International Wildcards: Rumors, Intel, Draft Impact and Portal Watch

From Chicago to Memphis: How International NBA Prospects Are Shaping Draft Boards — and College Hoops

I was in Chicago for the NBA Draft Combine, where the gym was filled with scouts, executives, and a strong contingent of college coaches — some there to support their guys or former players chasing their NBA dreams, others keeping close tabs on the ones still testing the waters with decisions looming between staying in the draft or heading back to school. But not every coach was just spectating. There was real quiet recruiting happening: evaluating players in the portal who haven’t committed yet, and closely monitoring international prospects who could become viable college targets if they don’t like where they're projected to land in the draft.

After Chicago, I made the trip to Memphis for Nike EYBL, which was packed wall-to-wall with hundreds of college coaches — and it was just one stop in a weekend of nonstop movement. Coaches were crisscrossing the country, hitting Under Armour, Adidas, Puma, and New Balance events too. It wasn’t uncommon to see a high-major coach in Memphis one day, and just hours later see them pop up on social media courtside at another sneaker circuit halfway across the country.

This time of year, it’s as much about evaluating future pros as it is about reshaping next year’s roster — and the international guys are squarely in the middle of it all.