NBA Combine 2017: Players Who Will Help Themselves in 5-on-5 Scrimmages
NBA draft prospects have descended on Chicago this week for the league's annual combine, and all eyes will shift to the hardwood at Quest Multisport over the next two days as players get ready to compete in scrimmages and athletic testing.
And while several of this year's top prospects like Dennis Smith, Lonzo Ball, Jayson Tatum, Malik Monk and Josh Jackson won't be participating in any of the combine's most notable showcases, several prospects in search of stock boosts will be afforded a chance to rise up draft boards when five-on-five scrimmages get underway.
In that vein, we've decided to highlight a few talents who could do just that when the practice sessions begin in front of team scouts and front office personnel.
As a reminder, a list of all the players scheduled to compete in scrimmages has been made available by Draft Express. Furthermore, fans can check out all of the combine action starting at 3 p.m. ET on WatchESPN and ESPN2 on Thursday and Friday.
Tony Bradley, F/C, North Carolina
To be clear, Thursday and Friday will not be make-or-break days for Tony Bradley's draft prospects. That's because the 19-year-old opted to enter the pre-draft process without hiring an agent—which means he could return to school if he doesn't get positive feedback in Chicago.
However, there's no denying Bradley has the chops necessary to leap up rankings and enter the late first-round conversation if he puts on a show in the Windy City.
Still something of a raw prospect, Bradley played a rotational role in UNC's frontcourt last season behind the likes of Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks. As a result, he was limited to averages of 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game.
Translate those numbers to a per-40-minute basis, though, and Bradley averaged a gaudy 19.5 points and 14.1 rebounds, per Sports-Reference.com.
At 6'10'' and 248 pounds with a 7'4'' wingspan, according to Draft Express, Bradley was a handful for college bigs on the boards.
And based on the work he did in a small sample size with the Tar Heels, he should continue to crash the glass with authority when play at the combine opens up.
"He's just long as crap, man," UNC swingman Theo Pinson told Sporting News' Sam Vecenie. "He's just out there playing and doesn't even think. The ball will go up and he's just reaching as high as he can and put it right back in the basket."
Currently projected to land at No. 34 overall, per Draft Express, it's not hard to envision a scenario in which Bradley shines at the combine and steadily climbs his way into the latter third of Round 1 thanks to his upside-laden skill set.
Dillon Brooks, G/F, Oregon
Dillon Brooks watched his scoring average dip slightly during his junior season, but his efficiency soared as the Oregon Ducks made a run to the Final Four.
In 35 games during the 2016-17 campaign, Brooks averaged 16.1 points on a career-high 48.8 percent shooting from the field and 40.1 percent shooting from three—a mark that was up 6.3 percent from his sophomore tally.
Perhaps most encouraging, though, was that Brooks did the bulk of his damage from beyond the arc via catch-and-shoot situations. To that point, 70.2 percent of Brooks' made threes a season ago were assisted in some shape or form, according to Hoop-Math.com.
That development was key, because Brooks will have to show NBA teams he can float around the perimeter off the ball and step into threes with rhythm and confidence as he attempts to carve out a rotational niche at the next level.
Brooks also needs to prove he has the speed and athleticism necessary to be more than a threat to score off the catch.
As Draft Express' Julian Applebome wrote: "At 6'7", he has just decent size for a combo forward type, and lacks the plus length or outstanding athletic ability to make up for it. He is a powerful athlete when he has space and momentum to load up, but can be somewhat heavy footed in a crowd or laterally."
Currently projected as a mid-second-round selection by Draft Express, Brooks should have a chance to flash his full skill set in hopes of moving into the top stages of Round 2.
Wesley Iwundu, G/F, Kansas State
If you're in search of a sleeper to track at the combine, look no further than Kansas State swingman Wesley Iwundu.
Although he flew under the radar nationally, Iwundu quietly crept up draft boards as a senior as he averaged 13.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and one steal a game.
Iwundu also knocked down a career-high 48.1 percent of his total shots, including 37.6 percent from beyond the arc.
However, Iwundu has admitted he still has room to grow in the spot-up shooting department as he gets ready to try out for prospective employers.
"They still want me to improve on my shot," he said in April, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal's Ken Corbitt. “That's one big thing I'm still working on in the pre-draft process. Versatility is the biggest thing for me going into the draft."
Assuming Iwundu flashes a consistent stroke, scouts may be drooling.
Not only would a polished jumper give Iwundu a more complete offensive game to make him a multi-faceted threat at the next level, but it would make him a legitimate three-and-D threat after he flashed tremendous defensive potential as a senior.
"He can switch between guards and wings on defense, and offensively he can take on playmaking responsibilities," The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor wrote. "Iwundu is particularly advanced running the pick-and-roll, and it's easy to envision a team using him as a 'big guard' off the bench."
Iwundu's a likely second-round pick regardless of how he performs in the combine, since he's already 22 years old, but a standout effort in Chicago could propel him into the mid-to-late 30s as opposed to the mid-to-late 40s.
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