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One of my least favorite events, the draft combine gets underway tomorrow in Chicago. 60 draft hopefuls will be there to be poked, prodded, and measured. What there won't be is much in the way of basketball like substance, as they don't actually, you know, play basketball at this thing.
It remains entirely unclear to me whether being able to jump two inches higher then the other guy in an empty gym with no ball to go after or basket to make actually means anything when it comes to predicting future success. Yet we wind up poring over these "measurables" between the combine and the draft. Because, why not? I'm convinced things like the combine, and individual workouts that will come between the lottery and the draft, do more harm then good when it comes to evaluating prospects. Too easy to get in an empty gym. Still, it's something to talk about. And we love to talk about things.
It's an opportunity for teams to meet with players in addition to the measurements. In addition, the players undergo physical exams, which is perhaps the most important aspect.
In past years, the top players have not participated in the workouts or in some cases the physical tests (sprinting, jumping, etc), but usually come for interviews and physicals. This year, the top three players in the draft are not even going to show up. Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid of Kansas, and Jabari Parker of Duke, will not be at the Combine at all. It's possible that Embiid's stress fracture in his back is the reason he isn't coming, though ultimately he will have to submit to physicals by teams interested in drafting him.
As always Draft Express has the information: Here is the list of combine attendees. It includes essentially anyone the Wolves might consider drafting at the 13th spot, including the UCLA guys, Nik Stauskas, Gary Harris, James Young, and anyone else you can think of. I would recommend checking out DX regularly for updated information from the combine.
Anything that might occur Wolves related, we'll obviously have it for you. No doubt Flip Saunders will be there with bells on.
Anything in particular you're looking forward to?