CHICAGO – While the NBA playoffs progress in riveting fashion from Boston to California and various points in between, the center of the NBA Draft universe has been taking hold in Chicago. From May 9-11, the league held its G League Elite Camp at Wintrust Arena. On Monday, the league staged its annual draft lottery at the McCormick Convention Center, where the Dallas Mavericks earned the right to draft Cooper Flagg despite having a 1.8 percent chance of winning. The next day, the NBA Draft Combine got underway with all the players participating in skills and agility testing at Wintrust Arena as well as medical exams at an adjacent hotel.
The action got even more interesting on Wednesday with the first day of the five-on-five scrimmages inside Wintrust Arena. Those games will continue today, but there is already plenty of buzz coming out of all the happenings this week. Even after the combine wraps up later today, that chatter will continue to build as the June 25 draft approaches.
Allowing that there is still plenty of time for significant movement, here is a ranking of the top 10 players who helped themselves the most this week in Chicago.
1. Cedric Coward, Duke
Coward entered this week with a little bit of buzz but nothing compared to what he is generating now going through testing and shooting drills as well as interviews with teams. Coward declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility and will be transferring from Washington State to Duke if he does decide to return for one more year. “Right now, my main focus is staying in the draft,” Coward said during his media availability on Wednesday. “I had a great conversation with Coach Scheyer and the rest of the coaching staff and they’re supporting me in my decision to pursue my dreams.”
Coward measured at 6-foot-5 ¼ without shoes with a 7-foot-2 ¼ wingspan. He recorded a 32.5 -inch no-step vertical-jump (fourth highest in the combine) and shot the ball extremely well during the shooting drills (72 percent aggregated on all shots). Coward only played seven games this year at Washington State before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury.
Duke fans had hoped that he could come in next season and dominate but many scouts and executives believe Coward has done enough to stay in this draft class. “He’s like a cross between Desmond Bane and Jalen Williams,” one scout told Hoops HQ. “His measurements are off the charts and was one of the most impressive players on the court yesterday. I could see him going in the first (round).”
2. Yaxel Lendeberg, Michigan
Lendeberg started to sneak up draft boards after a strong season at UAB, averaging 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. The versatile wing declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college and immediately became the No. 1-ranked player in the portal. He later committed to Michigan but is committed to going through the draft process. “The goal is to leave this weekend with a promise,” Lendeberg said.
Lendeberg measured at 6-foot-8 ½ (no shoes) with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and looked very agile and comfortable on the court during testing drills. During the first day of scrimmage play, Lendeberg made great reads in transition, didn’t force shots and showed that he can guard relatively well in the open court. “He’s done enough to stay in this draft and not go back for another year,” one Eastern Conference executive told Hoops HQ. “You always want to see how a player adjusts to the spacing of the NBA game and also how well he plays against high-major players and he was one of the best guys on the court today.”
3. Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
Raynaud finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists in the first scrimmage and looked like the best frontcourt player at the combine. His draft stock has been everywhere throughout the season, from late lottery to mid second round. He set himself a part in the first two days of the combine. “I felt great out there and anytime I can go against this level of competition and be challenged, I’m excited to learn and get better,” Raynaud said after the game.
Raynaud played his senior season at Stanford and finished with 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while shooting 34.7 percent from three-point range. “It’s him and (Danny) Wolf that are right there for me in the top half of the first as productive seven-footers,” one NBA scout said. Raynaud has done enough to sit out the rest of the combine but will likely play tomorrow to solidify his draft stock. Raynaud met with the Lakers Wednesday morning with the majority of his meetings happening Thursday and Friday.
4. Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
Sorber was a fringe first rounder all season long but his testing performances showed why he should be considered a lottery pick. He looks like he’s added some muscle mass and moved through drills with ease. He has great positional size, measuring at 6-foot-9 ¼” (no shoes), 262.8 pounds and a 7-foot-6 wingspan. He moved well on the court for his size and was quick off his feet.
Although he didn’t attempt many threes during his one season at Georgetown, Sorber’s mechanics looked good and his pick-and-pop potential showed promising signs at the NBA level. Sorber’s draft stock ranges from late lottery to mid-first round.
5. Sion James, Duke
James really stood out in the pick-and-roll and three-on-three drills Tuesday afternoon. He took a little time to fall into his rhythm during scrimmage play on Wednesday. The 6-foot-6 guard was the Glue Guy at Duke this past season and takes pride in doing the little things to help his team win. “Even in this setting, I understand there’s only so many touches on offense or opportunities so I’m just trying to show everyone here I can win 50-50 balls, rebound on both sides of the ball and really be a lockdown defender one through four,” he said.
James averaged 8.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists during his senior year at Duke and was a defensive leader. During the game on Wednesday, James recorded a game-high four steals and added 10 points and three rebounds.
6. Micah Peavy, Georgetown
The fifth-year senior started his college career at Texas Tech before transferring to TCU for three seasons and ending his career at Georgetown. He has been patient with his development. “If I would’ve gone early (to the NBA), I don’t think I would’ve been ready and I would be fighting for my life in the G League,” Peavy told Hoops HQ. “Staying five years and going through all the adversity has built me into the player I am today and I think I can help impact winning right away once I get to the NBA.”
Peavy said he studies Josh Hart and Dyson Daniels, two defensive-minded players in the NBA, to learn how they get deflections and steals. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 2.3 steals per game and added 17.2 points and 3.6 assists last season at Georgetown.
7. Drake Powell, North Carolina
Powell had a quiet year at North Carolina, averaging 7.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 25.5 minutes. It was a far cry from when he was one of the top recruits in high school. Despite his disappointing season, Powell said he is 100 percent committed to staying in the draft. “I’m definitely staying in the draft and have no plans to return to North Carolina,” Powell told reporters on Wednesday.
His upside as an elite defender and his athleticism (he recorded the highest no-step vertical jump at 37.5 inches) is what stands out the most. Powell’s draft range is late first round to early second round.
“Anyone sitting here can recognize his potential and what he could bring to a team, especially on the defensive side of the (floor),” one NBA scout told Hoops HQ. “We see it every year where a player averaged low numbers either in college or overseas and ends up being a first round pick. He could be like that this year.”
8. Mackenzie Mgbako, Texas A&M
Mgbako got a call up from the G League combine and showed impressive efficiency during the scrimmage and shooting drills. He finished his first game Wednesday with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks in 21 minutes. “I feel like I’m right there and maybe even better than some of the players here and I just have a lot of confidence in myself,” Mgbako said. “I just wanted to come out here and show that I can get to my spots, make plays and play team basketball.”
Mgbako played his first two seasons at Indiana. He entered the transfer portal and committed to Texas A&M and then entered the draft while maintaining his college eligibility. The 6-foot-9 forward said he’s going to wait to hear back from his agent and get feedback from teams before he makes a decision. “It’s still early in the process and I’m going to schedule some workouts and really wait and see,” he said. “I just want to get as much feedback as possible and go through the entire process before I make a decision to stay or go.”
9. Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
Pettiford was fantastic in scrimmage play, leading all players in the first game with 23 points (4-for-8 from three) and 8 assists in 25 minutes. He was one of the smallest players on the court but showed that he is sneaky bouncy as he rose up for the dunk of the day off a putback in the second quarter. Rumors have been swirling all week that Pettiford will return to Auburn but with how well he played on Wednesday, a team could be tempted to take him early in the second.
“Obviously I’m just going to wait on the feedback I get from teams and my agent and then we’ll make a decision but I’m always going to come out and play hand and just control what I can control,” Pettiford said.
10. Will Riley, Illinois
Riley had an up-and-down shooting year at Illinois, particularly from three-point range. Many scouts were curious to see how he would do in shooting drills from NBA range. At Illinois he shot 32.6 percent from deep on three attempts per game and 43.2 percent overall from the field. During Wednesday’s scrimmage, Riley was one of the best players shooting off the dribble, making 86.7 percent of his attempts and finishing first in the drill (tied with Jase Richardson and Mark Sears).
Riley has great positional size and fits the versatile, hybrid forward prototype NBA teams love in young prospects. His official measurements came in at 6-foot-8 ¼ (without shoes) and 185.6 pounds. His draft projection ranges from late lottery to mid first round.
