NBA Draft Combine will have a greater impact for OKC Thunder draft process in 2019
With the NBA Draft Lottery complete, the OKC Thunder switch their attention to the 66 prospects and 11 G-League players with an emphasis on their Draft Combine performances.
Two days after the 2019 NBA Draft lottery analysts, pundits and fans alike shifted their mindset to June 20th. That’s the date of the 2019 NBA Draft and now that each franchise knows where they are selecting, deeper dives can be made into each of the draft prospects.
It’s not unusual for teams to take the best player on the board regardless of position. This season, however, it’s more likely teams will switch to best fit. The reason is this draft class isn’t particularly strong. Although there are three to five special assets beyond that the vast majority of the class displays parity or uncertainty of long term potential.
Therefore, teams are likely to place greater emphasis on filling roster gaps or investing in a player who they can develop through their G-League program.
Speaking of the G-League, 11 players advanced to the Combine after participating in the G-League Elite Camp:
- Tacko Fall – UCF
- Terance Mann – Florida State
- Dewan Hernandez – Miami’
- Oshae Brissett – Syracuse
- Cody Martin – Nevada
- DaQuan Jeffries – Tulsa
- Jared Harper – Auburn’
- Tyler Cook – Iowa
- Marial Shayok – Iowa State
- Reggie Perry – Mississippi State
- Terence Davis – Ole Miss
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Although 66 draft prospects were invited to the NBA Draft Combine not all will participate in each segment. Like the lottery, the combine is occurring in Chicago.
While some prospects only come for meetings and measurements those who elect to fully participate will undergo skill testing Thursday and Friday. The prospects will go through strength and agility drills and positional skill work.
On the weekend the players who stay on will participate in five on five competitions.
Many teams hold interviews which recently has taken on greater emphasis in the process. During these sessions, teams can decipher specific character traits which point to how the player will act on the floor and how they’ll adapt to the team’s existing roster members.
While Sam Presti tends to keep his cards close to his chest the information and performances of these prospects will provide hints for Thunder Nation as to who the GM should earmark as a potential addition to the OKC Thunder.
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To that end, Thunderous Intentions Draft Prospect Series will begin today. Something worth noting is T.I. will review all the top prospects and while Sam Presti has just one pick (21st) it doesn’t mean the GM won’t look to trade up, buy into the second round or possibly trade down. Therefore the TI writing team examines all the prospects so you the fanbase has a comprehensive look at the projected top 60 in the class.