NBA Combine Invitees from the Big 10

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Here are the Big Ten players who were invited to the NBA Combine, recently concluded in Chicago...
Postseason honors are noted.

Zach Edey (Purdue) AP-1 B10-1
Kobe Bufkin (Michigan) B10-3
Coleman Hawkins (Illinois) none
Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana) AP-2 B10-3
Jett Howard (Michigan) B10-3
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) AP-1 B10-1
Seth Lundy (Penn State) B10-HM
Kris Murray (Iowa) AP-1 B10-1
Jaken Pickett (Penn State) AP-1 B10-1
Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State) B10-HM
Terrence Shannon, Jr. (Illinois) AP-2 B10-1

Murray, Hood-Schifino, Bufkin, Howard and Sensabaugh seem fairly certain to be drafted, somewhere between picks 15-45.
Terrence Shannon, Trayce Jackson-Davis seem pretty likely to be 2nd rounders.
Seth Lundy is viewed as a possible late 2nd rounder.
Consensus first-teamers Jalen Pickett and Zach Edey are not on too many draft boards at this point.

It is worth noting that 4 UCLA players were invited to the NBA Combine...
Jaime Jaquez, Jr who got the better of Robbie Beran and Brooks Barnhizer with 24 points and 8 rebounds...
Jaylen Clark, who was injured and did not play against NU...
Amari Bailey, 6'3" freshman who scored 14 points (on 5 of 7 shooting) with 6 assists and 4 rebounds...
Adem Bona, who had a bad shoulder and got manhandled by Matt Nicholson.

 

[PURPLECAT88]

I've been wondering about this, and this thread seems as good a place as any to discuss it. I'm not much of an NBA guy, but tell me if this makes sense. When a team is looking at late-first or second round picks, might it make more sense to go after an older guy like Pickett, Murray or TJD than a teenager like Sensabaugh, Hood-Schifino or Howard? None of them are likely to be MVPs or big difference-makers, but with an older guy you get him for more of his prime mid-20s before you have to worry about free agency and a second contract. For the younger guys when they are just hitting their prime, they will require more of a salary cap hit. Do NBA teams think like this at all? Should they?

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

I've been wondering about this, and this thread seems as good a place as any to discuss it. I'm not much of an NBA guy, but tell me if this makes sense. When a team is looking at late-first or second round picks, might it make more sense to go after an older guy like Pickett, Murray or TJD than a teenager like Sensabaugh, Hood-Schifino or Howard? None of them are likely to be MVPs or big difference-makers, but with an older guy you get him for more of his prime mid-20s before you have to worry about free agency and a second contract. For the younger guys when they are just hitting their prime, they will require more of a salary cap hit. Do NBA teams think like this at all? Should they?

I will admit that I don't watch the NBA. Maybe if an NU guy makes it, I'll start watching his team.

But, when compiling this list, I got to do a little reading and was surprised how the first round is so dominated by "1 and done" guys. I mean it is heavily tilted to foreign club players and college freshmen. Star college players tend to be more experienced, but that seems to be a heavy mark against them when it comes to the NBA.

So a junior who outplays a highly-regarded freshman is probably going to watch that freshman get drafted, while he does not. And college players like Buie and Audige just don't garner any interest from the NBA.

 

[clarificationcat]

I've been wondering about this, and this thread seems as good a place as any to discuss it. I'm not much of an NBA guy, but tell me if this makes sense. When a team is looking at late-first or second round picks, might it make more sense to go after an older guy like Pickett, Murray or TJD than a teenager like Sensabaugh, Hood-Schifino or Howard? None of them are likely to be MVPs or big difference-makers, but with an older guy you get him for more of his prime mid-20s before you have to worry about free agency and a second contract. For the younger guys when they are just hitting their prime, they will require more of a salary cap hit. Do NBA teams think like this at all? Should they?

I think it depends on the ceiling of the players. Why not take a chance on a guy with a higher ceiling if the upper classmen are likely only going to play a few minutes a game at best. The odds are low that a late first round pick is going to contribute immediately (or at alll) so I would take the player you project to be better.

And I strongly disagree on Hood-Schifino. He was the best player on the court by far in several games this year as a freshman. He's got size, athleticism, court vision, composure and a shot. I don't know how you would pass on him to take any of those other guys. He's going to be mid-first round pick and will likely get rotational minutes right away.

 

[hdhntr1]

Here are the Big Ten players who were invited to the NBA Combine, recently concluded in Chicago...
Postseason honors are noted.

Zach Edey (Purdue) AP-1 B10-1
Kobe Bufkin (Michigan) B10-3
Coleman Hawkins (Illinois) none
Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana) AP-2 B10-3
Jett Howard (Michigan) B10-3
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) AP-1 B10-1
Seth Lundy (Penn State) B10-HM
Kris Murray (Iowa) AP-1 B10-1
Jaken Pickett (Penn State) AP-1 B10-1
Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State) B10-HM
Terrence Shannon, Jr. (Illinois) AP-2 B10-1

Murray, Hood-Schifino, Bufkin, Howard and Sensabaugh seem fairly certain to be drafted, somewhere between picks 15-45.
Terrence Shannon, Trayce Jackson-Davis seem pretty likely to be 2nd rounders.
Seth Lundy is viewed as a possible late 2nd rounder.
Consensus first-teamers Jalen Pickett and Zach Edey are not on too many draft boards at this point.

It is worth noting that 4 UCLA players were invited to the NBA Combine...
Jaime Jaquez, Jr who got the better of Robbie Beran and Brooks Barnhizer with 24 points and 8 rebounds...
Jaylen Clark, who was injured and did not play against NU...
Amari Bailey, 6'3" freshman who scored 14 points (on 5 of 7 shooting) with 6 assists and 4 rebounds...
Adem Bona, who had a bad shoulder and got manhandled by Matt Nicholson.

I would think Trace Jackson Davis would be higher

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

I will admit that I don't watch the NBA. Maybe if an NU guy makes it, I'll start watching his team.

But, when compiling this list, I got to do a little reading and was surprised how the first round is so dominated by "1 and done" guys. I mean it is heavily tilted to foreign club players and college freshmen. Star college players tend to be more experienced, but that seems to be a heavy mark against them when it comes to the NBA.

So a junior who outplays a highly-regarded freshman is probably going to watch that freshman get drafted, while he does not. And college players like Buie and Audige just don't garner any interest from the NBA.

All true. The fact that the draft is only two rounds opens the door for undrafted free agents to have successful NBA careers. The team in South Florida is the case study for UDFA success. It’s been a staple of Pat Riley led teams over the years.

 

[PURPLECAT88]

I think it depends on the ceiling of the players. Why not take a chance on a guy with a higher ceiling if the upper classmen are likely only going to play a few minutes a game at best. The odds are low that a late first round pick is going to contribute immediately (or at alll) so I would take the player you project to be better.

And I strongly disagree on Hood-Schifino. He was the best player on the court by far in several games this year as a freshman. He's got size, athleticism, court vision, composure and a shot. I don't know how you would pass on him to take any of those other guys. He's going to be mid-first round pick and will likely get rotational minutes right away.

I appreciate the feedback, and looking at a player's ceiling certainly makes sense, but I look at the Bulls and Patrick Williams. They took him as a very young one-and-done guy, and it looks as if he won't reach his potential until he's with another team or the Bulls have committed big dollars to him. The kid from Illinois (Ayo), picked after three years of college, doesn't have nearly the ceiling of Williams, but it seems he's been a much better value. I'm just wondering if this could be a "Moneyball" type strategy to get undervalued assets.

 

[clarificationcat]

I appreciate the feedback, and looking at a player's ceiling certainly makes sense, but I look at the Bulls and Patrick Williams. They took him as a very young one-and-done guy, and it looks as if he won't reach his potential until he's with another team or the Bulls have committed big dollars to him. The kid from Illinois (Ayo), picked after three years of college, doesn't have nearly the ceiling of Williams, but it seems he's been a much better value. I'm just wondering if this could be a "Moneyball" type strategy to get undervalued assets.

Fair point. As someone else pointed out, Miami has had success developing undrafted players. But you can still get the undervalued guys in the 2nd round or as undrafted free agents. I think you still take the guys with the highest ceilings early. You still need stars. And Williams did miss all of last year due to injury so that set him back a year. He started to play better in the 2nd half of this season.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

All true. The fact that the draft is only two rounds opens the door for undrafted free agents to have successful NBA careers. The team in South Florida is the case study for UDFA success. It’s been a staple of Pat Riley led teams over the years.

There is only one Pat Riley.