As the 2021 NBA playoffs rage on and the offseason draws closer, the league's eyes will shortly refocus on the 2021 NBA Draft and, in turn, the NBA draft combine.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 combine was shortened and held virtually. This time around, team personnel will be back in the gym to evaluate prospects in person. Here's everything you'll need to know to watch and follow along with the 2021 NBA Draft Combine.
When is the 2021 NBA Draft Combine?
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The combine runs from Monday, June 21, to Sunday, June 27, at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago. Players will interview with teams and participate in strength and agility testing as well as five-on-five scrimmages.
Where can I watch the 2021 NBA Draft Combine?
The scrimmages will be aired live on June 24 (ESPN2) and June 25 (ESPNU) from 3-7 p.m. ET. You can stream those events here.
During combine week, however, the NBA draft lottery will take place as well.
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When is the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery?
The 2021 NBA Draft Lottery takes place on June 22. ESPN will also broadcast the lottery starting at 8:30 p.m. ET. The 2021 NBA Draft is scheduled for July 29 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Who are the top prospects attending the 2021 NBA Draft Combine?
There are 69 prospects who are expected to attend the combine, but the consensus No. 1 overall pick isn't one of them. Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham is skipping the event. Fellow guard Jalen Suggs, the potential No. 2 pick out of Gonzaga, is the other big-name prospect who won't be in attendance.
You can check out the full list of participating prospects here, but these are some of the best players and familiar names to watch:
C Evan Mobley, USC: Mobley might be the highest-touted prospect making the trip to Chicago. He recorded 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks as a freshman at USC. An athletic 7-foot center, Mobley has tantalizing two-way potential at the next level, making him the best big man in this class. He won’t have to wait long to hear his name called at the draft.
G Jalen Green, G League Ignite: One of four members from the first-ever G League Ignite squad who will be at the combine, Green is right up there with Mobley as a consensus top-five pick. Over 15 games in the G League bubble, the 6-5 guard averaged 17.9 points and 1.5 steals per game on 46.1 percent shooting from the field and 36.5 percent from deep.
F Jonathan Kuminga, G League Ignite: Kuminga didn’t have as much offensive success in the G League as Green, posting 15.8 percent on ugly shooting splits (38.7/24.6/62.5). But the sample size was small and he was one of the top recruits in the country before opting to go pro. Kuminga’s build (6-6, 210 pounds) and upside should be enough for him to not last too long after the first few picks.
F Scottie Barnes, Florida State: Barnes could be the third Florida State wing drafted in the top 10 in the last five years after Jonathan Isaac went sixth overall in 2017 and Patrick Williams went fourth last year. Like Isaac and Williams, Barnes is a stout defender on the wing at 6-9, 227 pounds. He offers some playmaking ability (averaging 4.1 assists as a freshman in 2020-21), but the jump shot is a question mark. Barnes attempted just 40 3-pointers (connecting at a 27.5-percent clip) and shot 62.1 percent at the charity stripe.
G Davion Mitchell, Baylor: Mitchell turned himself into a likely lottery pick during his junior season at Baylor. He upped his points per game (14.0), assists per game (5.5), field goal percentage (51.1 percent) and 3-point percentage (44.7) for the national champions and was named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. His offensive game is a bit of a question mark after two prior not-so-efficient seasons, but the feisty 6-2 guard has future All-Defensive team member written all over him.
F Johnny Juzang, UCLA: After averaging 2.9 points per game as a freshman at Kentucky, Juzang made a big leap as he returned home in 2020-21. The Los Angeles native was one of the biggest stars of the NCAA Tournament, posting 22.6 points per game on 50.2 percent shooting to lead the 11th-seeded Bruins to the Final Four. A projected second-round pick as of now, Juzang hasn’t hired an agent to leave open the door for a possible return to UCLA.
G Max Abmas, Oral Roberts: Another NCAA Tournament star, the 6-1 Summit League Player of the Year showed he could score against the best of them in March while carrying No. 15 Oral Roberts to the Sweet 16. He finished last season averaging a nation-leading 24.5 points per game on 47.7/42.9/89.0 shooting splits. Abmas, who hasn’t hired an agent yet either, is ESPN’s No. 29-ranked prospect.
C Luka Garza, Iowa: Could the consensus 2020-21 Naismith Player of the Year go undrafted? Several mock drafts have him going late in the second round after two dominating seasons at Iowa. As a senior, Garza averaged 24.1 points and 8.7 rebounds on 55.3/44.0/70.9 shooting splits. His combination of scoring and rebounding at 6-11 is enticing, but whether he’s able to hang defensively, specifically in space, at the next level is a major concern. Needless to say, this will be a big week for Garza.