With the NBA draft combine done, i's time for a significant update to our Big Board. We have a lot of new info on the prospects, and some movement in the lottery and elsewhere on the board.
The general consensus is that after the first 10 picks are off the board, there is a lot of parity -- a lot.
It was challenging to come up with a consensus ranking, given the various opposing opinions out there. Teams see that next tier of players as rotation-type prospects and that means they'll be relying more on fit and specific skill sets than overall talent.
Players ranked in the teens could, under certain circumstances, fall into the late 20s or early 30s. And players currently projected to go in the second round could still end up in the first.
Remember that the evaluation process isn't over. NBA teams will begin workouts with prospects, and the looming May 25 deadline for college players to return to school and June 10 deadline for international players to withdraw might still have significant implications.
Our board has the latest intel on how NBA teams see the top NBA prospects, based on conversations with NBA general managers and scouts.
1. Ben Simmons
Previous rank: No. 1
LSU
Freshman
Forward
Simmons didn't show up for anything at the combine. No measurements, interviews, drills, 5-on-5 games or athletic testing. He didn't even do the medical.
I spoke to numerous NBA executives and the majority still believe he's the best player in the draft and the favorite to be picked first on draft night.
Once we see who actually wins the lottery on Tuesday night, we'll have an even better feel for his odds of going No. 1.
2. Brandon Ingram
Previous rank: No. 2
Duke
Freshman
Forward
Ingram showed up at the combine in Chicago but only did interviews.
One team official told me Ingram's interview was a home run. He was asked by the head coach to come up and diagram a last-second play for himself. He confidently walked to the white board and diagrammed a "heck of a play," according to the official.
"He's more than long arms and a jump shot," he said. "He's got a really good feel for the game."
Ingram has closed some of the gap between himself and Simmons overall, and some teams now think he's the best prospect in the draft. Again, Tuesday's draft lottery outcome should give us a better idea of whether he has done enough to overcome Simmons.
3. Jamal Murray
Previous rank: No. 3
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
Murray's participation at the combine was limited to interviews. Team officials raved about him in that setting, using words like "mature," "focused," "confident" and "knowledgeable" to describe him.
Most teams seem to be convinced he can make the transition to point guard in the NBA but feel confident he would excel as a 2-guard as well.
"I think he can play both positions, and I think that helps him," one scout said. "He gives teams and coaches some real versatility."
4. Kris Dunn
Previous rank: No. 4
Providence
Junior
Guard
Dunn did measurements and interviews but nothing else at the combine.
He is neck-and-neck with Murray right now to be the first guard off the board. In fact, it's so close that we really could list Murray and Dunn as 3A and 3B.
Teams that prefer Dunn say his defensive abilities and the way he sees the floor make him a better true point guard. If Dunn and Murray were the same age, I think Dunn would get the nod.
5. Dragan Bender
Previous rank: No. 5
Croatia
Age: 18
Forward/center
Bender wasn't at the combine because he's still in Tel Aviv finishing his season with Maccabi.
Bender got on the floor for 14 minutes against Hapoel Eilat on May 3, scoring two points, grabbing four rebounds and blocking two shots. But then he didn't play a minute in a blowout on May 8. For the season he's averaging 5.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG and is shooting 41 percent from 3.
He's expected to come over to the United States for workouts as soon as Maccabi's season ends near the beginning of June.
With a few great workouts he could move his way back into the top three. He has that sort of talent. Meanwhile, teams are frustrated with his lack of minutes this season.
6. Buddy Hield
Previous rank: No. 6
Oklahoma
Senior
Guard
Hield showed up for the first two days of the combine, doing measurements (he was 6-foot-5 in shoes with a 6-foot-9 wingspan) and interviews. Then he took off to his graduation at Oklahoma.
Teams loved his interviews, and he's the best shooter in the draft, which matters in a league prioritizing shooting. Depending on where the ping-pong balls fall Tuesday he could go as high as No. 3. I doubt he slides past No. 6.
7. Henry Ellenson
Previous rank: No. 6
Marquette
Freshman
Forward/center
After Murray, Dunn, Hield and Bender are off the board, we seem to be hitting another tier.
Ellenson, like several above him on this list, participated only in measurements and interviews. His measurements were impressive (6-foot-11½ in shoes with a 7-foot-2¾ and a 9-foot standing reach), making the case that he could be a center in the league.
His shooting will be the big question mark. The stroke looks good, though the ball didn't go in as much as scouts would like. He looks like he's in the No. 5-10 range right now.
8. Marquese Chriss
Previous rank: No. 8
Washington
Freshman
Forward
Chriss did a little more than most of the other top prospects in the camp. Not only did he do measurements and interviews, but he also participated in the athletic testing. He tested as one of the most athletic bigs in the draft (Weber State's Joel Bolomboy was the only one who tested better).
He might have the talent of a top-five pick -- but he's going to have to find a team that will be patient with him. He could go as high as No. 6. Unless he really struggles in workouts, I think it's very unlikely he gets out of the lottery.
9. Jakob Poeltl
Previous rank: No. 9
Utah
Sophomore
Center
In a weak draft for centers, Poeltl certainly measured the part at the combine. He was the second-tallest player measured -- 7-foot-1 in shoes with a 7-foot-2¾ wingspan, though his 8-foot-9½ standing reach was unusually small for a player his size.
Regardless, Poeltl should be the first center off the board and fall in the No. 7-12 range.
10. Jaylen Brown
Previous rank: No. 10
Cal
Freshman
Forward
Brown is the most polarizing player at the top of the draft. He has the athleticism and body of a top-three pick. However, his play at Cal raised serious questions about whether he has the basketball skills to match his physical ones.
His interviews also drew mixed reviews. He's incredibly intelligent, but team officials said he came across as arrogant.
Does he just need more time to develop his game? Is he a power forward stuck in the body of a small forward? These are some of the questions teams are asking.
He could go as high as No. 3. He could also end up in the late teens or early 20s.
11. Skal Labissiere
Previous rank: No. 15
Kentucky
Freshman
Center/forward
Labissiere's biggest moment of the weekend didn't take place at the combine, where he only did interviews and measurements. Instead, it was at a private workout he put on Wednesday night at Roosevelt College.
Labissiere shot the ball very well from NBA 3-point range in a one-on-none workout. Is that good enough to get him drafted in the lottery after a disappointing freshman season at Kentucky? Some GMs say yes. Others no.
He's in the No. 8-20 range right now. It will be interesting to see whether he'll work out against other top prospects.
12. Furkan Korkmaz
Previous rank: No. 15
Turkey
Age: 18
Guard
A coaching change at Anadolu Efes has helped Korkmaz. Not only was he not playing much, he wasn't even getting much of a run in practice -- much to the chagrin of NBA scouts who were traveling to Turkey.
Since the coaching change, Korkmaz has been averaging nearly 20 MPG, getting a great run in practice and impressing the scouts who have been visiting. He's only averaging 2.7 PPG for the season (in 8.0 MPG), but he is shooting 42 percent from 3.
With so few real shooters in this draft and Korkmaz reaching a buyout that allows him to come to the NBA this summer, I think he's going to land somewhere in the lottery.
13. Malachi Richardson
Previous rank: No. 20
Syracuse
Freshman
Guard
As I chronicled last week, Richardson's stock is red hot at the moment. His measurements (as the only player shorter than 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-0 wingspan), athletic testing (38-inch max vertical) and interviews all went well.
Some teams believe that he's the best 2-guard prospect in the draft after Hield, and that he has the rare ability to get his shot anywhere on the floor. His range is now from No. 12-20.
14. Denzel Valentine
Previous rank: No. 13
Michigan State
Senior
Forward/guard
Valentine impressed in interviews and had good measurements (including a crazy-long 6-foot-10¾ wingspan), but he unsurprisingly struggled in most of his athletic testing.
Will his decision-making, passing, shooting ability and production at Michigan State trump his athletic limitations? Most scouts think they will. He should land somewhere in the No. 12-20 range.
15. Domantas Sabonis
Previous rank: No. 12
Gonzaga
Sophomore
Forward
Sabonis was a no-show at the combine. Like Simmons, he didn't participate in any part of the event. That raised a lot of eyebrows in the league. Simmons they could understand. But Sabonis?
The speculation -- and to be clear, that's all it is -- is that he might have been given a guarantee somewhere in the first round from a team if he would skip the combine.
If we don't see Sabonis in workouts over the next few weeks, it's probably solid speculation. He's in the No. 10-20 range on most boards.
16. Deyonta Davis
Previous rank: No. 14
Michigan State
Freshman
Forward
Davis was another polarizing prospect at the combine. He measured well (6-foot-10½ in shoes with a 7-foot-2½ wingspan and a 9-foot-½ standing reach) and his interviews were solid, but a number of teams really thought he should've at least participated in the athletic testing.
Teams see him as a bit of a blank slate. The physical tools are there and defensively he has the chance to be really good. But offensively? There are big questions.
Again, there's a wide range for prospects in this part of the draft. No. 10-20 seems like the range for him right now.
17. Tyler Ulis
Previous rank: No. 17
Kentucky
Sophomore
Guard
Ulis also surprised scouts by opting out of everything but the measurements and interviews. His measurements were about what people expected (5-foot-10 in shoes, 6-foot-2 wingspan), but his weight (149 pounds) was 13 pounds lighter than the next closest participant (Marcus Paige).
Teams did love his interviews and feel that, based on pure talent (disregarding size), he's the best point guard prospect in the draft.
But where does he land? Some teams were adamant that they would not draft a guard his size. Others seemed very interested in him as backup point guard. No. 14-25 looks like the range right now.
18. Malik Beasley
Previous rank: No. 19
Florida State
Freshman
Guard
Beasley also just stuck to interviews and measurements. His measurements didn't really do him any favors. He was 6-foot-4½ in shoes with a 6-foot-7 wingspan. That's a bit undersized for his position.
Teams seemed frustrated that he wasn't doing more. Beasley is banking on the fact that teams need shooters and there aren't a lot of other options in the draft. It's probably a safe bet. He's in the No. 15-25 range right now.
19. Dejounte Murray
Previous rank: No. 16
Washington
Freshman
Guard
Murray was our lowest-ranked prospect in the first round to skip everything at the combine. Like Sabonis, his absence raised major questions from teams. The dominant theory from their end is that Murray might have received a first-round guarantee from a team and will be sitting out workouts. Time will tell.
If he doesn't show up to team workouts, he's likely already locked up his draft spot.
20. Wade Baldwin IV
Previous rank: N/A
Vanderbilt
Sophomore
Guard
Baldwin had a good week despite skipping the drills and 5-on-5. His measurements (6-foot-4 in shoes with a 6-foot-11¼ wingspan) were terrific for a point guard. So was his athletic testing (38-inch vertical, 10.45-second lane agility). And in interviews he did a good job of answering questions teams had about his leadership on the court and in the locker room.
Based on talent, he should probably be 10 spots higher. But for now we'll put him in the No. 15-25 range. Strong workouts could raise that ceiling, though.
21. DeAndre Bembry
Previous rank: No. 24
St. Joseph's
Junior
Guard/forward
Bembry was the highest-ranked player on our board to participate in everything at the combine, and it was his play in the 5-on-5 that caused him to rise a few spots here.
Bembry's feel for the game, playmaking ability at his size and athleticism (38-inch max vertical and great scores in the speed drills) are the big appeals. One team said he's the best passer in this draft next to Simmons and could see time at point guard in the NBA.
His streaky jump shot is the big question mark for him. He's in the No. 15-25 range.
22. Ante Zizic
Previous rank: No. 21
Croatia
Age: 19
Center
Zizic is having a monster season for Cibona in the Croatian league, averaging 17.7 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 1.3 BPG in 28 MPG. He's on a young team and is clearly getting more playing time and touches than a normal 19-year-old, but his rebounding numbers, in particular, make him an attractive big man candidate.
His toughness, motor and offensive rebounding are the main reasons some teams are so attracted to him. But will he ever show enough skill offensively to be more than an energy guy off the bench in the NBA?
23. Demetrius Jackson
Previous rank: No. 23
Notre Dame
Junior
Guard
Jackson skipped the 5-on-5 and drills but wowed in the athletic testing with an incredible 43.5-inch vertical. He also aced the interviews portion of the combine. Many teams said he was one of the two or three best interviews they had all week.
He lacks elite size for his position (6-foot-1¾ in shoes with a 6-foot-5½ wingspan) and some teams question his aggressiveness offensively, but there a number of Jackson fans out there. Look for him to land somewhere between No. 15 and 25.
24. Thon Maker
Previous rank: No. 26
Australia
Age: 19
Forward
Consider this a placeholder for Maker. It's still too early to know exactly where to place him on our board.
He did only interviews, measurements and athletic testing at the combine, but he aced all three. He measured as the third-tallest player in the draft (7-foot-¾ in shoes with a 7-foot-3 wingspan), tested in the top-four athletically for big men (35½-inch max vertical) and had stellar interviews.
Teams were blown away by his intelligence, depth and background story. However, until teams see him on the court against other prospects, it's very hard to place him.
25. Ivica Zubac
Previous rank: N/A
Bosnia
Age: 19
Center
Zubac was a hot name at the combine, with several scouts (though not the majority) claiming he was the third-best international prospect in the draft.
Zubac started the season in Cibona, playing behind Zizic and averaging 7.2 PPG and 3.0 RPG. He now has changed teams to Mega Leks in Serbia and has shown more game, averaging 12 PPG and 5.7 RPG in 22.7 MPG.
Zubac is in many ways the opposite of Zizic. He excels offensively as an old-school low-post player. But his heavy feet and lack of rebounding do raise some concerns, as well as a history of foot and knee injuries. Still, in a draft lacking real center options, he's looking more and more like a lock for the first round.
26. Ben Bentil
Previous rank: No. 22
Providence
Sophomore
Forward
Bentil also had a strong week. He measured a legitimate 6-foot-8¼ in shoes with a 7-foot-1½ wingspan and a 8-foot-9 standing reach. Those aren't elite numbers for a power forward, but they aren't that bad either.
He also showed off his scoring prowess in the paint and from beyond the arc in the 5-on-5 games.
He's another polarizing prospect. Some teams feel big men who can really score are a rarity in the draft. Others feel he's too selfish with the ball. His range, like that of virtually every other prospect left on our board, is No. 20 to 40.
27. Patrick McCaw
Previous rank: N/A
UNLV
Sophomore
Guard
McCaw was the second-highest-ranked prospect on our board to participate in the 5-on-5. Once again, the decision to play helped his stock. While he didn't move the needle much in the first game, he was fantastic in the second game, scoring 14 points, dishing out four assists and picking up a couple of steals.
McCaw is another one of those playmaking wings who see the floor well and can guard multiple positions. His measurements (6-foot-6¾ in shoes, 6-foot-10 wingspan), athletic testing numbers (38-inch vertical) and shooting drill performance (13-for-25 from NBA 3-point range) were all impressive. He needs to get stronger, but his case for being a first-round prospect grew considerably here. He's now in the No. 20-40 range.
28. Cheick Diallo
Previous rank: N/A
Kansas
Freshman
Forward
Diallo was the big winner at the combine. He measured with a terrific 7-foot-4½ wingspan and a 35-inch vertical, and when he got on the floor he looked like the prospect we once had ranked as a potential top-10 pick. He was active on both ends, rebounded, blocked shots, defended and even showed off a few nice offensive moves.
He's still raw. He'll struggle some in a rigid offensive system, but he's the type of guy who clearly looks better now than he showed at Kansas. It's very hard to project his range, but No. 20-40 seems fair.
If he keeps playing well at workouts, he has a chance to exceed that range.
29. Juan Hernangomez
Previous rank: N/A
Spain
Age: 20
Forward
Hernangomez (the brother of Willy Hernangomez, who was selected in the second round of the 2015 draft) has drawn interest from NBA teams primarily for his ability to be a stretch-4 in the NBA.
He's averaging 9.8 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 22 MPG for Estudiantes. But the stat that teams are watching closely is his 38 percent shooting percentage from 3. He also excels in the pick-and-roll, another important talent for 4s in the NBA now.
There are several other international players who could get past him, including two just outside our top 30. He's also in the No. 20-40 range.
30. Diamond Stone
Previous rank: No. 18
Maryland
Freshman
Center
Teams questioned Stone's decision to participate only in the interviews, measurements and athletic testing. While there are some teams that have him in the mid-first round, there are others that have him in the second.
Stone's measurements were solid (6-foot-10¼ in shoes, 7-foot-2¾ wingspan and 9-foot-½ standing reach) but shorter than previously reported. Unsurprisingly, his athletic testing numbers were among the worst in the draft (29-inch max vertical).
Ten years ago, Stone's advanced skill set in the paint would've made him a lock for the lottery, but in the evolving NBA he's a pretty big question mark. He's in the No. 20-40 range.
Next five in
Jarrod Uthoff, F, Sr., Iowa; Brice Johnson, PF, Sr., North Carolina; Timothe Luwawu, G/F, France: Guerschon Yabusele, PF, France; Chinanu Onuaku, C, So., Louisville
