Full List Of 2021 NBA Draft Combine Participants
The NBA has revealed via press release its list of 69 players who have been invited to next week’s draft combine in Chicago and who are expected to attend. The combine will take place from June 21-27.
While several of the prominent names at the top of the draft will opt to skip the event – most notably, presumed number one pick Cade Cunningham and Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs – there are several high-profile prospects set to attend. Evan Mobley, widely considered a likely choice for the No. 2 pick as well as potential top-five picks Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Green headline the class of participants this year, along with potential lottery picks Moses Moody, Corey Kispert and Scottie Barnes.
According to the press release, players will conduct interviews with NBA teams, participate in five-on-five games, and go through shooting, strength and agility drills throughout the week-long event. It’s likely that the more high-profile names will focus more on the interviews than the drills.
The press release also confirms that a select number of standout players from the G League Elite Camp will be invited to participate in the Combine as well.
Here’s the full list of 69 names announced by the NBA today, in alphabetical order:
- Max Abmas, G, Oral Roberts (sophomore)
- Ochai Agbaji, G, Kansas (junior)
- Marcus Bagley, F, Arizona State (freshman)
- Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State (freshman)
- Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky (junior)
- Brandon Boston Jr., G/F, Kentucky (freshman)
- James Bouknight, G, UConn (sophomore)
- Greg Brown, F, Texas (freshman)
- Jared Butler, G, Baylor (junior)
- Julian Champagnie, G/F, St. John’s (sophomore)
- Justin Champagnie, G/F, Pittsburgh (sophomore)
- Josh Christopher, G, Arizona State (freshman)
- Sharife Cooper, G, Auburn (freshman)
- Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois (junior)
- David Duke, G, Providence (junior)
- Kessler Edwards, F, Pepperdine (junior)
- Luka Garza, C, Iowa (senior)
- RaiQuan Gray, F, Florida State (junior)
- Jalen Green, G, G League Ignite (auto-eligible)
- Quentin Grimes, G, Houston (junior)
- Sam Hauser, F, Virginia (senior)
- Aaron Henry, G/F, Michigan State (junior)
- Ariel Hukporti, C, Lithuania (born 2002)
- Matthew Hurt, F, Duke (sophomore)
- Nah’Shon Hyland, G, VCU (sophomore)
- Isaiah Jackson, F, Kentucky (freshman)
- David Johnson, G, Louisville (sophomore)
- Jalen Johnson, F, Duke (freshman)
- Keon Johnson, G, Tennessee (freshman)
- Herb Jones, F, Alabama (senior)
- Kai Jones, F, Texas (sophomore)
- Johnny Juzang, G/F, UCLA (sophomore)
- Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga (senior)
- Jonathan Kuminga, F, G League Ignite (auto-eligible)
- Scottie Lewis, G, Florida (sophomore)
- Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan (senior)
- Makur Maker, C, Howard (freshman)
- Sandro Mamukelashvili, F/C, Seton Hall (senior)
- Tre Mann, G, Florida (sophomore)
- Matthew Mayer, G/F, Baylor (junior)
- Miles McBride, G, West Virginia (sophomore)
- Davion Mitchell, G, Baylor (junior)
- Evan Mobley, F/C, USC (freshman)
- Isaiah Mobley, F, USC (sophomore)
- Moses Moody, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Trey Murphy III, G, Virginia (junior)
- Daishen Nix, G, G League Ignite (auto-eligible)
- John Petty Jr., G, Alabama (senior)
- Yves Pons, G/F, Tennessee (senior)
- Jason Preston, G, Ohio (junior)
- Joshua Primo, G, Alabama (freshman)
- Roko Prkacin, F, Croatia (born 2002)
- Neemias Queta, C, Utah State (junior)
- Austin Reaves, G, Oklahoma (senior)
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, F, Villanova (sophomore)
- Terrence Shannon Jr., G/F, Texas Tech (sophomore)
- Day’Ron Sharpe, F/C, North Carolina (freshman)
- Jericho Sims, F/C, Texas (senior)
- Jaden Springer, G, Tennessee (freshman)
- DJ Steward, G, Duke (freshman)
- Cameron Thomas, G, LSU (freshman)
- JT Thor, F, Auburn (freshman)
- Isaiah Todd, F, G League Ignite (auto-eligible)
- Trendon Watford, F, LSU (sophomore)
- Joe Wieskamp, G/F, Iowa (junior)
- Ziaire Williams, F, Stanford (freshman)
- McKinley Wright IV, G, Colorado (senior)
- Moses Wright, F, Georgia Tech (senior)
- Marcus Zegarowski, G, Creighton (junior)
Draft Notes: Giddey, Pro Days, Combine, G League Elite Camp
Potential lottery pick Josh Giddey isn’t expected to attend the NBA draft combine in Chicago or any pre-draft workouts, tweets Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Instead, scouts will get a look at Giddey later this month when his Australian team travels to Las Vegas for exhibition games with Team USA, Spain, Nigeria and Argentina.
The 6’8″ shooting guard has been moving up draft boards and ranks No. 13 on ESPN’s latest list of prospects. Giddey, 18, played this season with the Adelaide 36ers and averaged 10.9 points, 7.1 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game.
There’s more draft news to pass along:
- The NBA has scheduled 20 pro days for some of the top-rated players in the draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). They will take place from June 26-29 following the combine and will feature prospects such as Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, Corey Kispert, James Bouknight, Greg Brown, Ayo Dosunmu, Charles Bassey, Max Abmas, Jaden Springer, and Jared Butler. Also tentatively scheduled for pro days are Trey Murphy, Josh Christopher, Marcus Bagley, Gabriele Procida, Johnny Juzang, Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland, Aaron Henry, Herb Jones, Miles McBride, Santi Aldama and Zsombor Maronka (Twitter link).
- German center Ariel Hukporti has received an invitation to the combine, Givony tweets. Hukporti, 19, played in Lithuania this season and is ranked 45th on ESPN’s big board. USC sophomore Isaiah Mobley has also been invited, Givony adds (via Twitter).
- Duke shooting guard DJ Steward has been invited to take part in the combine as well, according to JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link). Steward averaged 13 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game as a freshman with the Blue Devils.
- Mac McClung has received an invitation to the G League Elite camp, according to Wasserman (Twitter link). The former Texas Tech guard will try to earn a spot in the combine. Haowen Guo of the Chinese national team has also been invited to the Elite camp, Givony tweets.
Aaron Henry Among Prospects Entering 2021 NBA Draft
Michigan State junior swingman Aaron Henry is entering the 2021 NBA draft, as the school confirmed today (via Twitter). While Henry could test the waters while retaining his college eligibility, he stated in his announcement that he intends to hire an agent, and it sounds like he’s prepared to go pro.
A 6’6″ guard/forward, Henry had his best college season in 2020/21, averaging 15.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 3.6 APG in 28 games (32.5 MPG) for the Spartans. His three-point shooting dipped to 29.6%, but he showed the ability to make those shots with more regularity in his first two college seasons, knocking down 35.7% of his attempts.
Henry is currently the No. 32 prospect on ESPN’s big board for the 2021 draft, making him a good candidate to have his name called on draft night in July.
Houston junior guard Quentin Grimes (No. 64) and Kansas junior guard Ochai Agbaji (No. 66) are among the other early entrants who have recently announced their intentions to declare for the 2021 draft, as detailed in press releases from Houston and Kansas. Grimes intends to go pro, while Agbaji will just be testing the waters for now.
Here are a few more updates on early entrants joining the draft pool:
- Jalen Wilson, F, Kansas (freshman): Like his teammate Agbaji, Wilson will retain his NCAA eligibility while he goes through the pre-draft process, the Jayhawks announced in a press release.
- Mac McClung, G, Texas Tech (junior): After transferring from Georgetown to Texas Tech in 2020, McClung has once again entered the transfer portal, he announced on Sunday (via Twitter). As he did a year ago, McClung will go through the draft process.
- Scotty Pippen Jr., G, Vanderbilt (sophomore): Pippen, the son of former NBA star Scottie Pippen, announced on Twitter that he’s testing the draft waters.
- Duane Washington, G, Ohio State (junior): Washington announced on Twitter that he’s entering the draft, and the wording of his statement suggests he expects to keep his name in rather than returning to school.
Jared Butler, Aaron Henry Among Prospects Withdrawing From Draft
A pair of early-entry prospects who were ranked within the top 60 on ESPN’s big board have pulled out of the draft in advance of Monday’s withdrawal deadline.
Baylor guard Jared Butler was one of those two players, announcing in a Twitter video on Monday morning that he has decided to return to the Bears for his junior year. Butler explained his decision in a conversation with ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
“After going through this process, making an important decision for the rest of my life, I truly felt like I couldn’t go wrong with either decision,” Butler said. “It came down to making the most out of my development as a player and as an adult. In the end I felt like coming back to school would set me up in both aspects in a way that I couldn’t deny. Even though the opportunity to reach my dream of playing in the NBA was readily at hand, I think next year it will still be there, possibly even with greater opportunities.”
Butler emerged as Baylor’s leading scorer in 2019/20 as a sophomore, averaging 16.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 1.6 SPG in 30 games (30.4 MPG). He also showed improvement on his outside shot, making 38.1% of 6.7 three-point attempts per contest. He came in at No. 46 on Givony’s top-100 list at ESPN.com, making him a strong candidate to be drafted had he decided to go pro.
Meanwhile, Michigan State swingman Aaron Henry has also decided to withdraw from the draft after testing the waters, as Givony writes in a separate story. Henry had been the No. 55 prospect on ESPN’s big board.
Henry’s numbers as a sophomore in 2019/20 were somewhat modest — 10.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 2.9 APG in 30 games (29.1 MPG). However, Givony describes him as a “long, athletic wing with strong two-way potential” and points out that he’s in position to take on a larger role for a Spartans team that won’t have Cassius Winston back next season.
“Cassius leaves big shoes to fill. He was asked to do everything for Michigan State,” Henry told ESPN. “I’m hoping to step into a bigger role with the ball in my hands. Things will definitely look different. Everyone is going to need to step up and be a piece to the puzzle. NBA teams want to see me in a bigger role. They want to see me be the man on a team. I’m not afraid of that. Let’s get to it.”
Here are a few more early entrants who tested the waters and have now pulled out of the draft ahead of Monday’s withdrawal deadline:
- Darius Days, F, LSU (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports)
- Jay Huff, F, Virginia (link via Jeff Borzello of ESPN)
- Makur Maker, C, Hillcrest Academy (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Note: Maker will attend Howard University.
- Sandro Mamukelashvili, F, Seton Hall (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Remy Martin, G, Arizona State (video link via school)
- Obadiah Noel, G, UMass-Lowell (Twitter link via Jeff Goodman of Stadium)
Draft Notes: McClung, Henry, Big Boards
Despite a claim from Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing that he’ll be back with the program this season, Mac McClung continues to test the draft waters and hasn’t informed the school of any official decision yet, agent Daniel Hazan tells Ben Standig of The Athletic.
As Standig details, McClung’s energy and athleticism make him an intriguing prospect worth monitoring, but he’s not considered likely to be drafted if he goes pro this year. One general manager said he’s still not clear on what position or role McClung would play at the NBA level.
Still, NBA teams are doing their homework on the sophomore guard. Hazan said on Tuesday that McClung has had virtual meetings with 11 teams, with more to come — a source informs Standig that the Rockets, Bulls, and Nets are among those 11 clubs.
Here are a few more draft-related items:
- Michigan State forward Aaron Henry has signed with agent Aaron Reilly of AMR, according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium (Twitter link). Because Reilly is NCAA-certified, Henry can continue to test the draft waters without forfeiting his remaining two years of college eligibility.
- Goodman has published the second version of his 2020 mock draft at WatchStadium.com, forecasting a top five of James Wiseman (Warriors), Anthony Edwards (Cavaliers), LaMelo Ball (Timberwolves), Obi Toppin (Hawks), and Deni Avdija (Pistons).
- With last week’s early entrant deadline behind us, Jeremy Woo of SI.com and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic have each updated their respective big boards for the 2020 draft. Both draft experts have Ball, Edwards, and Wiseman ranked as their top three prospects, but disagree on some other lottery prospects. Vecenie has Toppin (No. 4) and Cole Anthony (No. 8) several spots higher than Woo does, but is less bullish on Isaac Okoro (No. 11), who is sixth on Woo’s board.
Early Entry Deadline For 2020 NBA Draft Has Passed
The deadline for potential early entrants to declare for the 2020 NBA draft fell on April 26 at 11:59pm ET, which means prospects who aren’t automatically draft-eligible can no longer enter this year’s pool.
Players who have entered the draft don’t necessarily have to stay in, as long as they haven’t hired an agent — or as long as they’re working with one of 23 agents certified by the NCAA. Currently, the deadline for NCAA players to withdraw from the draft and maintain their college eligibility is June 3, though it’s possible that date will be adjusted if the NBA draft is postponed.
The NBA has a separate withdrawal deadline from the NCAA’s, allowing prospects to pull out as late as 10 days before the draft. With the draft scheduled for June 25, the NBA’s withdrawal deadline is June 15 — that date is generally the one to watch for international prospects, who don’t have to worry about maintaining NCAA eligibility.
Our full list of early entrants can be found right here. While we did our best to make our list as accurate as possible, some players who declared in recent weeks may have slipped through the cracks, while others reported to have entered the draft may have had a change of heart.
The NBA should formally release its initial early entrant list for 2020 within the next two or three days, so we’ll update our list at that point to reflect the league’s official data.
Here are the latest additions we’ve made to our list:
- Milan Acquaah, G, California Baptist (junior) (Twitter link)
- Dachon Burke, G, Nebraska (junior) (Twitter link)
- Zach Cooks, G, NJIT (junior) (link via Instagram)
- Aaron Henry, F, Michigan State (sophomore) (Twitter link via ESPN’s Jonathan Givony)
- Rokas Jokubaitis, G, Lithuania (born 2000) (Twitter link via Donatas Urbonas)
- Matt Mitchell, F, San Diego State (junior) (link via Associated Press)
- CJ Walker, G, Ohio State (junior) (Instagram link)
And here are a couple players who had previously planned to enter the draft who ended up opting to return to school instead. They’ve been removed from our list:
- Kendric Davis, G, SMU (sophomore) (link via Dallas Morning News)
- Oscar Tshiebwe, F/C, West Virginia (freshman) (Twitter link)
It appears there are approximately 190-ish early entrants in this year’s draft pool, which would be a significant step down from the last couple years, when that total has been in the neighborhood of 235.
Of course, as ESPN’s Jonathan Givony notes (via Twitter), the real question will be how many of these initial early entrants end up staying in the draft. That number landed at 98 last year, and 91 in 2018. It will likely end up lower this year, not just because the early total is lower, but due to the coronavirus pandemic. As Givony observes, many prospects who entered the draft may not have much more info about where they stand by the June 3 withdrawal deadline than they have now.