It can be quite boring watching NBA Draft hopefuls run, jump and all the other stuff. For some reason the NFL have found a way for the combine to be entertainment. And with the news that the NBA are considering bringing back 5-On-5 for the Draft Combine actually gets me hyped for future Drafts. ESPN’s Draft Guru Chad Ford has the News.
After considering a proposal from its competition committee, the NBA will bring back 5-on-5 competition for next year’s draft combine, league sources told ESPN.com.
General managers and scouts have been complaining for years that the lack of competition between prospects at the annual draft showcase lessens the scouting value of the combine. Since 2009, the NBA has had the 60 or so prospects invited to the combine run through various shooting and ballhandling drills with some minor simulated 3-on-2 action
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Now this does sound good. But the fact that players don’t participate in the new format does pose a problem.
The switch to the new drills-based format opened space for more of the top prospects to participate. However, in the past few years, numerous top prospects have refused to participate even in the drills portion of the combine.
In 2012, 11 players — Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bradley Beal, Thomas Robinson, Andre Drummond, Harrison Barnes, Dion Waiters, Jared Sullinger, Jeremy Lamb, Austin Rivers and Arnett Moultrie refused to participate in the drills.
In 2013, the numbers were equally poor. Ben McLemore, Otto Porter Jr., Trey Burke, Victor Oladipo, C.J. McCollum, Michael Carter-Williams, Cody Zeller, Dennis Schroder and Mason Plumlee all bailed on the drills section.
This is a problem. If the players don’t participate. Then what’s the point?
