The 2023 NBA Draft Combine was a great way to learn about some of the more underrated players in this prospect class.
Each year, players are able to use the combine to improve their draft stock. Last season, for example, Santa Clara’s Jalen Williams dominated the 2022 NBA Draft Combine and eventually heard his name called in the lottery by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Still, however, some of the top players opted to not participate in the events. Similarly, projected No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama was not able to make it because his team is still playing in France.
But starting next season, per ESPN, all invited players must participate in order to be deemed eligible for the draft.
“Participation will include league medical examinations, sharing of medical history and biomechanical and functional movement testing, as well as strength and agility testing, shooting drills, performance testing and anthropometric measurements.”
Until then, however, these were the prospects who most improved their draft stock at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
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MORE:
- The full draft order for Rounds 1 and 2
- Hunter Dickinson and the top-40 players who used the NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal
- What the Spurs lineup will look like with Wembanyama
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1
Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Marquette’s Olivier-Maxence Prosper, also known as O-Max, is one of the biggest risers during the pre-draft process so far.
One NBA scout, who spoke to For The Win on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on behalf of their team, shared a very strong review of Prosper.
“He was the person who benefited the most from this experience,” said the scout. “He’s doing [expletive] he didn’t do in college.”
Prosper, who measured with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, was nothing short of excellent during his five-on-five scrimmage. He looked better than ever with the ball in his hands while dribbling, he played with energy, he shot with confidence, and he threw down a monster dunk.
I had Olivier-Maxence Prosper as a top-20 pick in my latest NBA Mock Draft.
O-Max ranked 98th percentile for standing vertical (35.0 inches) among NBA Draft Combine participants since 2000, and he just threw down this dunk during five-on-five scrimmages.https://t.co/cbAQ4rEmuK pic.twitter.com/8KVHdIn39H
— Bryan Kalbrosky (@BryanKalbrosky) May 17, 2023
The Canadian-born standout finished his performance with a game-high 21 points (5-11 FG) while adding 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 turnovers, 1 steal, and 1 block.
He opted not to play in the second scrimmage, which was completely fair considering how well he played during his first appearance. It was not the only highlight of his trip in Chicago, though.
Based just on his athletic testing and measurements, per Nick Kalinowski, Prosper recorded the third-highest “combine score” in this class.
He finished in the 94th percentile or better among all participants since 2000 in max vertical, standing vertical, and lane agility. Additionally, per Stadium Speak, Prosper was 74th percentile or better in wingspan relative to height as well as shuttle run and three-quarter sprint.
Some of the players with the highest similarity score to his athletic testing at previous combines include forwards such as Scottie Barnes, Aaron Gordon, Rudy Gay, Richard Jefferson, and Thaddeus Young.
2
Amari Bailey
We listed UCLA’s Amari Bailey as one of the players who improved his draft stock the most during March Madness, and the same can be said at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine.
His physical measurements (6-foot-3.25) were average, but he looked like one of the best players on the court during the five-on-five settings. His ball handling looked crafty, and he looked comfortable in the pick-and-roll.
AMARI BAILEY HANDLES ON DISPLAY pic.twitter.com/pd5HFVE92t
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) May 18, 2023
Bailey had 17 points (8-15 FG), 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 0 turnovers in the first scrimmage. He was just as impressive in the second game, recording 19 points (6-9 FG, 4-4 FT), 2 rebounds, and 6 assists.
He thrives getting downhill and was one of the leaders in points scored on the fastbreak during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, per CBB Analytics.
His upside as a passer and playmaker makes him a potential first-round pick.
3
Ben Sheppard
Belmont wing Ben Sheppard exploded for a game-high 25 points (8-10 FG, 3-5 3P) while adding 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block during his second five-on-five scrimmage.
Sheppard, who averaged 18.8 points per game while shooting 41.5 percent on 3-pointers as a senior, was a star at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine.
He was a do-it-all contributor who projects well, especially as a movement shooter. He was one of the leaders in dribble handoffs received per touch and in points scored using off-ball screens.
Sheppard, who measured at 6-foot-5.25 without shoes, recorded the fastest overall shuttle run (2.94 seconds) during athletic testing.
Per Stadium Speak: Sheppard finished 84th percentile or better among all participants since 2000 for shuttle run, lane agility (10.88 seconds), and his three-quarter sprint (3.17 seconds). He is one of the fastest and most agile prospects to go through the combine at his height since Josh Green.
Sheppard also finished 60th percentile or better in standing vertical (29.5 inches) and max vertical (64th percentile) as well.
Some of the players with the highest similarity score to his athletic testing at previous combines include Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Josh Hart.
4
Seth Lundy
Penn State’s Seth Lundy recorded 12 points (4-5 FG, 4-5 3P) and 4 assists in the first scrimmage. He followed that up with 18 points (6-9 FG, 4-6 3P), 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in the second scrimmage.
The consistency of his jump shot should earn him a chance to hear his name called on draft night.
Lundy, who averaged 14.2 points per game while shooting 40.0 percent on 3-pointers, had a great explanation for how he was able to improve his jumper as a senior.
Even more encouraging: He was 38-for-79 (48.1 percent) on 3-pointers from NBA distance last season, per Stats Perform. That ranked second-best among prospects with at least 50 attempts tracked from that distance.
Among combine invitees, last season, he also had the most offensive points per touch and he scored the most points per closeout (minimum: 15 closeouts tracked).
His three-quarter sprint (3.15 seconds) was the fifth-fastest among all participants in the 2023 NBA Draft Combine. Lundy finished in the 80th percentile or better in the three-quarter sprint and the standing vertical.
He also finished 75th percentile or better in lane agility as well as wingspan relative to height, per Stadium Speak. (Although he is just 6-foot-4 without shoes, he has a 6-foot-10.25 wingspan.)
Some of the players with the highest similarity score to his athletic testing at previous combines include Andre Iguodala.
5
Brandin Podziemski
Santa Clara sophomore Brandin Podziemski is a versatile guard who had 10 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 0 turnovers while also connecting on two 3-pointers and recording 2 steals during his first combine scrimmage.
He forced deflections and dove for loose balls, and he was aggressive on the offensive glass as a rebounder. His defensive instincts, his ball-handling, and his passing were all on full display in this one possession:
Brandin Podziemski jumps the passing lane then while he drives does such a good job of keeping the defender on his hip to then deliver the soft lob pic.twitter.com/puFEmXFCvd
— Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) May 18, 2023
RELATED: Meet NBA draft sleeper Brandin Podziemski, who used the transfer portal to make himself a pro
His max vertical leap (39 inches) was eighth-best among all participants.
As he told me during our recent conversation about the pre-draft process, “I’m gonna surprise a few people with my athletic ability.”
6
Reece Beekman
Virginia’s Reece Beekman is currently testing the waters with the option to return back to school, but he may have enough momentum to earn an NBA contract.
Beekman had 15 points (6-11 FG, 1-1 3P) with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal during his first scrimmage.
His shot didn’t fall as often in the second game (4-11 FG, 0-4 3P) but he managed to record a game-high 7 assists in the performance while leading his team in plus-minus.
Beekman led all players invited to the NBA Draft Combine in passes per touch (0.82) during the regular season, per AI-Powered statistics provided by Stats Perform.
Although he measured at 6-foot-1.5 without shoes, his 6-foot-7 wingspan helps him make his defensive impact. Beekman is fast and ranked in the 90th percentile for the three-quarter sprint (3.14 seconds), per Stadium Speak.
He also has a good athletic burst and he ranked in the 84th percentile for max vertical (38 inches).
Some of the players with the highest similarity score to his athletic testing at previous combines include Quentin Grimes, Landry Shamet, Devin Harris, and even Russell Westbrook.
Honorable Mentions
Isaiah Wong (Miami)
Tristan Vukcevic (Partizan Belgrade)
Johni Broome (Auburn)
Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton)
Hunter Tyson (Clemson)
