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Draft Notes: Combine Standouts, Raynaud, Yang, Luis, Watkins

May 15th, 2025 at 5:37pm CST by Earnest Marshall

The scrimmages at this year’s draft combine are seemingly more cohesive than in year’s past, with several prospects standing out due to their selfless play, according to a team of ESPN’s NBA insiders. Stanford forward Maxime Raynaud was the most impactful standout of day two of the combine in ESPN’s view, showing impressive ball-handling, three-point shooting and facilitating at 7’0″.

Having stood out during the first set of scrimmages that took place on day two, Raynaud elected to shut down scrimmaging for the third day of the combine, per Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman (Twitter link). After scoring 20 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes, Raynaud’s team must feel his draft stock is secure. He’s listed at No. 34 on ESPN’s best available list.

The ESPN crew identifies a long list of standouts, including UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford. It’s worth monitoring the status of Lendeborg, who looked strong on the defensive end, given that he has indicated he would need a firm promise to stay in the class. Pettiford, meanwhile, ended up as the leading scorer for the day with 23 points to go along with eight assists.

A pair of players from Australia’s NBL made their mark in scrimmages too, as Alex Toohey and Lachlan Olbrich held their own. Olbrich was a call-up from the G League Elite camp and scored 15 points while making all but one of his eight shot attempts.

We have more from the draft:

  • Chinese center Hansen Yang came into the draft process a relative unknown by outsiders, but he’s making his mark at the combine. According to ESPN, Yang was also one of the top performers from day two, matching up and holding his own against Michigan big man Vladislav Goldin. Yang is taking in the draft process and expressed excitement about the opportunity he has in front of him, according to the AP’s Tim Reynolds. “He really feels happiness here,” Chris Liu, Yang’s interpreter, said. “And then, he’s really willing to compete with everyone and against everyone. He really enjoyed that.” Yang currently sits at No. 67 on ESPN’s board.
  • St. John’s guard RJ Luis said he’s “all-in” on the NBA draft, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello (Twitter link). Luis is technically still in the transfer portal but said he hasn’t spoken to any college coaches yet and isn’t thinking about that at the time. Luis averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds last year as a junior. Luis ranks 62nd on ESPN’s board.
  • Florida State’s Jamir Watkins made a big impact on the third day of the combine, according to ESPN’s Jon Chepkevich (Twitter link). In the first scrimmage of the day, Watkins recorded 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals, helping himself showcase his two-way ability. He’s currently ranked No. 65 on ESPN’s big board.
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Five NBAGL Elite Camp Standouts Earn Combine Invites

May 11th, 2025 at 9:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has invited the following prospects to its draft combine this week after they were among the standouts at the G League Elite Camp over the weekend, according to the league:

Bates scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting in 22 minutes of action in the first scrimmage of the weekend on Saturday, then chipped in nine more points in 14 minutes in a Sunday scrimmage.

Mgbako was the leading scorer in Saturday’s second scrimmage with 19 points and was also a game-high +28. He poured in another 22 points with seven rebounds in Sunday’s first scrimmage.

Nembhard was a +22 in 19 minutes on Saturday, with six points and nine assists, then chipped in 11 points and six assists in 24 minutes on Sunday.

Niederhauser barely missed a shot over the course of the weekend, scoring a total of 31 points on 14-of-17 field goals.

Olbrich had 16 points and seven rebounds on 7-of-9 shooting on Saturday and followed it up with a 16-point, 10-rebound outing on Sunday. He was a game-high +18 in Sunday’s first scrimmage.

The G League Elite Camp is essentially an opening act for the full-fledged draft combine, featuring lower-rated prospects who are less likely to be drafted. The best players from that first event receive invitations to the combine, where they’ll get the chance to speak to more teams and scrimmage in front of more NBA evaluators.

Both events take place in Chicago. The initial list of combine invitees can be found here, though that list has undergone some minor changes since it was initially announced earlier this month, with Duke’s Isaiah Evans and Serbian big man Bogoljub Markovic among the players who won’t attend.

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Northwest Notes: Randle, Thunder, SGA, Blazers

May 6th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Julius Randle missed over a month during the regular season due to a groin injury. The Timberwolves big man used that time to reevaluate how he could best impact his new teammates, he told Marc Spears of Andscape.

“When I got injured those few weeks, I was able to see what the team needed, kind of see better how things are done and how I can best help us win games,” Randle said. “So, usually when I get injured, I try to come back better than I was before and really that was my focus. It was just learning the teammates, learning the system, adjusting, learning how I can best help the team.”

Randle delivered in a big way during their first-round series against the Lakers, posting averages of 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • The Thunder played just 24 games this regular season decided in clutch time, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman notes. That may have caught up to them in Game 1 of their second-round series against Denver, as they squandered a late nine-point lead. “We’ve usually been able to execute pretty well on both ends and slam the door on those games,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “We didn’t do that last night.”
  • Franchise player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is eager to see how his Thunder teammates will respond in Game 2 on Wednesday. “It should be fun,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “We’re going to find out what we’re made of, what we’re really made of. Nobody expected it to be smooth sailing this whole journey. No journey in life is, and we know that. Today’s a bump in the road — unexpected. No one expects to lose, especially that way, but it’s the game of life. So it’s about how you respond to getting knocked down.”
  • The Trail Blazers held a pre-draft workout on Tuesday that included Devon Pryor (Oregon), Rueben Chinyelu (Florida), Ben Henshall (Perth Wildcats), Dink Pate (Mexico City Capitanes), John Blackwell (Wisconsin) and Lachlan Olbrich (Illawarra Hawks), Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian tweets. Pate (No. 55) and Henshall (64) are the highest-rated prospects among that group, according to ESPN’s Best Available list.
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44 Prospects Invited To G League Elite Camp

May 5th, 2025 at 7:19am CST by Luke Adams

A total of 44 college and international prospects have been invited to the 2025 G League Elite Camp, aka the G League Combine, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The list of invitees, as reported by Scotto, is as follows:

  1. Jabri Abdur-Rahim (Providence)
  2. Brooks Barnhizer (Northwestern)
  3. Tamar Bates (Missouri)
  4. Nathan Bittle (Oregon)
  5. Dylan Cardwell (Auburn)
  6. Rueben Chinyelu (Florida)
  7. Thierry Darlan (Delaware Blue Coats – G League)
  8. Johnell Davis (Arkansas)
  9. Jyare Davis (Syracuse)
  10. RJ Davis (UNC)
  11. Dawson Garcia (Minnesota)
  12. Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State)
  13. Caleb Grill (Missouri)
  14. Chucky Hepburn (Louisville)
  15. Chase Hunter (Clemson)
  16. Kobe Johnson (UCLA)
  17. Curtis Jones (Iowa State)
  18. Arthur Kaluma (Texas)
  19. Miles Kelly (Auburn)
  20. Viktor Lakhin (Clemson)
  21. Malique Lewis (South East Melbourne – Australia)
  22. Caleb Love (Arizona)
  23. Jaland Lowe (Pittsburgh)
  24. Jahmai Mashack (Tennessee)
  25. Chance McMillian (Texas Tech)
  26. Mackenzie Mgbako (Indiana)
  27. Igor Milicic Jr. (Tennessee)
  28. Jacksen Moni (North Dakota State)
  29. Eli Ndiaye (Real Madrid – Spain)
  30. Ryan Nembhard (Gonzaga)
  31. Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Penn State)
  32. Isaac Nogues (Rip City Remix – G League)
  33. Lachlan Olbrich (Illawarra – Australia)
  34. Sean Pedulla (Ole Miss)
  35. Jonathan Pierre (Belmont)
  36. Jaron Pierre Jr. (Jacksonville State)
  37. Will Richard (Florida)
  38. Kadary Richmond (St. John’s)
  39. Joson Sanon (Arizona State)
  40. Nate Santos (Dayton)
  41. Brandon Stroud (South Florida)
  42. Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M)
  43. Amari Williams (Kentucky)
  44. Chris Youngblood (Alabama)

These prospects will meet with NBA evaluators and scrimmage for two days in Chicago starting on May 9, ahead of the league’s annual draft combine. A small group of standout players from this event are generally invited to stay in Chicago for the full-fledged combine that takes place immediately following the G League Elite Camp. Typically, at least a half-dozen players move on.

While the May 11-18 combine focuses on the top-ranked players in each draft class, the G League Elite Camp offers opportunity to prospects further down boards who are more likely to go undrafted.

None of the 44 players invited to the G League Elite Camp show up in the top 50 of ESPN’s list of this year’s top prospects. Williams (No. 58) and Lewis (No. 59) are the top-ranked prospects for the event, per ESPN.

The G League Elite Camp will give invitees who declared for the draft as early entrants an opportunity to see where they stand ahead of the draft withdrawal deadline on May 28. Not all of the players who participate in this event will remain in the draft pool.

Jose Alvarado, Terance Mann, and Jaylen Martin are among the current NBA players who once took part in the G League Elite Camp. Last year’s list of invitees was highlighted by Jaylen Wells, though he ultimately received a combine invite before either event tipped off.

Keion Brooks, Isaiah Crawford, Yongxi Cui, Enrique Freeman, Emanuel Miller, Nae’Qwan Tomlin, and Anton Watson were among the other 2024 participants who signed two-way contracts with NBA teams this past year, while Isaac Jones finished the 2024/25 season on a standard contract in Sacramento.

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Draft Notes: Clayton, Flagg, D. Williams, Olbrich

April 6th, 2025 at 5:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Florida senior Walter Clayton Jr. has boosted his NBA draft stock with an outstanding run in the NCAA Tournament, Adam Zagoria writes for NJ.com. In five tournament games (33.4 minutes per contest), the 6’3″ guard is averaging 24.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists on .500/.487/.905 shooting.

Clayton was ranked No. 63 on ESPN’s big board a couple of weeks ago, but most NBA executives and scouts who spoke to Zagoria believe the 22-year-old will be selected somewhere in the range of mid-first round to early second.

“He has helped himself more with his draft stock than any other player in the tournament,” one executive told Zagoria. “He is going in the first round.”

In 38 games in 2024/25, Clayton has averaged 18.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.1 APG and 1.2 SPG on .451/.392/.871 shooting (32.5 MPG). The Gators will face the Houston Cougars on Monday in the final of this year’s tournament.

Here are a few more notes related to June’s draft:

  • Projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg showed last summer in a scrimmage with the Select Team against Team USA ahead of the Olympics that he could more than hold his own against the best players in the world, and his all-around game should help him have a smooth transition to the NBA, per Mark Medina of RG.org. “He looked like a hell of a player, somebody that is only going to get better with more experience,” Kevin Durant said at the time. “He’s 17 years old, coming in and playing like he’s almost a vet. No emotion. He’s just out there doing his job. That’s a good sign.” Flagg’s season with Duke came to an end on Saturday, as the Blue Devils blew a late lead against Houston in the Final Four. Flagg finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks.
  • Texas Tech junior Darrion Williams intends to declare for the 2025 draft while maintaining his college eligibility, agent Aman Dhesi tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter links). Williams, who was ranked No. 45 on ESPN’s board, will also enter the transfer portal, according to Givony, who says the combo forward should draw “significant” interest in the late first or early second round after helping guide the Red Raiders to the Elite Eight.
  • Australian forward/center Lachlan Olbrich, who recently helped the Illawara Hawks win an NBL championship, has officially entered his name in the draft, the league announced in a press release. The 21-year-old averaged 8.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 1.6 APG in 29 games this season for the Hawks (16.7 MPG). Olbrich is ranked No. 92 on ESPN’s board.
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And-Ones: Whitsitt, Seattle, Brazdeikis, Australia

September 23rd, 2023 at 6:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former SuperSonics and Trail Blazers executive Bob Whitsitt is among the many NBA figures who support having a team in Seattle again, writes Sam Yip of HoopsHype. In an upcoming book, Whitsitt looks back on his experiences in the city and contends that everything is already in place for a successful NBA franchise.

That includes Climate Pledge Arena, where the new team would be based. Whitsitt, who served as a consultant during remodeling work on the facility, said his job was to make sure it has everything the NBA would look for in a home arena. He says NBA executives have already made several trips to Climate Pledge, with another one coming at an October 10 preseason game, and the arena owners are willing make any modifications the league might request.

He also notes that the Sonics had strong support from their fans until the move to Oklahoma City, adding that Seattle residents are eager to get their team back.

“So all we need is the NBA to say they’re willing and wanting to expand, and I believe the Seattle market will be at the top of the list,” Whitsitt said. “It will be a phenomenal market. I believe the team will be super well-supported. Bringing the Sonics back is something that fans have wanted since 2008. I live in Seattle, I hear it every day, I’m asked the question every day. And all I can tell them is yes, I’m 100 percent all in and I’m gonna do everything I can, in a big way or even in a small way, whatever is required to help make that happen.”

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

  • Ignas Brazdeikis has confirmed that he plans to join Greek powerhouse Olympiacos, according to a report from Eurohoops. He’s expected to sign a two-year deal, and Kaunas, where he played last season, will get a buyout worth 500K Euros. Brazdeikis, 24, had brief stops with the Knicks, Sixers and Magic during his time in the NBA.
  • Former Kentucky guard Isaiah Briscoe has signed with Maroussi BC in Greece after playing in Italy last season, tweets Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog. The 27-year-old appeared in 39 games with the Magic during the 2018/19 season.
  • Lachlan Olbrich of the Illawarra Hawks looked like the best NBA prospect during this week’s NBL Blitz in Australia, observes Olgun Uluc of ESPN. The 6’10” forward averaged 14.7 PPG and made 19 of his 22 shots from the field during the event. Uluc shares several highlights from the Blitz, including Matthew Dellavedova‘s return to Melbourne United, whom he played for in 2021/22.
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