Cooper Flagg, 5-on-5 workouts and prospects to watch at the NBA draft combine

The 2025 NBA predraft process officially kicks disconnected Saturday, with an expected 120 players, including Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Derik Queen, Walter Clayton Jr., and others, congregating successful Chicago for the NBA draught combine, G League Elite Camp, and bureau pro days.

On Monday, NBA teams, their fans, and players participating volition ticker the unveiling of the draught lottery (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), which volition acceptable up the last bid of the draft's archetypal round. The draught volition instrumentality spot connected June 25-26 (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) astatine the Barclays Center successful Brooklyn, New York.

Whichever squad secures the close to draught Flagg volition predominate the speech for the six weeks pursuing the lottery, portion the different 29 teams sift done the remainder of a talented radical of prospects extracurricular of the Duke freshman.

The draught harvester and Elite Camp, held astatine Wintrust Arena, volition enactment players done drills, measurements, diversion testing, aesculapian examinations, squad interviews and 5-on-5 scrimmaging.

The harvester offers an accidental for players to amended their draught lasting successful beforehand of hundreds of NBA executives, coaches, owners and agents. The harvester is often described arsenic the unofficial commencement of escaped agency, arsenic teams laic the groundwork for deals that could beryllium announced erstwhile the model opens June 30 astatine 6 p.m. ET.

There's a batch to look guardant to successful 1 of the astir important weeks of the NBA calendar, including which players could amended their draught stock, who could retreat their names from the draught and which prospects volition teams statesman to location successful connected arsenic backstage workouts get underway arsenic soon arsenic the harvester ends.

Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo item what they're proceeding and what to expect, portion highlighting 5 prospects to support a adjacent oculus on.

Jump to a topic:
Five players to watch
G League Elite Camp prospects
Biggest storyline to follow
Gauging involvement successful bureau pro days

Who is ready, oregon willing, to marque a jump?

Every year, a fewer players usage the harvester arsenic a springboard to elevate their lasting firmly into the archetypal round, oregon successful hindsight, amusement they should person been drafted overmuch higher.

Jalen Williams, Brandin Podziemski, Andrew Nembhard, Quentin Grimes, Kevin Huerter and Donte DiVincenzo basal retired arsenic caller NBA players who helped themselves during the combine, portion Derrick White, Pascal Siakam, Kyle Kuzma besides showed flashes of what yet made them interaction players astatine the adjacent level.

The harvester isn't ever the be-all and end-all for evaluations, though. Take Washington State's Jaylen Wells past year. He wasn't invited to the harvester primitively until immoderate last-minute withdrawals elevated him from the G League Elite Camp. And his 5-for-18 two-day harvester show (with 0 assists and 3 turnovers) surely didn't suggest helium would decorativeness 3rd successful this season's NBA Rookie of the Year voting aft the Memphis Grizzlies drafted him successful the 2nd round.

This is wherefore galore prospects beryllium retired of the scrimmages, for fearfulness that a mediocre showing volition descend their standing. While each imaginable indispensable be the harvester and enactment successful drills, interviews and the NBA's aesculapian examinations, the 5-on-5s are optional.

Over the past fewer years, galore players who were precocious second-round picks oregon who went undrafted person declined to vie successful the scrimmages, drafting consternation from NBA executives successful attendance. This has caused friction betwixt teams -- which volition beryllium successful Chicago for much than a week and privation to get their money's worthy for their clip -- and agents, who often consciousness little is much erstwhile exposing their clients' weaknesses.

Previously, agents of elite prospects could strategically steer players to preferred destinations by keeping medicals distant from little charismatic teams -- a signifier that is nary longer allowed.

Some players who are "testing the waters" astatine the harvester volition person small prime but to vie successful 5-on-5s, arsenic important decisions connected whether to support their names successful the draught oregon instrumentality to schoolhouse await them connected May 28, the time of the NCAA withdrawal deadline.

Some of the much notable "stay oregon go" decisions include: Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan), Alex Condon (Florida), Drake Powell (North Carolina), Cedric Coward (Duke), Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn), Milos Uzan (Houston), Boogie Fland (transfer portal), Labaron Philon (Alabama), Isaiah Evans (Duke), Darrion Williams (transfer portal), Miles Byrd (San Diego State), Karter Knox (Arkansas), PJ Haggerty (transfer portal), Jamir Watkins (transfer portal) and RJ Luis Jr. (transfer portal)

These 15 players' decisions volition play a large relation successful however adjacent year's assemblage play plays out. A squad specified arsenic Duke, for example, would look wholly antithetic depending connected what their investigating players decide. Other schools person been waiting patiently for Williams, Haggerty, Watkins, and Luis -- 4 of the astir coveted players successful the transportation portal -- to determine their adjacent move. If these players don't similar the feedback they person astatine the combine, NIL wealth could await them adjacent twelvemonth should they elite to retreat from the draft. -- Givony

play

1:08

Stephen A.: Cooper Flagg 'is the full package'

Stephen A. Smith and Carlos Boozer springiness their thoughts connected Cooper Flagg declaring for the NBA draft.

Five players to ticker astatine the combine

Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/C, UAB/Michigan
No. 26 successful ESPN's Top 100

Lendeborg became 1 of the apical names successful the transportation portal pursuing his breakout play astatine UAB, committing to Michigan arsenic an ostensible replacement for Danny Wolf.

He is 1 of respective assemblage stars who participate the predraft process with the fiscal leverage to hunt for a favorable NBA landing spot, arsenic helium tin instrumentality to assemblage and marque fantabulous wealth adjacent season. Whether helium turns pro hinges not lone connected teams' involvement but the grade of involvement -- an contented helium tin unit with a beardown showing successful scrimmages.

Lendeborg's size (6-foot-9, 240 pounds), budding accomplishment level and all-around productivity helped him stitchery steam arsenic a imaginable and should construe good successful a harvester setting. NBA teams are funny to spot however helium fares, and Michigan volition clasp retired anticipation to person him backmost connected campus, which apt depends connected the feedback coming retired of this week. -- Woo

Boogie Fland, PG, Arkansas
No. 42 successful ESPN's Top 100

After missing overmuch of Arkansas' SEC slate with a thumb injury, Fland returned to play a tiny relation successful the NCAA tourney earlier entering the transportation portal, wherever helium has a big of options.

NBA teams volition beryllium funny to spot however helium fares successful a 5-on-5 mounting that traditionally favors guards, allowing Fland to punctual scouts of his craftiness and scoring chops. Although helium lacks size (6-foot-2, 175 pounds) and measurables, helium is inactive 18 years aged and comes with a coagulated pre-college pedigree and volition gully funny parties successful what mightiness beryllium a watered-down harvester mounting successful presumption of high-level subordinate participation.

Fland's coagulated commencement to the play and the information helium missed a cardinal agelong of the league docket should marque him absorbing to teams, but similar galore prospects genuinely investigating the waters, helium mightiness request a stellar showing to consciousness unafraid astir his NBA options comparative to the benignant of wealth and playing clip disposable to him should helium enactment successful school.

Fland, his Arkansas teammate Karter Knox, and Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford are among the young players who are weighing akin decisions. -- Woo

Darrion Williams, SF/PF, Texas Tech
No. 46 successful ESPN's Top 100

Currently successful the transportation portal and uncommitted for adjacent season, Williams has been connected the NBA workout circuit this week arsenic helium weighs his options. A bid of beardown NCAA tourney performances elevated Williams' illustration arsenic a prospect, and determination is precocious request for his services successful the assemblage ranks, including the enactment to instrumentality to Texas Tech. This is different lawsuit successful which Williams' play astatine the harvester mightiness assistance sway his draught range, with immoderate benignant of warrant apt indispensable for an funny NBA squad to support him successful the draft.

Williams brings a versatile accomplishment acceptable and beardown feel, susceptible of playing some guardant spots arsenic good arsenic connected the shot with his quality to beryllium a playmaker. His athleticism, framework (6-foot-6, 225 pounds) and antiaircraft capabilities permission thing to beryllium desired from an NBA standpoint, but the occurrence of akin players specified arsenic Atlanta's Georges Niang offers a blueprint for however helium mightiness acceptable into a rotation.

A beardown showing successful scrimmages could assistance him, but returning to assemblage and moving connected his assemblage and leap changeable (34% from 3) is besides a viable option, and a realistic pathway to improving his banal successful adjacent year's draft. -- Woo

Rocco Zikarsky, C, Brisbane Bullets (Australia)
No. 47 successful ESPN's Top 100

After entering the twelvemonth with immoderate first-round buzz, Zikarsky stagnated successful his 2nd NBL season, arsenic his minutes accrued but his accumulation was down. At 7-foot-3 with a 7-4 wingspan, the Australian large antheral inactive has a batch to connection physically, with bully coordination for his size and the quality to interaction shots astir the rim. However, his quality to marque a large interaction and unafraid a larger role, stemming partially from his struggles to support up with faster-paced games, moved NBA teams into wait-and-see mode successful his draught timeline.

Still 18 years old, helium has clip to drawback up arsenic helium grows much comfy with his body. NBA beforehand offices person been intrigued by his size and unsocial inheritance dating backmost respective years: Zikarsky comes from a household of elite-level swimmers arsenic his 6-10 begetter won a bronze for Germany successful the 1996 Olympics, and his 6-1 parent was an Australian champion ironwoman.

Zikarsky, the tallest listed subordinate invited to the combine, has the signifier to punctual teams wherefore he's worthy a developmental investment. This year's playoffs -- wherever players specified arsenic Rudy Gobert (Minnesota) and Steven Adams (Houston) had large impacts -- person offered reminders arsenic to wherefore teams request to transportation size connected the roster up front, adjacent arsenic a change-of-pace enactment successful definite matchups.

Zikarsky needs to proceed gaining experience, but players with his carnal illustration aren't casual to find. With this draught airy connected centers and with a question of assemblage players expected to instrumentality to schoolhouse for bigger paydays, there's an accidental for Zikarsky to assistance himself with a bully showing. -- Woo

Miles Byrd, SG, San Diego State
No. 51 successful ESPN's Top 100

Byrd's tools and antiaircraft prowess made him an intriguing sleeper for NBA beforehand offices implicit the people of the Aztecs' season. He registered an awesome 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per crippled connected the helping arsenic a young sophomore who turns 21 years aged connected Sept. 8.

He has flashed his quality arsenic a passer, but his discourtesy remains a enactment successful progress. He volition request to adhd musculus to his 6-foot-7, 190-pound frame, but his late-blooming trajectory has earned him favour from beforehand offices. Although Byrd changeable 30% from 3 past season, helium attempted astir six 3-pointers per game. He has historically been a coagulated escaped propulsion shooter, leaving country for optimism that helium mightiness amended connected that cardinal plaything skill.

There's a question of however aboriginal a squad would beryllium consenting to instrumentality a accidental connected him processing his skills, with the enactment for him to instrumentality to San Diego State inactive connected the table. A affirmative showing successful scrimmages, wherever helium volition request to clasp his ain physically and show his antiaircraft playmaking, could assistance him steadfast up a guaranteed deal, which is what it mightiness instrumentality to support him successful the draft. -- Woo

Agency pro days: Gauging waning interest

After 2 days of 5-on-5 scrimmaging, agents volition instrumentality halfway signifier Thursday and Friday, putting their players done scripted routines intended to accentuate their strengths portion minimizing their weaknesses.

In the past, teams would alert astir the state to be these workouts, but regularisation changes person brought them nether 1 extortion successful Chicago and a abstracted league successful Los Angeles astatine the Los Angeles Lakers' signifier installation connected May 20-21.

NBA teams person mixed feelings astir these workouts. Some admit the accidental to beryllium courtside and ticker prospects, including galore of the top-ranked players successful the draft, to spot up adjacent the carnal attributes, athleticism and shooting method of players they different would spot precise small of.

Other teams see these workouts an excuse for agents to propulsion players from competitory scrimmages successful favour of all-for-show-style drills. At slightest among top-level decision-makers, NBA attendance astatine these pro days has dropped importantly implicit the past fewer years, arsenic executives nary longer fearfulness missing retired if thing important were to occur.

In turn, lottery picks nary longer enactment successful these workouts arsenic frequently, which hurts different clients from large agencies who often trust connected apical prospects to gully NBA teams to the gym successful ample numbers.

It volition beryllium absorbing to spot however teams presumption the improvement of pro days this year. Regardless of whether teams are consenting to admit it, immoderate prospects successful the past person undoubtedly helped boost their draught banal simply by demonstrating the carnal endowment and quality they person successful beforehand of a important NBA audience. -- Givony

play

0:16

Caleb Love hits pugnacious fadeaway 3 from the corner

Caleb Love buries a triple portion falling distant successful the country for Arizona.

Top prospects astatine the G League Elite Camp

The G League Elite Camp volition statesman this weekend, with 45 players scheduled to be the two-day event. The five-to-eight champion players from the scrimmages tin expect to determination connected to the NBA draught harvester aboriginal successful the week -- which is precisely what LA Clippers defender Terance Mann, Charlotte Hornets guardant Cody Martin did successful 2019 and Oklahoma City Thunder helping Aaron Wiggins did successful 2021, yet proceeding their names called successful the draught and past carving retired beardown NBA careers.

Other G League Elite Camp alumni -- specified arsenic Max Strus, Caleb Martin, Vince Williams Jr. and Jose Alvarado -- didn't get the draught harvester call-up but inactive went connected to go impactful NBA players.

There has been nary shortage of G League Elite Camp participants -- specified arsenic Nembhard, Dillon Jones and Marcus Sasser -- who, aft attending the camp, withdrew from the draft, and past aboriginal developed into NBA draught picks utilizing the feedback and acquisition they received portion successful Chicago.

Some of this year's apical prospects who volition beryllium playing astatine the G League Elite Camp see Malique Lewis (South East Melbourne), Amari Williams (Kentucky), Caleb Love (Arizona), Caleb Grill (Missouri) and Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Penn State). -- Givony