NBA Draft Combine

The NBA Draft Combine is a multi-day showcase occurring every May before the annual June NBA draft, where college basketball players take physical measurements, participate in interviews, undergo shooting drills, take medical tests, go through five-on-five drills and perform various athletic tests in front of National Basketball Association (NBA) coaches, general managers, and scouts. Athletes attend by invitation only. Implications of one's performance during the combine can affect perception, draft status, salary, and ultimately one's career.

The athletic tests include a standing vertical jump, maximum vertical jump, bench press, three-quarter-court sprint time, lane agility time, and modified event time.[1][2] Physical measurements include height with shoes, height without shoes, wingspan, weight, standing reach, body fat, hand length, and hand width.[3] The shooting tests include spot-up three-point field goals from various distances (high school, college, and NBA) depending upon position, shooting off the dribble, and timed jump shots on the move.[4] Although the NBA Draft Combine is the largest pre-draft gathering for testing and drills, international players can attend a separate Eurocamp at a later date.[5] Parts of the combine are televised on ESPNU and ESPN2.[5]

In 2013, Rudy Gobert set the Combine records for wingspan 7 feet 8.5 inches (2.35 m) and standing reach 9 feet 7 inches (2.92 m).[6] D. J. Stephens set the vertical leap record in 2013 at 46 inches (1.17 m).[7] Combine results may or may not affect draft position. Supposedly, medical test results caused Jared Sullinger to fall to No. 21 in 2012, while Kevin Durant was drafted No. 2 despite not being able to do a single repetition on the 185-pound (84 kg) bench press.[8] Durant is not alone; Jamal Crawford, Monta Ellis, T. J. Ford, and Luke Ridnour are among the zero-rep producers. The record is 27 reps by Jason Keep in 2003.[9]

The invitation list is determined by a vote of the member teams of the NBA.[10] In 2013, 63 players were invited.[11][12] 60 players were invited in 2014.[13] The vast majority of players receiving invitations attend. In 2014, the top three candidates (Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid) declined invitations and a few others (such as Mitch McGary and Adreian Payne) declined after receiving them or at least declined full participation, but 59 participants were expected.[14][15] Each team is allowed a maximum of 18 official interviews during the combine.[16]

Beginning in 2010, a D-League elite mini camp lasting two days preceded the Combine.[17]

Notes

  1. ↑ Smith, Aran (2013-05-22). "NBA Draft Combine: Athleticism Test Results". NBADraft.net. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  2. ↑ "A Closer Look at the Draft Combine". NBA.com. 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  3. ↑ "2013 NBA pre-Draft combine measurements and results". NBA.com. 2013-05-20. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  4. ↑ Kamalsky, Matt (2011-05-26). "2011 NBA Draft Combine Shooting Drills Results". Draftexpress.com. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  5. 1 2 "Players get ready to show their stuff at Chicago combine". NBA.com. 2014-05-09. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  6. ↑ Mannix, Chris. "2013 NBA Mock Draft 3.0". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  7. ↑ "D.J. Stephens Sets NBA Draft Combine Vertical Leap Record: Watch His 12 Best Dunks". Dime Magazine. 2013-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  8. ↑ Helin, Kurt (2014-05-14). "NBA Draft Combine starts Wednesday in Chicago… but what does that mean?". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
  9. ↑ Littmann, Chris (2014-05-16). "Meet the NBA Draft's zero rep bench press All-Stars". Sporting News. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
  10. ↑ Austin, Kyle (2014-05-08). "Michigan State's Gary Harris, Adreian Payne to participate in NBA draft combine; Keith Appling not invited". MLive.com. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  11. ↑ Helin, Kurt (2013-05-02). "Complete NBA Draft Combine invite list". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  12. ↑ "NBA Draft Combine releases list of participants". CBSSports.com. 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  13. ↑ Norlander, Matt (2014-05-12). "Official 2014 NBA pre-draft combine invite list". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2015-04-28.
  14. ↑ Conway, Tyler (2014-05-12). "NBA Draft Combine 2014: List of Participants, Schedule and Players to Watch". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  15. ↑ Norlander, Matt (2014-05-12). "Official 2014 NBA pre-draft combine invite list". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  16. ↑ Robbins, Josh (2014-05-10). "Magic's interviews with prospects will be key at the 2014 NBA Draft Combine". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  17. ↑ Schlosser, Keith (2013-05-13). "NBA D-League Releases Full Roster For Fourth Annual Elite Mini-Camp". SB Nation. Retrieved 2015-04-28.
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