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Draft Workouts: Jazz, Wolves, Kings, Broome

June 12th, 2025 at 5:56pm CST by Rory Maher

The Jazz are hosting a pre-draft workout on Friday featuring Colorado State wing Nique Clifford, North Carolina wing Drake Powell, Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner and Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier, multiple league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Clifford is the top-ranked prospect of the group, according to ESPN’s big board, coming in at No. 22. Powell (No. 31), Kalkbrenner (No. 33) and Lanier (No. 37) are also viewed as strong bets to be drafted, either late in the first round or early in the second.

Utah currently controls four picks — Nos. 5, 21, 43 and 53 — in June’s draft.

Here are a few more notes regarding pre-draft workouts:

  • The Timberwolves, who control the 17th and 31st picks, are holding a workout Thursday that includes Asa Newell (Georgia), Jamir Watkins (Florida State), Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State) and Steven Crowl (Wisconsin), reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North (via Twitter). Newell, who was invited to the green room, is ranked No. 21 on ESPN’s board, while Watkins is No. 39. The other two players are unranked.
  • The Kings will be hosting six players for a workout on Friday, the team announced (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee). The six are Ryan Nembhard of Gonzaga, Curtis Jones of Iowa State, Koby Brea of Kentucky, Kadary Richmond of, Norchad Omier of Baylor, and Vladislav Goldin of Michigan. All six prospects appear on ESPN’s board, ranging from No. 47 (Brea) to No. 95 (Omier). Sacramento currently only controls the 42nd pick, but is rumored to be interested in moving into the first round.
  • Big man Johni Broome, the 40th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s list, had a workout with the Warriors today, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The former Auburn star said he has previously worked out for the Clippers, Pistons, Hawks, Nets, Raptors and Celtics, and has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Thunder, Timberwolves and Suns, according to Rankin. Golden State controls the 41st pick.
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And-Ones: All-Star Game, Rubio, Draft Sleepers, Broadcasters

June 5th, 2025 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Asked during an appearance on FS1’s Breakfast Ball (Twitter video link) whether a U.S. vs. the World format for the All-Star Game is something the NBA could implement as soon as 2026, league commissioner Adam Silver replied, “Yes.”

Silver cautioned that nothing has been set in stone yet, but that plan has been set in motion, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, and the NBA believes the timing makes sense. There was significant interest in the men’s basketball event at the 2024 Paris Olympics that featured a star-studded Team USA taking on NBA stars from other countries, and the 2026 All-Star Game will air on NBC while the network is also broadcasting the Winter Olympics.

“What better time to feature some form of USA against the world?” Silver said on FS1. “I’m not exactly sure what the format will be yet. I obviously paid a lot of attention to what the NHL did (with its ‘4 Nations Face Off’ All-Star event earlier this year), which was a huge success. … But also, going back, last summer, our Olympic competition was a huge success.”

As Reynolds writes, the biggest sticking point for the NBA is that approximately 70% of the NBA’s players are American, with just 30% from other countries. So even though some of the game’s biggest stars – including Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic – could represent the “world” team, a format that requires 12 non-U.S. players to be named All-Stars would likely result in some glaring snubs among U.S. players.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, who announced his retirement from the NBA in January 2024, played for Barcelona at the end of the 2023/24 season before taking ’24/25 off. The 34-year-old Spaniard published a message on social media on Thursday that could be interpreted as either a hint at his retirement as a player or a signal that he isn’t done yet. “I took this year to reflect on my career and my life, and I’ve realized that if I’ve gotten to where I am today, it’s not because of the assists I’ve given, but because of the assists I’ve received,” Rubio wrote (via Twitter). “This isn’t a goodbye, it’s a thank you to all the people who have helped me along the way.”
  • Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports identifies seven of his favorite “sleepers” in this year’s draft, naming UNC’s Drake Powell, Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard, Kentucky’s Koby Brea, and four others as prospects capable of outperforming their probable draft slots.
  • Richard Deitsch and Andrew Marchand of The Athletic dig into the NBA’s media landscape, with Marchand noting that the league’s new partners, Amazon and NBC, will be keeping an eye on players nearing the end of their respective careers who might be interested in transitioning to broadcasting. That group includes Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James, according to Marchand, who adds that Steve Kerr would qualify too if he moves on from coaching in the coming years.
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NBA Announces 75 Invitees For 2025 Draft Combine

May 2nd, 2025 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA announced today (via Twitter) that 75 prospects have been invited to attend this year’s draft combine, which will take place in Chicago from May 11-18.

In addition to those 75 players, a handful of standout players from the G League Elite Camp, which is also held in Chicago just before the combine begins, are expected to receive invites to stick around for the main event.

Not all of the prospects invited to the combine will end up remaining in the 2025 draft pool, since many are early entrants who are testing the waters while retaining their NCAA eligibility.

College players must withdraw from the draft by the end of the day on May 28 if they wish to preserve that eligibility, while non-college players face a decision deadline of June 15. The feedback they receive from NBA teams at the combine may be a deciding factor for players who are on the fence.

Here’s the list of players who have been invited to the 2025 draft combine:

(Note: For players in international leagues, the country listed is where they had been playing, not necessarily where they’re from.)

  1. Izan Almansa, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
  2. Neoklis Avdalas, G/F, Greece (born 2006)
  3. Ace Bailey, G/F, Rutgers (freshman)
  4. Joan Beringer, C, Slovenia (born 2006)
  5. Koby Brea, G, Kentucky (senior)
  6. Johni Broome, F/C, Auburn (senior)
  7. Carter Bryant, F, Arizona (freshman)
  8. Miles Byrd, G, San Diego State (sophomore)
  9. Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida (senior)
  10. Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State (senior)
  11. Alex Condon, F/C, Florida (sophomore)
  12. Cedric Coward, F, Washington State (senior)
  13. Egor Demin, G, BYU (freshman)
  14. Eric Dixon, F, Villanova (senior)
  15. V.J. Edgecombe, G, Baylor (freshman)
  16. Noa Essengue, F, Germany (born 2006)
  17. Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke (freshman)
  18. Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma (freshman)
  19. Cooper Flagg, F, Duke (freshman)
  20. Boogie Fland, G, Arkansas (freshman)
  21. Rasheer Fleming, F/C, St. Joseph’s (junior)
  22. Vladislav Goldin, C, Michigan (senior)
  23. Hugo Gonzalez, F, Spain (born 2006)
  24. PJ Haggerty, G, Memphis (sophomore)
  25. Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers (freshman)
  26. Ben Henshall, G/F, Australia (born 2004)
  27. Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois (freshman)
  28. Sion James, G, Duke (senior)
  29. Tre Johnson, G, Texas (freshman)
  30. Kameron Jones, G, Marquette (senior)
  31. Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton (senior)
  32. Karter Knox, F, Arkansas (freshman)
  33. Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke (freshman)
  34. Chaz Lanier, G, Tennessee (senior)
  35. Yaxel Lendeborg, F, UAB (senior)
  36. RJ Luis, F, St. John’s (junior)
  37. Khaman Maluach, C, Duke (freshman)
  38. Bogoljub Markovic, F/C, Serbia (born 2005)
  39. Alijah Martin, G, Florida (senior)
  40. Liam McNeeley, F, UConn (freshman)
  41. Jalon Moore, F, Oklahoma (senior)
  42. Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina (sophomore)
  43. Grant Nelson, F, Alabama (senior)
  44. Asa Newell, F, Georgia (freshman)
  45. Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky (junior)
  46. Dink Pate, G/F, Mexico City Capitanes (born 2006)
  47. Micah Peavy, G/F, Georgetown (senior)
  48. Noah Penda, F, France (born 2005)
  49. Tahaad Pettiford, G, Auburn (freshman)
  50. Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (freshman)
  51. Drake Powell, G/F, UNC (freshman)
  52. Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke (junior)
  53. Derik Queen, C, Maryland (freshman)
  54. Maxime Raynaud, F/C, Stanford (senior)
  55. Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State (freshman)
  56. Will Riley, F, Illinois (freshman)
  57. Michael Ruzic, F, Spain (born 2006)
  58. Hunter Sallis, G, Wake Forest (senior)
  59. Kobe Sanders, G, Nevada (senior)
  60. Ben Saraf, G, Germany (born 2006)
  61. Mark Sears, G, Albama (senior)
  62. Max Shulga, G, VCU (senior)
  63. Javon Small, G, West Virginia (senior)
  64. Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown (freshman)
  65. Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas (junior)
  66. John Tonje, G, Wisconsin (senior)
  67. Alex Toohey, F, Australia (born 2004)
  68. Nolan Traore, G, France (born 2006)
  69. Milos Uzan, G, Houston (junior)
  70. Jamir Watkins, G/F, Florida State (senior)
  71. Brice Williams, G/F, Nebraska (senior)
  72. Darrion Williams, F, Texas Tech (junior)
  73. Danny Wolf, F/C, Michigan (junior)
  74. Hansen Yang, C, China (born 2005)
  75. Rocco Zikarsky, C, Australia (born 2006)

It’s worth noting that the NBA and the NBPA agreed to several combine-related changes in their latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here are a few of those changes:

  • A player who is invited to the draft combine and declines to attend without an excused absence will be ineligible to be drafted. He would become eligible the following year by attending the combine. There will be exceptions made for a player whose FIBA season is ongoing, who is injured, or who is dealing with a family matter (such as a tragedy or the birth of a child).
  • Players who attend the draft combine will be required to undergo physical exams, share medical history, participate in strength, agility, and performance testing, take part in shooting drills, receive anthropometric measurements, and conduct interviews with teams and the media. Scrimmages won’t be mandatory.
  • Medical results from the combine will be distributed to select teams based on where the player is projected to be drafted. Only teams drafting in the top 10 would get access to medical info for the projected No. 1 pick; teams in the top 15 would receive medical info for players in the 2-6 range, while teams in the top 25 would get access to info for the players in the 7-10 range.
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Cam Christie, Jaylen Wells Staying In 2024 NBA Draft

May 29th, 2024 at 11:42am CST by Luke Adams

Following his freshman season at Minnesota, Cam Christie has decided to go pro, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the 6’6″ guard will remain in the 2024 NBA draft pool rather than heading back to school.

The No. 34 player on ESPN’s big board of 2024 prospects, Christie showed real promise as a shot-maker with size in his first and only college season, averaging 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game with a .391 FG%. NBA teams are intrigued by the youngster’s long-term upside, according to Givony, who observes (via Twitter) that Christie is still 18 years old.

Washington State forward Jaylen Wells will also keep his name in the NBA draft, forgoing his senior year at college, he tells Jamey Vinnick of CougFan.com. Wells is currently the No. 60 player on ESPN’s board, making him a candidate to be selected in the second round of next month’s draft.

Wells, who spent his first two college seasons at Sonoma State before transferring to Washington State in 2023, averaged 12.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 29.2 minutes per game across 34 appearances last season, with a .436/.417/.814 shooting line. After deciding to test the draft waters this spring, he was initially invited to the G League Elite Camp before instead receiving an invite to the combine.

While Christie and Wells are staying in the draft, a number of his fellow NCAA early entrants are withdrawing in order to return to school. Here are several of those players, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports:

We expect more updates on draft decisions to come in over the course of the day, since the deadline for players to withdraw and retain their college eligibility is Wednesday night at 11:59 pm Eastern time.

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Larsson, Hall, Sears Among Latest Draft Early Entrants

April 18th, 2024 at 12:14pm CST by Rory Maher

Arizona guard Pelle Larsson, who is ranked No. 45 on ESPN’s big board, is forgoing his final season of college eligibility and entering the 2024 draft, agent Daniel Poneman told Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).

A native of Sweden, Larsson averaged 12.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 3.7 APG with an impressive .519/.426/.750 shooting line in 36 games as a senior for the Wildcats in 2023/24 (30.1 MPG). Arizona made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, when it lost to Clemson.

Speaking of Clemson, big man PJ Hall, another potential second-round pick who is No. 59 on ESPN’s board, was on a list of college senior early entrants that was sent to NBA teams a couple days ago, according to Givony (Twitter links). As far as we’re aware, Hall did not make an announcement on whether he intends to test the draft waters or forgo his final year of eligibility.

Alabama’s Mark Sears was on that early entrant list as well, and he recently announced (Instagram link) that he’ll be testing the draft waters. The No. 90-ranked prospect on ESPN’s board, Sears helped lead the Crimson Tide to the Final Four before losing to eventual champion UConn.

Here are a few other players who appeared on the senior early entrant list that Givony provided and are not on our own early entrants list:

As with Hall, we haven’t seen announcements from these four players, so we’re not sure if they’re testing the draft waters or intend to stay in the draft. May 29 is the deadline for college early entrants to withdraw from the draft and return to school, Givony notes.

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