The NBA draft combine is coming to a close after a long week in Chicago, with Friday’s pro days and interviews left on the docket after days of testing, meetings and scrimmages. Five-on-five participation was lacking in star power, with only a handful of surefire draft picks electing to play and some of those being players who are still strongly considering a return to college. That said, the opt-outs provided opportunities for those who played to make an impression in front of a packed gym of NBA scouts and executives, and far more players seemed to help their stocks than those that hurt their stock by playing.
Who stood out most?
Maxime Raynaud, Stanford Cardinal
Raynaud was the only player to opt out of the second day of scrimmages, and it’s hard to argue with his thinking after a terrific day Wednesday. Raynaud, whose journey from Stanford walk-on to one of the top offensive bigs in college basketball, flashed how his skill set could translate seamlessly into the NBA. He was outstanding stretching the floor, showed some toughness around the rim and demonstrated his leadership and communication on the defensive end. Teams will have to weigh his potential defensive flaws, where his foot speed and lack of vertical athleticism will be challenged, but there’s little question Raynaud helped himself this week. He’s also known for being one of the smartest players in the class and someone who’s likely to impress in interview settings. Don’t be surprised if he climbs into the first round after his showing in Chicago. He makes sense as a target for teams looking for a plug-and-play offense-first frontcourt piece.
Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn Tigers
Pettiford’s performance in Wednesday’s scrimmage was perhaps the best individual showing of the week, an explosive 23 points and eight assists that showcased his elite offensive repertoire. Pettiford made shots off the bounce, picked apart the defense with his passing in ball screens and played with tremendous pace. He also tested well athletically, measuring over six feet tall without shoes and posting one of the highest verticals in the camp. He followed that up with a poor showing in Thursday’s game, though, a reminder of the inconsistency that sometimes caught up to him in his freshman year at Auburn.
Pettiford has a fascinating decision ahead with a chance to return to Auburn as a featured piece and the opportunity to be one of the top guards in college next season, but his showing in Chicago likely solidified himself as at least a guy worthy of a guaranteed contract and should pique the interest of some teams in the back end of the first round. Pettiford indicated Wednesday that if he receives a first-round promise, he’d likely turn pro but was far more non-committal for anything below that.
Jamir Watkins, Florida State Seminoles
Watkins had a terrific showing in Thursday’s scrimmage, stuffing the stat sheet with 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals while making a significant impact on the defensive end. While he has never been overly consistent as a three-point shooter in his career, Watkins finds ways to add value as a versatile defender with high feel capable of taking on secondary playmaking duties.
Watkins doesn’t possess a ton of upside as a soon-to-be 24-year-old, but teams could value his game-ready frame and versatility as a plug-and-play piece. That said, Watkins will likely need some level of confidence he’d get a guaranteed contract to stay in the draft, as he still has one more year of eligibility and would likely command a multimillion-dollar contract in the NCAA transfer portal.
Byrd was a guy testing the draft waters who many expected to return to school for one more season. That might have changed after his week in Chicago, including a standout showing in Thursday’s scrimmage. Playing in a more free-flowing game than the ones he typically found himself in at San Diego State with better spacing, Byrd shined, playing a valuable role offensively and making a major impact with his activity and instincts defensively. Byrd made hustle play after hustle play, keeping possessions alive and stacking up seven combined steals and blocks.
Shooting is the swing skill for Byrd, especially because his slight frame limits some of his defensive impact on the ball at the next level. He shot just 30% from three at San Diego State in his first season of high-volume shooting, and his form is a bit of a push shot. One more year of school to prove he can shoot at a higher level could benefit Byrd, but he helped himself this week and has made a real case to stay in the draft.
Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga Bulldogs
Nembhard doesn’t possess the same physical tools as his brother Andrew, but the younger Nembhard had a similarly excellent combine showing to the one Andrew did that solidified him as a first-round pick. Ryan Nembhard’s likely closer to a late second-round pick or an undrafted priority target, but he’s a joy to watch play point guard, possessing elite floor vision and the ability to manipulate the defense in pick-and-rolls. He may just be too small to ever stick in the NBA, but wouldn’t be a guy I’d want to bet against finding a way to stick. If nothing else, he’ll be among the top point guards in the G League.
Lachlan Olbrich, Illawarra Hawks (Australia)
Olbrich received the bump from the G League camp to the main combine and continued his strong play against tougher competition, proving to be a consistent double double threat throughout the four scrimmages he played in this week. The 21-year-old who spent a year at UC Riverside in college before turning pro in Australia possesses excellent size, is a two-way force around the rim and has enough skill to put the ball on the floor, play in handoffs and grab-and-go in transition.
There has been discussion Olbrich could withdraw from the draft and attempt to bounce back into the college game, which would undoubtedly be pushing the bounds of the NCAA’s eligibility rules. That said, there’s limited to no distinction between what Olbrich has been doing in Australia and what many other college-bound overseas pros have done, and Olbrich’s five-year clock should still have time. That discussion may be all for naught regardless though, as Olbrich has positioned himself well throughout his time in Chicago.
Mackenzie Mgbako, Indiana Hoosiers
Once an elite recruit, Mgbako’s stock dropped significantly in two years at Indiana to the point that he initially was only invited to the G League Elite Camp. He was one of the best players over the weekend, earning an invitation up to the main combine and continued that momentum Wednesday and Thursday. Mgbako showcased the high-level shotmaking that made him an elite recruit, and paired that with an improved motor and activity level on the glass. He also undoubtedly benefited from playing in an NBA-style system, rather than being pigeonholed as a true small forward in Mike Woodson’s archaic offensive system. He had 14 points and eight rebounds Wednesday and followed that up with 17 points and eight rebounds Thursday.
There are two schools of thought for Mgbako’s stay-or-go decision. On one hand, Mgbako has rebuilt enough of his stock now to have a real chance to get picked in June, and given his college struggles might be best served to strike while the iron is hot here. On the other, Mgbako could take this momentum and build on it at Texas A&M, where he’s committed for next season and should be in a much more friendly offensive system under Bucky McMillan. If he shines in the SEC next season, he’d likely be a first-round lock.
