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2018 NBA Draft Combine participants and preview

By Connor Harr

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: ESPN Analysts break down players during the NBA Draft Combine Day 2 at the Quest Multisport Center on May 12, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: ESPN Analysts break down players during the NBA Draft Combine Day 2 at the Quest Multisport Center on May 12, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images /

Surprising invites

Udoka Azubuike, C — Kansas and Brandon McCoy, C — UNLV

I decided to group these two prospects together because both neither is a good fit for the modern NBA. However, both were invited to the combine because both were McDonald’s All-Americans in high school. Also, McCoy put up intriguing numbers, averaging a double-double at UNLV.

Some big men can still get away with a lack of foot speed. However, Azubuike is not a good enough rebounder to compensate. McCoy is not a good enough rim protector to compensate. Both are viewed as major project big men going forward that need to make major strides offensively and become somewhat serviceable defending in space.

Jaylen Hands, PG — UCLA 

There were big hopes in the preseason for Jaylen Hands. He has ideal size for a point guard, standing at 6’3″. Unfortunately Hands struggled in his freshman campaign at UCLA. He averaged 9.9 points per game and shot only 40.5 percent from the field.

He struggled even in college with his slight frame. It hurt him trying to finish and play through contact, along with being too streaky of a shooter to equalize his struggles at the rim. Hands is still a very unpolished prospect.

Even though there is still plenty of hope for him as a possible first rounder in the 2019 draft with a strong season, the 2018 draft is just a little to early in his developmental process as a prospect. Similarly to Azubuike and McCoy, Hands received an invite because he was a McDonald’s All-American.

Alize Johnson, PF — Missouri State 

Johnson has shown up my big boards from time to time this season. Unfortunately, the senior double-double machine really struggled to score the ball this season. Dramatic shooting woes from both 2- and 3-point range really hurt his draft stock this season.

Alize is still a very skilled player for his size and could play in a small-ball 4 role eventually. Despite Johnson’s size and versatility offensively, he has a very slight frame and now there are serious questions about his jump shot, which probably had been viewed as a lot more projectable last season based on the percentages. Johnson is still an extremely intriguing prospect, but it’s surprising that he got a combine invite this season struggling in the Missouri Valley Conference.