NBA Combine 2018: Dates, TV Info, Live Stream and Drills Preview
As the 2018 NBA playoffs continue, the draft process is also ramping up. The NBA combine will take place at the end of next week, giving prospects the chance to entice decision-makers.
Below, we'll break down the key details of the event, go through the drills players will be running and highlight the top prospects to watch in Chicago.
Combine Details
When: Thursday, May 17, and Friday, May 18
Where: Chicago's Quest Multisport
Watch: ESPN2 from 3-7 p.m. ET
Stream: WatchESPN
Expected Participants (per NBA.com):
- Rawle Alkins (Arizona)
- Grayson Allen (Duke)
- Kostas Antetokounmpo (Dayton)
- Udoka Azubuike (Kansas)
- Marvin Bagley III (Duke)
- Mohamed Bamba (Texas)
- Jaylen Barford (Arkansas)
- Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State)
- Tyus Battle (Syracuse)
- Brian Bowen II (South Carolina)
- Mikal Bridges (Villanova)
- Miles Bridges (Michigan State)
- Bruce Brown Jr. (Miami)
- Troy Brown Jr. (Oregon)
- Jalen Brunson (Villanova)
- Tony Carr (Penn State)
- Jevon Carter (West Virginia)
- Wendell Carter (Duke)
- Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky)
- Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova)
- Trevon Duval (Duke)
- Jacob Evans (Cincinnati)
- Bruno Fernando (Maryland)
- Melvin Frazier Jr. (Tulane)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Kentucky)
- Devonte Graham (Kansas)
- Devon Hall (Virginia)
- Jaylen Hands (UCLA)
- Kevin Hervey (Texas-Arlington)
- Aaron Holiday (UCLA)
- Kevin Huerter (Maryland)
- Chandler Hutchison (Boise State)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. (Michigan State)
- Justin Jackson (Maryland)
- Alize Johnson (Missouri State)
- George King (Colorado)
- Kevin Knox (Kentucky)
- Sagaba Konate (West Virginia)
- Caleb Martin (Nevada)
- Cody Martin (Nevada)
- Yante Maten (Georgia)
- Brandon McCoy (UNLV)
- De'Anthony Melton (USC)
- Chimezie Metu (USC)
- Shake Milton (SMU)
- Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (Kansas)
- Malik Newman (Kansas)
- Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech)
- Jontay Porter (Missouri)
- Michael Porter Jr. (Missouri)
- Billy Preston (Kansas)
- Jerome Robinson (Boston College)
- Mitchell Robinson (Western Kentucky)
- Collin Sexton (Alabama)
- Landry Shamet (Wichita State)
- Anfernee Simons (IMG Academy)
- Zhaire Smith (Texas Tech)
- Omari Spellman (Villanova)
- Khyri Thomas (Creighton)
- Gary Trent Jr. (Duke)
- Allonzo Trier (Arizona)
- Jarred Vanderbilt (Kentucky)
- Moritz Wagner (Michigan)
- Lonnie Walker (Miami)
- PJ Washington (Kentucky)
- Austin Wiley (Auburn)
- Kris Wilkes (UCLA)
- Kenrich Williams (TCU)
- Trae Young (Oklahoma)
Drills
The NBA hopefuls at the combine will participate in drills that fall under three categories: spot-up shooting, non-stationary shooting and strength and agility.
In the spot-up shooting drills, participants will be tested on how they shoot from various areas on the court. Non-stationary shooting tests how players perform in various scenarios, broken down between on-the-move shots at various points on the court and off-the-dribble shooting from different areas.
Finally, the strength and agility tests include lane-agility time, the shuttle run, a three-quarter sprint, standing vertical, max vertical and the bench press.
A number of the top prospects won't participate in all of the drills and testing. Many players forego the bench press, and some of the top prospects only show up to do interviews with teams or play in the five-on-five matchups that take place.
Like the NFL Scouting Combine, prospects with the most to prove generally participate as much as possible to make a positive impression.
Top Prospects to Watch
The players expected to hover around the top-five range in this year's draft, including Bagley, Bamba, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Young, may not do much in Chicago. But those hoping to prove they belong in the top 10, such as Mikal Bridges, Miles Bridges, Sexton, Knox, Gilgeous-Alexander and Wendell Carter, may be more inclined to participate.
The most fascinating player in Chicago may be Michael Porter Jr. He was once considered one of the top prospects in this draft class, but a back injury caused him to miss all but 53 minutes of the season, which makes him somewhat of a mystery.
His potential is obvious, but NBA scouts didn't get to see how that translated at the college level. It bears watching whether Porter does much at the combine to remind decision-makers of his top-five potential, or if he'll abstain from participating and largely rely on individual workouts with teams.
Either way, he's likely to be a top-10 pick. Where he'll land may come down to his interviews, workouts and perhaps his combine performance (or lack thereof).
Villanova products DiVincenzo and Spellman will likewise be fascinating to watch throughout the combine process, as they have yet to sign with agents and could return to the defending national champions.
Both DiVincenzo and Spellman are fringe first-round or early second-round prospects, so their return to 'Nova would make the Wildcats one of the favorites for next year's title. But if either player believes he's a first-round lock after a big combine performance, a return to school may not be in the cards.
That'll make DiVincenzo and Spellman a clear focal point in Chicago.
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