Prospects looking to improve their draft stock at next weekend's NBA Draft Combine may face a difficult time doing so.
That's because prospects lower on draft boards aren't likely to get the opportunity to go up against higher-ranked prospects and prove themselves. Once again, the combine is expected to be low on participating top prospects, an issue that continues to plague the NBA's pre-draft process.
While the league has re-introduced 5-on-5 competition to help teams better scout the players who are willing to participate, ESPN's Chad Ford reports that not a single player in his top-25 will participate in those sessions May 14 and 15.
That means its bubble first-rounders, second-round picks and likely also-rans who will be squaring off, with the secure first-round picks opting only to show up for measurements and medicals. The combine, which begins on May 12, measures things like player height, wingspan, hand size, body fat, vertical jump and more in an attempt to get a better gauge on the size and physical abilities of potential draft picks.
Some prospects are even opting out of that part of the process, with Jahlil Okafor, Emmanuel Mudiay, Kristaps Porzingis and Mario Hezonja, all certain top-10 picks, opting out of the combine altogether.
The lack of participation in the combine is a problem that comes down to incentives. For likely first-round picks, there's really only downside - in terms of reputation and injury - in participating, especially if similarly ranked players aren't suiting up as competition. Nobody's stock is going higher from playing well against lower-ranked opposition, and agents are surely wary of injuries that could hamper a player's ability to perform in individual team workouts.
For the very highest picks, not only is there little incentive to play, but by withholding certain information, camps can control, to a degree, the fate of their player. It may also afford players additional time to reach peak shape and full preparation for key workouts with teams, which can begin any time.
It's unclear what the solution is for the league if they'd like better turnout and participation at the combine. It may just be a reality they have to accept and that scouts have to make the most of, relying more heavily on independent research and private sessions.
The full list of players who have entered the draft early, as well as a list of relevant seniors and automatically qualified players, can be found here, along with their most recent rankings from Ford and DraftExpress. The full draft order will be determined at the NBA Draft Lottery on May 19.
