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The 2021 NBA Draft Combine is in the books.
Who helped and hurt their draft stock in Chicago?
The combine made its way from prospect interviews (largely in hotels), measurements and athletic testing on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday onto the court on Thursday and Friday.
Hundreds of NBA front office members -- GMs, scouts, coaches, et al. -- were courtside as 38 prospects played five-on-five.
After the combine ended, player agents began holding Pro Days to highlight their clients in individual drills over the weekend. A number of GMs and scouts also attended those events.
While these are key events on the NBA Draft calendar, it’s important that we keep all of this in perspective. The combine rarely changes the draft projection of a prospect dramatically. That’s even more true for Pro Days. What does matter? In-person game scouting, game film (video), advanced analytics, background work, interviews, and medical testing all weigh as heavier factors for NBA decision-makers.
Nevertheless, the chance to see all the prospects in one place can move the needle for some.
Here’s a look at who helped themselves in the key events in Chicago over the past week, based on my conversations with NBA scouts and execs.
5-on-5
Winners
Quentin Grimes, G, Houston
Grimes was considered a potential lottery pick coming out of high school. But a rough freshman year at Kansas followed by a transfer to Houston dropped his stock significantly. He’s been slowly climbing up boards all year with elite shooting, tough defense and an unselfish approach to the game.
His strong showing at the combine should give his draft stock another bounce onto the bubble of the first round. He scored a combine-high 27 points in his second game after posting 12 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in the first game. Grimes ended up shooting 9-for-14 from 3-point land in those two games and showed off the playmaking that teams saw in high school but didn’t see much in college.
NBA teams are looking for guards who can play and defend both backcourt positions and shoot the rock. Grimes was likely to be a late second-round pick before the combine. Did he do enough to crack the first round at the combine? Based on his background, excellent stats this past season at Houston (one of the best teams in the country) and performance on the court, I’d say yes.
Nah’Shon Hyland, G, VCU
Hyland played just one game in Chicago, but he made the most of it. He’s one of the most electric players in the draft and it showed. He had 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks and went 3-for-5 from 3. While Hyland isn’t an elite athlete, his length, energy and ability to play both backcourt positions is very intriguing for teams.
Scouts were disappointed that they didn’t get to see him in the NCAA Tournament, but he more than made up for it here. He’s got a chance to crack the first round after that performance.
Joshua Primo, G, Alabama
Primo already looked like a first-round pick: I slotted him at No. 28 to the Philadelphia 76ers in mylatest Mock Draft 2.0 . His numbers in the one game he played in Chicago didn’t wow anyone, but he did what he needed to do -- show scouts he’s more than just a long, athletic scorer. He played defense, showed off his handles and court vision and made a strong case that 28 might be too low for him.
Joe Wieskamp, W, Iowa
In a league so hungry for shooters that Corey Kispert is a likely lottery pick, Wieskamp made his case at the combine for why he should be a first round pick too. His Game 2 performance (26 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 6-for-7 from 3) made scouts wonder whether he’s just been overshadowed by big man Luka Garza for the past few years.
He’s got excellent size and length for a wing, tested as one of the top athletes in the draft, and was one of the big standouts in the 5-on-5 games at the combine. He’s younger, longer, and more athletic than Kispert, and when you compare their numbers statistically adjusted for pace, they’re very similar. I think Wieskamp made the move from the 45-to-undrafted range into a legit 25-to-40 prospect in the draft.
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