graduate was able to build on that for day two. The intrigue started for Lundy with the measurements portion earlier in the week. He measured 6-foot-4 without shoes with a 6-foot-10.25 wingspan at 214.4 pounds.
Lundy has a confident and picture-esque jump shot. He showed capable of stepping into multiple threes, always squared up, and always with good balance and a consistent release. He is a good defender, showing instincts off the ball and in the passing lanes. Lundy shot 40.0 percent from three on 6.4 attempts per game this season. He was 4-of-5 during the first scrimmage and finished 4-of-6 on day two. He also had seven assists throughout the two days. There is a lot to like.
3. G Amari Bailey, UCLA
Perhaps no player used the NBA Draft Combine to do more for their draft stock than Amari Bailey. He measured at 6-foot-3.5 without shoes, so the fact he was so comfortable on the ball in the half-court was good.
Bailey does not lack confidence. While the ball does have a tendency to stick when it is in his hands, he has a crafty left-hand dominant handle with good floor vision. He was interesting in the pick-and-roll here, attacking the open spaces on the floor and making consist reads. He will need to improve his shooting, but he finished with 19 points and six assists on 6-of-9 from the field.
4. C Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
It is hard not to notice the motor that Oscar Tshiebwe constantly plays with. From end to end, at all times, he plays with a purpose. Tshiebwe is a relentless rebounder. He does his work ahead of time and then chases the ball if it is out of his area.
Offensively, Tshiebwe looked like he was confident in his jump shot, taking some corner jumpers. While the form on them was a little shaky, he made a couple of them today. Tshiebwe runs the floor incredibly well, rim to rim. He finishes with authority, above the rim, from the dunker spot. The defense is there with solid instincts, but the takeaway here is his ability to go get the ball. He finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds with a block and two steals in this one.
5. G Reece Beekman, Virginia
In a game that was a little chaotic, Reece Beekman was a steady factor. He showed he can score in the half court, but also that he can distribute and set up teammates. The positional aspect was his big question mark coming into the NBA Draft Combine; can he be a point full time? He played the position well in this one.
Beekman took care of the ball and was able to spread it around to teammates. He also efficiently found his own shot. He measured at 6-foot-1.5 without shoes with a 6-foot-7 wingspan. Beekman defended the point of attack well, disrupting the flow. He is going to have to make a decision, staying in or coming back.
The Virginia guard had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists on 6-of-11 shooting. He was 1-of-1 from three and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. He had a good day here.
6. F Emoni Bates, Eastern Michigan
It was an interesting week for Emoni Bates. For starters, he measured with a plus wingspan which he did not do at Memphis. He then shot it well in the testing and skill portion of the week, leading into the scrimmages.
During the scrimmages, Bates showed flashes of the shot-making along with flashes of being able to handle the ball and move it around. While both aspects were shown, they did not appear to mesh at the same time, causing him to go for stretches without much production. Bates has a lot of natural tools; it is what made him such a highly touted prospect for so long. While he showed signs of maturity, he also showed there is some growth still to be had. All-in-all, Bates has next-level talent, and that is the takeaway from the NBA Draft Combine.
Bates had 12 points in this one. He was 3-of-5 from the field and 2-of-3 from three. He added two assists to one turnover.
Other notables
Dillon Jones, Weber State – Dillon Jones showed a unique skill set through the two scrimmage sessions. He is a tough and instinctive defender and has some playmaking and creation chops. While he struggled from the field, he took multiple charges and found ways to make winning plays throughout.
Isaiah Wong, Miami – Isaiah Wong is so crafty with the ball. He is capable to get anywhere he wants on the floor, and then showed he can make a play. Yesterday it was scoring, today it was finding teammates. He finished the scrimmage with 7 assists to only two turnovers.
Ricky Council, Arkansas – Ricky Council is one of the better one-on-one players in attendance. He showed that he was able to attack his spots and get a bucket, something he showed throughout the year at Arkansas. Council made a few very loud plays in transition.
Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara – Brandin Podziemski plays with a quiet confidence, and he exudes toughness throughout. He plays well on the ball, navigating the traffic and getting to his spots to make a play. While he does not have elite quickness, he has a good change of pace, using an array of hesitation moves to get into the teeth of the defense.
Johni Broome, Auburn – While it was not as loud as it was on day one, Johni Broome simply found ways to produce. The lefty has excellent hands and great touch around the basket – especially when you let him get to his left hand.
Jordan Miller, Miami – The game never looks difficult for Jordan Miller. He seems to always be in the right position to make a play. He shot the ball well here, defended multiple positions, and moved the ball well. Good size, good length, and made his teammates better. A good week so far.
Hunter Tyson, Clemson – Hunter Tyson showed confidence shooting the ball throughout the combine. He also showed high basketball IQ, making great off-ball cuts and keeping the ball hot, moving it to open spaces. Showed some toughness and instincts as well.
Jordan Walsh, Arkansas – The motor was noticeable while Jordan Walsh was on the floor. He needs to develop the ball skills and scoring, but the length and explosion are real. He seemed to be around the ball each time you looked up.
Judah Mintz, Syracuse – Judah Mintz touched the paint regularly, which is nothing new. He put pressure on the defense and absorbed contact. The next step for him is the middle game and slowing down to play under more control. There is some stuff there to build on.
Azuolas Toubelis, Arizona – Azuolas Toubelis routinely beat his man in transition, switching ends quickly. He has good size, good length, and showed great hands. He was not able to show what exactly his game is, especially in the half-court, but he had some moments in transition.
Mojave King, G-League Ignite – It was another good day for Mojave King, showing that is capable of just going out to make plays. He continued to show promise on the defensive end, with quickness and athleticism. He also knocked down a couple of threes with confidence.
Coleman Hawkins, Illinois – Coleman Hawkins is a fluid athlete. He had an intriguing showing on the defensive end and was able to clean up well on the defensive boards. He needs strength and continued development with his skill set, but he was able to initiate the break in the open floor and showed nice touch even with his misses. There are some unique physical traits for a guy who measured 6-foot-8.5 without shoes.
Drew Timme, Gonzaga – Drew Timme was productive, something we have come to expect from him. He finished well around the basket; he had touch and excellent footwork. There are still questions about him, his foot speed, and the three-point shooting, but he certainly gives maximum effort, and his teammates seem to like him.
Toumani Camara, Dayton – Toumani Camari had flashes. He came out confident, letting the ball fly from all spots on the floor. While the shot did not fall from deep (1-of-4), the lefties’ form and touch were promising. He also competed on the glass, finishing with 15 points and 6 rebounds.
Terquavion Smith, NC State – After a forgettable first day, Terquavion Smith showed up for day two with his confidence at an all-time high. He has a quick dribble that gets him to his spots, and he knocked down some shots late in the game. From day one to day two, he got better and left a good impression on people’s minds. He finished with 20 after going 5-of-10 from three.
Jalen Slawson, Furman – Jalen Slawson had an opportunistic day. He measured 6-foot-6.5 without shoes but also had a 6-foot-11.75 wing span. He got into the passing lanes with two seals and also finished some nice shots around the basket for 11 points.