2015 NBA Draft Combine Prospects the Philadelphia 76ers Must Watch Closely
With a court-side view of 62 prospects at the 2015 NBA Draft Combine, the Philadelphia 76ers get a golden opportunity to evaluate talent.
The combine will take place from May 12 to May 17 in Chicago and provide a number of players with an opportunity to improve their upcoming draft stock by performing well during on-court drills and physical testing.
An advantage to this year's showcase of talent is that the NBA is bringing five-on-five competition back into the mix. ESPN's Chad Ford reported on the league's move and why it's so important:
"General managers and scouts have been complaining for years that the lack of competition between prospects at the annual draft showcase lessens the scouting value of the combine. Since 2009, the NBA has had the 60 or so prospects invited to the combine run through various shooting and ball-handling drills with some minor simulated 3-on-2 action...
After considering a proposal from its competition committee, the NBA will bring back 5-on-5 competition for next year's draft combine.
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Returning to a five-on-five format will inject some life into the combine along with giving a better foundation for scouts to evaluate the talent. Live competition versus others who are fighting to get drafted creates a competitive atmosphere where those who handle pressure best have a chance to stand out.
The only downside to an event related to a person's draft stock is that there isn't much of a reason for the top prospects to attend. There's not much to be gained by competing, while a bad showing could raise questions about potential and true value.
It is a lose-lose situation.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, Emmanuel Mudiay, Kristaps Porzingis and Mario Hezonja are a part of over 20 players skipping the combine entirely. Each of these five could easily be selected with one of the first five picks, so it's important to specifically acknowledge their absence.
The Sixers were in a position to end up with as many as four first-round picks, but the final standings will likely prevent from them obtaining more than one. Holding five second-rounders means that Philly will have a strong focus toward players that can be taken within the final 30 selections.
That's were the majority of Philadlephia's attention will be during the NBA Draft Combine, since there are only a few prospects at the top of the draft worth the team's notice.
D'Angelo Russell, PG/SG, Ohio State University
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D'Angelo Russell is easily the top prospect at this year's combine. All 14 lottery teams will have their eyes on the combo guard out of Ohio State University, as he could be a franchise-caliber player.
The Sixers need a point guard as badly as the body needs water, and Russell will be the only guard who is a surefire top-five pick in attendance.
He possesses great size at 6'5", with an ability to both distribute and score the basketball.
He averaged 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists while playing for the Buckeyes. Combine his numbers with a 41.7 three-point percentage and it's easy to see why there's so much excitement surrounding him on the offensive end. Potential athletic limitations could be an issue in regard to his defensive ceiling, but that will be impossible to know until he gets into a professional game.
He is simply the most NBA-ready guard in this year's draft.
The main issue with Russell's presence at the combine is that Philadelphia will only get a chance to see him during medical and physical testing.
It's a shame that we won't be able to watch him compete in five-on-five games, but there might still be some answers to questions surrounding his athletic potential.
His body-fat percentage, no-step vertical, maximum vertical, three-quarter-court sprint and lane agility will all be tested. A strong showing in each of these areas should quell most doubts about what he can do as an athlete.
Expect him to be a top-four pick in the draft, and Philadelphia will certainly be keeping an eye on him during the combine.
Justise Winslow, SF, Duke University
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If you believe in jinxes, then please switch this slide now.
In all seriousness, this is your last chance to change the page if you are superstitious in any way.
The Sixers might have finished the year as the NBA's third-worst team, but doing so meant that their pick could fall as low as No. 6 if the pingpong balls don't land in their favor.
We tried to warn you to go to another slide.
This scenario would likely make the majority of Philadelphia fans tear up, but it is also a situation that the front office needs to be prepared for.
Expect the Sixers to keep an eye on someone like Justise Winslow in case their draft pick falls.
He had an up-and-down year for the Blue Devils but managed to turn it on at the right time during the NCAA tournament. He averaged 14.3 points and 9.3 rebounds while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from behind the three-point line. He was a driving force in getting Duke to the national championship game and eventually winning it.
Philly needs an athletic wing with the ability to score effectively from the perimeter. Winslow's knack for defending off the dribble and around the rim would also fit into the Sixers' hands as they play a faster brand of basketball.
He joins Russell as a medical/physical testing-only participant during the combine, though. It will still be interesting to see how he measures up against other top candidates in terms of length and explosiveness since that is all teams will be able to go off of.
Being in a position to select Winslow would spell disaster for how the lottery selection wound up for Philly.
It's unfortunately something that the City of Brotherly Love needs to be ready for, however.
Cliff Alexander, PF, University of Kansas
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Cliff Alexander is still a question mark after leaving the University of Kansas.
He was highly touted coming out of high school as a physical power forward who could dominate opponents inside the paint. His body was ahead of his age, and expectations were huge in Kansas.
He just never got the chance to prove himself.
Head coach Bill Self and his staff only played Alexander for 17.6 minutes per game. He managed to turn it into 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds, but it always felt like something was missing.
Like there was more to see.
Draft Express' Jonathan Givony wrote a scouting report on Alexander, detailing his strengths and weaknesses. His height of 6'8" might not be the ideal size for a power forward, but it looks like he might have some physical tools to make up for the lack of height:
"Alexander is somewhat undersized for a power forward standing around 6-8 in shoes, but makes up for that with a chiseled 254 pound frame and very long arms, with a wingspan measured between 7-2 and 7-3 ½. His big hands, strong body and huge wingspan may even allow him to see some minutes at the center position in smaller lineups, which his skill-set might currently dictate he's actually better suited for. Athletically, Alexander is very mobile, although not particularly explosive, running the floor hard and trying to dunk everything he can.
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An impressive wingspan along with a height of at least 6'8" at the combine would ease some concerns about being undersized.
Combining his length with some basic post moves that he didn't show off in college could also end up generating some buzz as the draft nears.
Alexander would clearly require some development, but he could still be a valuable member off the Sixers bench. Philadelphia loves athletic big men who can rebound and run the floor at the same time.
He fits the mold, and they just might love him as well.
Justin Anderson, SG/SF, University of Virginia
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The Sixers will likely have only one first-round pick in this year's draft, and it will be somewhere between No. 1 and No. 6.
ESPN's Jeff Goodman has Justin Anderson going to the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 26 pick in his latest mock draft. In fact, most projections have him as a late first-rounder, which doesn't sound like it helps Philadelphia.
That's only if he stays up on teams' draft boards, though.
You hate to see somebody struggle when preparing for the draft. People dream of playing in the NBA, and the combine provides prospects with a stage to shine in front of all 30 front offices.
It's a chance for players to rise or fall.
With a good showing, Anderson would likely get drafted in the 20-30 range. A bad performance at the combine could see him failing to land in the first round, though.
Perhaps right to the Sixers, who have two of the first seven picks in the second round.
Anderson is an undersized small forward at 6'6" who has the ability to shoot from deep, slash to the hoop and finish at the rim. His physical strength and athleticism could prove to be a defensive nightmare at the NBA level as well. He has the potential to be a lockdown defender while providing some outside shooting.
It's rare for one person to be able to do both.
A fractured pinky slowed him down near the end of last year. If there are signs of some lingering effects at the combine, then his stock could get shaky.
Maybe enough for the Sixers to swoop in and get a second-round steal.
Aaron and Andrew Harrison, PG/SG, University of Kentucky
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This seems like a crazy stretch to put Aaron and Andrew Harrison on this list, but how can the Sixers not at least watch them?
CBSSports.com's Matt Moore wrote an article on November 12, 2013, about his early 2014 mock draft. The Harrison twins were highly touted freshmen at the time and looked like surefire NBA players.
He had Andrew as the No. 9 pick and Aaron as the No. 10.
Times have certainly changed for the duo.
ESPN's Chad Ford currently has Andrew ranked at No. 45 and Aaron ranked at No. 60 on his big board with both going in the second round or being undrafted. Neither showed enough progression from Year 1 to Year 2, and both have been slightly written off because of it.
Still, though, they played for the University of Kentucky under head coach John Calipari. The Wildcats were never able to capture the elusive national championship, but the team saw a lot of success while constantly being on the biggest stage.
The Harrisons teamed up as the backcourt of a squad that made the title game in 2014 and another that lost in the Final Four this year. Don't forget about people like Tyreke Evans, Derrick Rose and John Wall, either. Each of them was a guard under Calipari and has translated into the NBA in a successful way.
It wouldn't be surprising to see the Harrison twins put on a show at the draft combine and generate some needed buzz—maybe even enough for an organization to take a flier on them early after the first round.
The Sixers do have five second-round picks after all.
Zachary Arthur is a Featured Columnist for the Sixers on Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @Zach_ArthurSLC for thoughts on everything basketball.
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