NBA draft combine features 67 players, Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum among absent
The NBA announced Friday the 67 players that will attend next week’s draft combine in Chicago, and though this year’s draft is deep, a number of big names are skipping the combine entirely.
As had previously been reported by the Vertical’s Shams Charania, Lonzo Ball will not attend the events. Notable players joining him include Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Malik Monk, Dennis Smith Jr., Lauri Markkanen and Jonathan Isaac. All seven players grade out as lottery picks on SI’s Big Board.
The absence of so many elite prospects is nothing new — last year, top two selections Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram were among those that skipped the event. Although the NBA and NBPA encourage players to attend, the highest-rated players often have little to gain from the process. Top players almost always elect not to play five-on-five or go through athletic testing, given that they have little to prove and that a poor showing could unduly influence opinion among scouts and executives in the building.
Projected No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz and Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox are among the top players making the trip to Chicago.
The testing and five-on-five components of the combine take place Thursday, May 11 and Friday, May 12. The full list of players is below.
