LSU Following In Kentucky’s Footsteps With Draft-Like Combine

ByMichael Whitlow|

Mar 13, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; LSU Tigers guard Tim Quarterman (55) keeps the ball away from Auburn Tigers guard TJ Lang (23) during the third round of the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, during Kentucky’s destruction tour through college basketball on their way to their fourth Final Four in the last five seasons, the Wildcats did something that’s never been done before (again).

Before the season kicked off, all 30 NBA teams were represented in Lexington last October for Kentucky’s skills combine to showcase their loaded roster. Six of Kentucky’s seven NBA draft entrants this past June were selected in the 60 spots (four in the first round).

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This season, despite the huge loss of talent (as usual) thanks to the NBA draft, Kentucky brought back another top-three recruiting class, including arguably the top overall prospect in Skal Labissiere. The reason why an argument can be made for Labissiere’s top prospect label is because another SEC school could have the best player in college basketball this year.

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LSU, a 22-win program last season, brought in their best class maybe ever for the upcoming season, and third- year head coach Johnny Jones will have the SEC’s best challenger to Kentucky’s throne. Not only is the hype train running 100 mph towards Baton Rouge, so are a line of NBA scouts.

On Monday, CBS Sports reported that LSU will follow Kentucky’s blueprint from last season and host its own NBA-like combine on Oct. 13-14.

Ben Simmons, the player most likely to challenge Labissiere for the top spot on NBA draft boards, will have two dynamic guards by his side for the upcoming season: Antonio Blakeney and Tim Quarterman.

Our own D’Joumbarey A. Moreau broke down Quarterman recently, while ranking Antonio Blakeney as his third-best freshman in the SEC this year. DraftExpress has Simmons (No. 2) and Quarterman (No. 29) in their first-round mock draft for 2016.

I would also rank Labissiere ahead of Simmons based off what Karl-Anthony Towns was able to do with Kentucky last season, but Simmons will still be one of the most electrifying players in the country this season.

The combine may be a move we sees blue-blood schools like Duke, North Carolina and Kansas try in the future, so for LSU to jump on this opportunity to bring more eyes to their program is a fantastic move. Will LSU’s combine bring all 30 NBA teams like Kentucky did? It’s up for debate, but wouldn’t you want to watch this kid play?

Vanderbilt and Texas A&M will continue to grow and improve this season, but talent-wise (on paper), nobody in the SEC will be able to match Kentucky’s talent like LSU can. NBA scouts will quickly notice that when they venture down to the Bayou in October for LSU’s combine.

Before this year’s class even came to fruition, LSU gave Kentucky one of their toughest test all season last year in a 71-69 thriller back in February, as the Wildcats continued their unbeaten start at 24-0. In that game, Quarterman had more turnovers (three) than points (two points on 1-of-6 shooting).

The two teams will see each other twice this season (Jan. 5 in Baton Rouge and March 5 in Lexington), and both games could be “game of the year” candidates in the Southeastern Conference.

Next: College Basketball Preview For 2015-16: Vanderbilt Commodores

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