The NBA Combine took place last week in Chicago, bringing together most of the top NBA prospects for physical measurements, athletic and skills testing, and for some, 5-on-5 scrimmages. As expected, some players did not show and others didn’t take part in all portions of the combine. Three players, Ben Simmons, Domantas Sabonis and Dejounte Murray, did not take part at all, while others, such as potential number one pick Brandon Ingram, only took part in team interviews.
For those who attended and took part in the physical measurements portion, that is what I will be looking at here in the first post. For ease of comparison, I have broken it down into positions, as the players were labeled by the NBA. Also, I eliminated the player’s height without shoes, because it really doesn’t matter; players wear shoes on the court.
It’s important to remember that this is basically a limited view on the prospects, and concrete determinations aren’t made solely on these measurements. The data does become more important when added to all of the other information gathered by teams, so in this look, I’m just pointing out numbers that would also jump out to the teams.
Point Guards
| Player | Pos. | Height | Weight | Standing Reach | Wingspan | Hand Length (inches) | Hand Width (inches) | Body Fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wade Baldwin IV | PG | 6'4 | 201.8 | 8'4 | 6'11.25 | 9.0 | 9.75 | 5.2 |
| Cat Barber | PG | 6'2.75 | 173 | 7'11.5 | 6'5.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 4.5 |
| Isaiah Cousins | PG | 6'4.5 | 194 | 8'2.5 | 6'6.25 | 8.25 | 8.75 | 4.8 |
| Kris Dunn | PG | 6'4.25 | N/A | 8'4 | 6'9.5 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| AJ English | PG | 6'3 | 182.2 | 8'2.5 | 6'10 | 8.75 | 8.5 | 5.3 |
| Kay Felder | PG | 5'9.5 | 177.2 | 7'4.5 | 6'2.5 | 8.25 | 8.5 | 5.8 |
| Demetrius Jackson | PG | 6'1.25 | 193.8 | 7'9 | 6'5.5 | 8.25 | 9.0 | 6.5 |
| Patrick McCaw | PG | 6'6.75 | 180.8 | 8'4.5 | 6'10 | 8.75 | 8.75 | 4.7 |
| Marcus Paige | PG | 6'1.75 | 163.8 | 8'1 | 6'6.25 | 7.75 | 8.75 | 4.3 |
| Gary Payton II | PG | 6'3 | 183.8 | 8'3.5 | 6'8 | 8.75 | 9.5 | 3.95 |
| Melo Trimble | PG | 6'2.5 | 191.8 | 7'8.5 | 6'2 | 8.0 | 8.75 | 8.35 |
| Tyler Ulis | PG | 5'10 | 149.2 | 7'4.5 | 6'2 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 5.2 |
| Isaiah Whitehead | PG | 6'4.5 | 210 | 8'4 | 6'8.75 | 8.5 | 8.75 | 9.25 |
As has been the trend, bigger and longer players are being sought out at all positions, point guards included, though skill/ability will always fight its way through, and this year’s group has some interesting players on both ends of the height/length spectrum. UNLV guard Patrick McCaw, who can play either backcourt spot, is the tallest of the group at almost 6’7”, with four more guards, Wade Baldwin, Isaiah Cousins, Kris Dunn and Isaiah Whitehead all measuring 6’4” or taller. Whitehead also comes in at a sold 210 pounds, with Baldwin the only other member of the group topping 200 pounds. This becomes important as both players are known for their ability to get into the defense and attack the basket, so the extra weight allows them to absorb some contact. Baldwin becomes even more intriguing as a prospect with his wingspan of over 6’11”, though McCaw and A.J. English are close at 6’10”. On the other end of the spectrum, we have two guards who came in below 6 feet tall, Tyler Ulis and Kay Felder. Noting that Ulis also weighs less than 150 pounds makes you wonder how he is going to handle playing against grown men at the NBA level. Felder actually came in a half-inch shorter than Ulis, but is close to 30 pounds heavier. One player who didn’t really stand out in measurements, but should become more impressive as we go through the other areas is Notre Dame’s Demetrius Jackson. Just 6’1”, with a 6’5” wingspan, Jackson will become impressive when skill and athletic ability are added to his profile.
Shooting Guards
| Player | Pos. | Height | Weight | Standing Reach | Wingspan | Hand Length (inches) | Hand Width (inches) | Body Fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ron Baker | SG | 6'4.25 | 212.4 | 8'1.5 | 6'9.75 | 8.75 | 9.5 | 7.85 |
| Malik Beasley | SG | 6'4.5 | 189.8 | 8'4.5 | 6'7 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 6.9 |
| Malcolm Brogdon | SG | 6'5.5 | 223 | 8'2 | 6'10.5 | 9.0 | 10.25 | 5.4 |
| Josh Hart | SG | 6'5.5 | 203.6 | 8'3.5 | 6'8.5 | 8.5 | 9.25 | 5.75 |
| Michael Gbinije | SG | 6'6.75 | 204.6 | 8'5 | 6'7.5 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 5.4 |
| Buddy Hield | SG | 6'5 | 212.4 | 8'5 | 6'9.25 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 6.1 |
| Caris LeVert | SG | 6'7 | 191 | 8'5 | 6'10 | 8.5 | 9.25 | 7.55 |
| Sheldon McClellan | SG | 6'6.25 | 198.2 | 8'3.5 | 6'7 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 4.75 |
| Malik Newman | SG | 6'3.5 | 182.2 | 8'1.5 | 6'5.75 | 8.25 | 9.25 | 5.6 |
| Malachi Richardson | SG | 6'6.25 | 199.6 | 8'5.5 | 7'0 | 8.75 | 10.0 | 7.0 |
| Wayne Selden | SG | 6'5.75 | 232.4 | 8'5 | 6'10.5 | 9.0 | 9.25 | 7.3 |
| Denzel Valentine | SG | 6'5.75 | 210.4 | 8'6 | 6'10.75 | 8.5 | 9.75 | 9.2 |
This year’s shooting guard class is a bit smaller than last year’s, and it doesn’t seem to have the height of last year’s group. Only four players measured 6’6” or taller, led by Caris LeVert at 6’7”, as well as Syracuse teammates Michael Gbinije and Malachi Richardson both measuring over 6’6”. Richardson’s profile become a bit more impressive with his 7-foot wingspan and big hands. Four other players had wingspans of 6’10” or longer, including Denzel Valentine, Wayne Selden, LeVert and Malcolm Brogdon. On the smaller end, only one guard, Malik Newman, was measured below 6’4”, and when you add in Newman’s wingspan below 6’6”, he will really need to show more in the athletic and skill portions, though he may also be more suited long-term to playing the point guard spot. Likely lottery pick Buddy Hield measured a little bigger than expected at 6’5” and 212 pounds, and his 6’9” wingspan should be adequate enough to defend the position well.
Small Forwards
| Player | Pos. | Height | Weight | Standing Reach | Wingspan | Hand Length (inches) | Hand Width (inches) | Body Fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De’Andre Bembry | SF | 6'5.75 | 206.6 | 8'5 | 6'9.25 | 8.0 | 9.25 | 7.0 |
| Jarron Blossomgame | SF | 6'7.25 | 213.6 | 8'6 | 6'10 | 8.5 | 10.0 | 5.25 |
| Jaylen Brown | SF | 6'6.75 | 222.8 | 8'6.5 | 6'11.75 | 8.75 | 9.0 | 5.05 |
| Elgin Cook | SF | 6'6.25 | 209.8 | 8'4.5 | 6'10 | 8.5 | 10.25 | 6.35 |
| Dorian Finney-Smith | SF | 6'7.75 | 212.6 | 8'3.5 | 6'11.75 | 9.0 | 9.75 | 6.45 |
| Daniel Hamilton | SF | 6'8 | 197.0 | 8'7.5 | 6'9 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 5.95 |
| Nigel Hayes | SF | 6'7.25 | 245 | 8'5.5 | 7'3 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 10.9 |
| Justin Jackson | SF | 6'8.25 | 193.4 | 8'7.5 | 6'10.75 | 8.75 | 8.75 | 7.6 |
| Jake Layman | SF | 6'9.25 | 208.6 | 8'6 | 6'9.25 | 8.25 | 9.25 | 7.1 |
| Taurean Prince | SF | 6'7.75 | 220.2 | 8'6 | 6'11.5 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 6.45 |
| Troy Williams | SF | 6'6.75 | 217.8 | 8'6 | 6'8.25 | 8.25 | 9.25 | 10.0 |
The small forwards are a very diverse group this year, though the top player in the group, Brandon Ingram, did not take part in combine testing. There is good size, for the most part, led by Jake Layman at over 6’9” and two more players, Justin Jackson and Daniel Hamilton, coming in at 6’8” or bigger. Potential lottery pick Jaylen Brown was a bit smaller, just under 6’7”, though built well at 223 pounds, and has a near 7-foot wingspan. Nigel Hayes, who may still withdraw from the draft, may have the most interesting profile. Hayes measured 6’7” and 245 pounds, which makes some sense since he plays at power forward for Wisconsin, but he also has an impressive 7’3” wingspan, tops in the group. Another potential first-rounder, Taurean Prince, fits what has been the prototypical small forward build the last few years, Prince measured close to 6’8” and 220 pounds, with a wingspan just under seven-feet long. De’Andre Bembry was the smallest of the group, coming in just under 6’6”, with a wingspan just over 6’9”. Though not a very good shooter, Bembry’s physical profile may see him eventually move to the shooting guard spot if he can start knocking down shots more consistently.
Power Forwards
| Player | Pos. | Height | Weight | Standing Reach | Wingspan | Hand Length (inches) | Hand Width (inches) | Body Fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Bentil | PF | 6'8.25 | 229.2 | 8'9 | 7'1.5 | 9.5 | 10.0 | 9.7 |
| Joel Bolomboy | PF | 6'9 | 224.4 | 8'7.5 | 7'1.75 | 9.0 | 10.25 | 5.15 |
| Robert Carter, Jr. | PF | 6'8.5 | 250.6 | 8'10.5 | 7'3.25 | 8.75 | 9.5 | 12.45 |
| Marquese Chriss | PF | 6'10 | 233 | 8'9 | 7'0.25 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.5 |
| Deyonta Davis | PF | 6'10.5 | 237.2 | 9'0.25 | 7'2.5 | 9.0 | 9.25 | 9.7 |
| Cheick Diallo | PF | 6'9 | 218.6 | 8'11.5 | 7'4.5 | 8.5 | 9.75 | 5.6 |
| Henry Ellenson | PF | 6'11.5 | 242 | 9'0 | 7'2.25 | 8.5 | 9.75 | 11.2 |
| Perry Ellis | PF | 6'8.25 | 217.8 | 8'6 | 6'10.25 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 4.6 |
| Brice Johnson | PF | 6'10.5 | 208.6 | 8'10.5 | 7'0.5 | 9.0 | 8.25 | 7.5 |
| Skal Labissiere | PF | 6'11.75 | 215.8 | 8'9.5 | 7'2.5 | 8.75 | 9.0 | 5.7 |
| Dedric Lawson | PF | 6'8 | 224.8 | 8'10.5 | 7'2.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 11.05 |
| Marcus Lee | PF | 6'10.25 | 211 | 8'11.5 | 7'3 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 5.35 |
| Thon Maker | PF | 7'0.75 | 216 | 9'2.5 | 7'3 | 8.75 | 9.5 | 6.05 |
| Isaiah Miles | PF | 6'7.75 | 219.6 | 8'9 | 6'10.5 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 9.6 |
| Georges Niang | PF | 6'8.5 | 230.8 | 8'7 | 6'10 | 9.25 | 9.25 | 10.05 |
| Pascal Siakam | PF | 6'9.5 | 226.6 | 8'11.5 | 7'3.25 | 9.25 | 10.0 | 5.2 |
| Caleb Swanigan | PF | 6'8.5 | 246.6 | 8'11 | 7'3.5 | 9.0 | 10.25 | 12.55 |
| Jared Uthoff | PF | 6'9.75 | 214.4 | 8'8 | 6'11.5 | 8.75 | 9.0 | 6.0 |
| Kyle Wiltjer | PF | 6'10 | 242.8 | 8'6.5 | 7'0.25 | 8.25 | 9.0 | 15.25 |
Like last year, the power forwards are the largest group of players, encompassing both those who would be considered stretch fours, as well as your more historical type of power forward who likes to operate around the basket. Two top prospects, Ben Simmons and Domantas Sabonis, did not take part in the combine. There is some very good size, led by Thon Maker, who measured close to 7’1”, though a thin 216 pounds. Seven other players in the group measured at least 6’10”, including potential first-round picks Marquese Chriss, Deyonta Davis, Henry Ellenson and Skal Labissiere, and all four had wingspans over seven-feet long. Cheick Diallo, who didn’t play much at Kansas as a freshman, measured 6’9” tall, but had a very impressive wing span of over 7’4”. Robert Carter, who shined during five-on-five play, was also a bit on the smaller side, 6’8.5”, but was over 250 pounds, and had a long 7’3” wingspan. Ben Bentil, coming off a strong year with Providence, probably put some critics to rest with his measurements. Bentil measured just over 6’8”, with a wingspan over 7’1”, more than adequate to defend NBA forwards. Freshman Caleb Swanigan, who can still go back to school, had an impressive wingspan over 7’3”, though body fat percentage was measured over 12.5 and will need some work. Only one player, Isaiah Miles, measured under 6’8”, and combined with his game, may make him more suited to playing the small forward spot.
Centers
| Player | Pos. | Height | Weight | Standing Reach | Wingspan | Hand Length (inches) | Hand Width (inches) | Body Fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damian Jones | C | 6'11.5 | 243.6 | 8'11 | 7'3.75 | 8.75 | 10.5 | 6.55 |
| Chinanu Onuaku | C | 6'10 | 245.2 | 9'0.5 | 7'2.75 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.55 |
| Jakob Poeltl | C | 7'1 | 239 | 8'9.5 | 7'2.75 | 9.25 | 10.25 | 5.8 |
| Zhou Qi | C | 7'2.25 | 218.2 | 9'4.5 | 7'7.75 | 9.25 | 9.5 | 4.85 |
| Diamond Stone | C | 6'10.25 | 254.4 | 9'0.5 | 7'2.75 | 8.5 | 7.75 | 12.85 |
| Stephen Zimmerman | C | 6'11.75 | 234 | 8'8.5 | 7'3.25 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 11.15 |
In terms of measurements, this small group of centers is pretty impressive, led by Chinese prospect Zhou Qi. Qi was measured at over 7’2”, with a near 7’8” wingspan and 9’4” standing reach, though at less than 220 pounds, there will be questions on how he handles the physical part of the NBA game. The other five prospects all had wingspans near 7’3”, though Jakob Poeltl was the only other player measured at 7-foot tall or over. Diamond Stone and Chinanu Onuaku both came in around 6’10”, though solidly built. Stephen Zimmerman and Damian Jones both measured well all around, though Zimmerman’s body fat percentage was measured over 11 and will need to be improved on.
Again, it’s important not to read too much into measurements on their own, but as you start to learn more about the players, these numbers will help you round out their profile.
