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The 2025 NBA Draft Combine began on Monday with the best prospects in this year's class getting one-on-one time with personnel from all 30 teams across the league. Chicago has become the central hub for all things draft-related in recent years, and there has been plenty of discussion about the future of the league this week at the NBA Draft Combine.
Aside from all the excitement surrounding Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks getting the first-overall pick, discussions have shifted to the future of the NBA with Jayson Tatum suffering a torn Achilles and how that impacts the Boston Celtics. There is also a lot of buzz surrounding the San Antonio Spurs and what direction they will go after landing the second-overall pick via the draft lottery.
While the first two days at the NBA Draft Combine are always focused on measurements and drills, the final two days allow scouts, executives, and NBA personnel to see certain players in live-action situations through the five-on-five scrimmages.
Although Flagg and the top prospects don't play in these games, plenty of young players looking to rise on big boards and potentially solidify their draft status make a name for themselves.
Brandin Podziemski, Baylor Scheierman, and Jalen Williams are a few of the NBA Draft Combine scrimmage standouts in recent years who ended up being first-round picks. This year, Tahaad Pettiford could be following a similar path, as the Auburn star was one of a handful of standouts in the first day of scrimmages at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine on Wednesday.
G Tahaad Pettiford – Auburn
There is no doubt that Tahaad Pettiford was the best performer at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago on Wednesday during the scrimmages. Pettiford finished with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range. The Auburn product also had eight assists and two steals while only recording a single turnover.
What is special about these scrimmages is that a young prospect like Pettiford, who entered the NBA Draft Combine as a borderline first-round prospect, can work his way up into being a sure-thing first-round pick. While there is still room to grow for Pettiford, this was a very strong showing that drew the attention of many scouts and executives in attendance.
Between his speed in transition and explosive first step, teams wanted to see if the freshman guard could handle the pressure of being a lead facilitator and playmaker in this type of environment. He aced this test, and now there is real first-round momentum trending up for Pettiford.
“I just wanted to go out there, have fun, and do what I do best. Help my guys get open, help them create shots that will help me create shots for myself,” Pettiford said of his performance. “Just to show everybody that I'm here and that I'm able to play with the best. That I'm ready for the next level.”
These scrimmages are all about standing out and finding a way to move the needle. Pettiford did just that on Wednesday.
*Tahaad Pettiford is projected to go 39th overall to the Toronto Raptors in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Mock Draft 1.0; He is ranked 36th overall in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Big Board 1.0.
G Otega Oweh – Kentucky
Like Pettiford, Otega Oweh is a guard from the SEC who is testing the waters in the NBA Draft process to see if he is ready to make that leap in his career. The Kentucky guard is a potential second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft who is looking to prove he can do a little bit of everything to help his team on the court.
During his junior season at Kentucky, Oweh was an athletic scorer who drew the attention of scouts in attendance because of his lateral quickness on defense. That skillset was on display Wednesday afternoon, as Oweh had 10 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block in roughly 20 minutes off the bench.
Teams always evaluate who is giving that extra effort on defense in these scrimmages, and Oweh was all over the place. Whether Oweh was on or off the ball, he was involved in almost every single defensive possession, disrupting passing lanes and applying strong on-ball pressure against his opposition.
Oweh is a strong leader and has a really good head on his shoulders. He doesn't act like he's better than anyone else, and he is truly embracing the opportunity to play at the NBA Draft Combine. These characteristics, along with his product on the court, have stood out immensely.
*Otega Oweh is projected to go undrafted in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Mock Draft 1.0; He is ranked 67th overall in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Big Board 1.0.
F Yaxel Lendeborg – UAB
Not many know about Yaxel Lendeborg and his skills since he played at UAB. While he is not a big name from a Power 5 school, Lendeborg is playing his way into the first round of this year's draft with his size and rebounding abilities.
Teams have wanted to learn more about Lendeborg as a defender, and he was very active in the first scrimmage on Wednesday — recording one block and one steal while constantly altering shots. Lendeborg moves well for a big man and that was on display during the scrimmage.
While his team lost and his plus-minus was not great, Lendeborg finished with 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor. He was 0-of-3 from 3-point range. Lendeborg drew attention on Wednesday at the combine due to his length and confidence on both sides of the court.
*Yaxel Lendeborg is projected to go 29th overall to the Phoenix Suns in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Mock Draft 1.0; He is ranked 24th overall in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Big Board 1.0.
G Ryan Nembhard – Gonzaga
That last name looks familiar to those who have watched the Indiana Pacers play. Andrew Nembhard's younger brother, Ryan, concluded an impressive collegiate career at Gonzaga by nearly averaging a double-double. After being a standout performer at the G League Elite Camp days before the actual draft combine, Nembhard received the official invitation to the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.
We always tend to see these players receiving a last-minute invite play with a chip on their shoulder at the combine. This has always been the case for Nembhard, as he is undersized compared to the average NBA guard. Even so, Nembhard plays with a high motor and is one of the best decision-makers in this draft regarding his ability to be a pure point guard in the league.
No matter how big a player is, teams are always looking for smart, experienced guards that they can trust in their second unit. Chris Paul has found a lot of success despite being on the smaller side. And who can forget Isaiah Thomas with the Boston Celtics? Nembhard is a baller, and he put together a very respectable performance in the second scrimmage on Wednesday.
The Gonzaga guard had 13 points, eight assists, and three steals in about 25 minutes in his first scrimmage at the draft combine. Of those eight assists, many of them went to Maxime Raynaud, another standout performer at the NBA Draft Combine because of Nembhard's ability to help create scoring opportunities for his team.
Although he is not the same type of player as his brother, Ryan Nembhard has certainly played himself into the second round of this year's draft.
*Ryan Nembhard is projected to go undrafted in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Mock Draft 1.0; He is ranked 85th overall in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Big Board 1.0.
C Maxime Raynaud – Stanford
This is a frontcourt-heavy draft filled with plenty of potential contributors who can step into backup power forward and center roles right away during their rookie season. Maxime Raynaud is one of those plug-and-play prospects since he is 22 years old and an experienced prospect from Stanford.
Unlike the one-and-done players, Raynaud displayed clear growth over his four collegiate seasons. Aside from being a 7-footer who can rebound on either end of the floor, Raynaud runs the floor really well and can even knock down shots from the perimeter.
In the second scrimmage on Wednesday, the big man had 20 points, the most out of any prospect the second scrimmage, on 7-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range. This was an area that Raynaud wanted to prove himself at the combine, and so far, he's done just that. The Stanford center also had nine rebounds and three assists.
Raynaud is not the most athletic center in this draft class, but he can be an efficient offensive scorer and shooter. He will certainly draw attention at the back end of the first round.
*Yaxel Lendeborg is projected to go 34th overall to the Charlotte Hornets in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Mock Draft 1.0; He is ranked 31st overall in ClutchPoints' 2025 NBA Big Board 1.0.
