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The NBA Draft Combine is a great opportunity for prospects to show scouts and executives more valuable information for their evaluation process.
Many of the most interesting players from the 2025 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago could use their strong performances to go back to school, perhaps for an even greater NIL package than they initially received from their program or in the transfer portal. Those players have until May 28 to make their final decision.
Others, however, could use their strong showing in front of key decision-makers to help improve their stock as part of the pre-draft process. Here are a few players who especially stood out, focusing on those who participated in the five-on-five scrimmages.
Meanwhile, for more prospect coverage, here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win.
The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
More: 18 tough stay-or-go decisions for NCAA players participating in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine
In my evaluation, the most impressive player at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine was Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud.
Originally from France, this was not just a strong weekend for Raynaud as he also had an excellent collegiate campaign last year as well. He averaged 20.2 points while shooting 34.7 percent on 3-pointers on 5.5 attempts per game. Raynaud also added 10.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.
But once he arrived in Chicago, it became immediately clear how he was able to have such an impactful season. He measured 7’0 ¼" without shoes and a 7’1 ¼" wingspan as well as a 9’2” standing reach.
Then during scrimmages, he continued to show exactly what makes him such a special player on the court.
He recored a game-high 20 points while connecting on two 3-pointers, also adding 9 rebounds and 3 assists.
Raynaud then shut it down rather than participate in the scrimmage, which is usually a good sign that there is enough interest from teams that he is potentially comfortable with his currently projectable range.
We have Raynaud projected at No. 28 overall in our most recent mock draft, but he could go even higher than that.
While he is one of the most interesting prospects who is currently testing the waters of the 2025 NBA Draft with enough eligibility to return to school next season, Byrd had a fantastic showing in Chicago.
During his time at San Diego State, he was an outstanding defensive playmaker. Among the only other players to record a block and steal percentage both above 4.0 percent while in college (minimum: 1,200 minutes) since 2008 were Tari Eason and Matisse Thybulle, per Bart Torvik.
Byrd had solid measurements, standing 6’4 ¾" without shoes and a noticeable 6’10” wingspan.
He then stood out in the five-on-five scrimmage environment, recording 11 points (4-of-7 FG, 3-of-6 3P) with four assists as well as a steal in his first game. Then, in his second game, he had 13 points (4-of-9 FG, 2-of-5 3P) with four steals and three blocks.
Those are incredibly enticing defensive numbers for a guard with eight "stocks" (steals and blocks) in under 52 minutes of action. Any player averaging around six stocks per 40 minutes in this type of environment is going to turn some heads.
It might make sense for him to turn pro while riding the momentum he helped create for himself this weekend.
Another prospect who is weighing the options of potentially returning to school for another collegiate campaign versus turning pro is Auburn freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford.
While he only appeared in the starting lineup for just one game last season, he was productive on the floor. He averaged 11.7 points and 3.0 assists per game despite playing just 22.9 minutes.
Pettiford measured small at 6’0 ¼ without shoes, weighing 168.8 lbs. But he did record a 6’5 ½" wingspan and 8’0” standing reach, which helped negate some of the skepticism.
He also recorded a 42-inch max vertical during his athletic testing, which was enough to get some extra attention in and of itself.
He looked awesome in his first scrimmage, showcasing that vertical pop on a monster dunk for his team. He finished that match with a game-high 23 points, shooting 4-of-8 on 3-pointers. During that game, he also had eight assists with just one turnover.
It was about as good as it gets in that environment, but in the second scrimmage, it didn't go as well. He was 4-of-15 while shooting 1-of-8 on 3-pointers, recording twice as many turnovers (6) as assists (3) as a playmaker.
The variance was not ideal, but the highs were high enough that someone could give him a look. Pettiford said that he needs assurance he will get drafted in the first round to stay in this class, though, and that is not necessarily yet a guarantee at his size.
No one has a tougher decision to make than Yaxel Lendeborg, who was a UAB standout before using the transfer portal to commit to Michigan.
While he stands to potentially make a ton of money NIL in the NCAA after a particularly dominant collegiate season last year, Lendeborg had an undeniably intriguing showing in Chicago. He measured 6’8 ½" without shoes at 234.6 lbs with a 7’4" wingspan and 9’0 ½" standing reach.
His first scrimmage was very good, recording 13 points (6-of-11 FG) with nine rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
The second was not as great with just 4 points, but even then, he was at least slightly productive in other ways. Lendeborg added three rebounds and two steals.
It seems like Lendeborg might want assurance he is a top-20 pick to stay in this class. We have him projected at No. 22 overall in our most recent mock draft, so it will come down to the wire for him.
The NBA Draft Combine is a particularly helpful environment for someone like Hansen Yang, who some evaluators perhaps did not get a chance to see until recently because he was playing in China.
While overseas, though, he averaged a double-double for the second year in a row after winning Chinese Basketball Association Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in 2024.
He measured 7’1” without shoes at 252.6 lbs with a 7’2 ¾" wingspan and 9’3” standing reach.
Yang showed promising flashes in both games of the five-on-five scrimmages, which is encouraging. He was had 12 points, shooting 5-of-7 with one 3-pointer in his first performance. Yang also had two assists and blocked a shot in that game.
Then, in his second game, he had 11 points (3-of-4 FG) while shooting 5-of-7 on his free-throw attempts. He also had six rebounds and six assists in that performance, blocking another shot as well. Some of his playmaking was especially alluring.
According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, there were several league executives who would "love to see him play college basketball" in the NCAA.
Maybe he has made enough people interested that he could stay in the draft instead, but either way, he certainly helped himself while in Chicago.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 2025 NBA Draft Combine: Biggest winners, including Maxime Raynaud and Miles Byrd
Continue reading...
Many of the most interesting players from the 2025 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago could use their strong performances to go back to school, perhaps for an even greater NIL package than they initially received from their program or in the transfer portal. Those players have until May 28 to make their final decision.
Others, however, could use their strong showing in front of key decision-makers to help improve their stock as part of the pre-draft process. Here are a few players who especially stood out, focusing on those who participated in the five-on-five scrimmages.
Meanwhile, for more prospect coverage, here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win.
The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
More: 18 tough stay-or-go decisions for NCAA players participating in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine
1. Maxime Raynaud
In my evaluation, the most impressive player at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine was Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud.
Originally from France, this was not just a strong weekend for Raynaud as he also had an excellent collegiate campaign last year as well. He averaged 20.2 points while shooting 34.7 percent on 3-pointers on 5.5 attempts per game. Raynaud also added 10.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.
But once he arrived in Chicago, it became immediately clear how he was able to have such an impactful season. He measured 7’0 ¼" without shoes and a 7’1 ¼" wingspan as well as a 9’2” standing reach.
Then during scrimmages, he continued to show exactly what makes him such a special player on the court.
He recored a game-high 20 points while connecting on two 3-pointers, also adding 9 rebounds and 3 assists.
Raynaud then shut it down rather than participate in the scrimmage, which is usually a good sign that there is enough interest from teams that he is potentially comfortable with his currently projectable range.
We have Raynaud projected at No. 28 overall in our most recent mock draft, but he could go even higher than that.
2. Miles Byrd
While he is one of the most interesting prospects who is currently testing the waters of the 2025 NBA Draft with enough eligibility to return to school next season, Byrd had a fantastic showing in Chicago.
During his time at San Diego State, he was an outstanding defensive playmaker. Among the only other players to record a block and steal percentage both above 4.0 percent while in college (minimum: 1,200 minutes) since 2008 were Tari Eason and Matisse Thybulle, per Bart Torvik.
Byrd had solid measurements, standing 6’4 ¾" without shoes and a noticeable 6’10” wingspan.
He then stood out in the five-on-five scrimmage environment, recording 11 points (4-of-7 FG, 3-of-6 3P) with four assists as well as a steal in his first game. Then, in his second game, he had 13 points (4-of-9 FG, 2-of-5 3P) with four steals and three blocks.
Those are incredibly enticing defensive numbers for a guard with eight "stocks" (steals and blocks) in under 52 minutes of action. Any player averaging around six stocks per 40 minutes in this type of environment is going to turn some heads.
It might make sense for him to turn pro while riding the momentum he helped create for himself this weekend.
3. Tahaad Pettiford
Another prospect who is weighing the options of potentially returning to school for another collegiate campaign versus turning pro is Auburn freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford.
While he only appeared in the starting lineup for just one game last season, he was productive on the floor. He averaged 11.7 points and 3.0 assists per game despite playing just 22.9 minutes.
Pettiford measured small at 6’0 ¼ without shoes, weighing 168.8 lbs. But he did record a 6’5 ½" wingspan and 8’0” standing reach, which helped negate some of the skepticism.
He also recorded a 42-inch max vertical during his athletic testing, which was enough to get some extra attention in and of itself.
He looked awesome in his first scrimmage, showcasing that vertical pop on a monster dunk for his team. He finished that match with a game-high 23 points, shooting 4-of-8 on 3-pointers. During that game, he also had eight assists with just one turnover.
It was about as good as it gets in that environment, but in the second scrimmage, it didn't go as well. He was 4-of-15 while shooting 1-of-8 on 3-pointers, recording twice as many turnovers (6) as assists (3) as a playmaker.
The variance was not ideal, but the highs were high enough that someone could give him a look. Pettiford said that he needs assurance he will get drafted in the first round to stay in this class, though, and that is not necessarily yet a guarantee at his size.
4. Yaxel Lendeborg
No one has a tougher decision to make than Yaxel Lendeborg, who was a UAB standout before using the transfer portal to commit to Michigan.
While he stands to potentially make a ton of money NIL in the NCAA after a particularly dominant collegiate season last year, Lendeborg had an undeniably intriguing showing in Chicago. He measured 6’8 ½" without shoes at 234.6 lbs with a 7’4" wingspan and 9’0 ½" standing reach.
His first scrimmage was very good, recording 13 points (6-of-11 FG) with nine rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
The second was not as great with just 4 points, but even then, he was at least slightly productive in other ways. Lendeborg added three rebounds and two steals.
It seems like Lendeborg might want assurance he is a top-20 pick to stay in this class. We have him projected at No. 22 overall in our most recent mock draft, so it will come down to the wire for him.
5. Hansen Yang
The NBA Draft Combine is a particularly helpful environment for someone like Hansen Yang, who some evaluators perhaps did not get a chance to see until recently because he was playing in China.
While overseas, though, he averaged a double-double for the second year in a row after winning Chinese Basketball Association Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in 2024.
He measured 7’1” without shoes at 252.6 lbs with a 7’2 ¾" wingspan and 9’3” standing reach.
Yang showed promising flashes in both games of the five-on-five scrimmages, which is encouraging. He was had 12 points, shooting 5-of-7 with one 3-pointer in his first performance. Yang also had two assists and blocked a shot in that game.
Then, in his second game, he had 11 points (3-of-4 FG) while shooting 5-of-7 on his free-throw attempts. He also had six rebounds and six assists in that performance, blocking another shot as well. Some of his playmaking was especially alluring.
According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, there were several league executives who would "love to see him play college basketball" in the NCAA.
Maybe he has made enough people interested that he could stay in the draft instead, but either way, he certainly helped himself while in Chicago.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 2025 NBA Draft Combine: Biggest winners, including Maxime Raynaud and Miles Byrd
Continue reading...
