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The 2025 NBA Draft Combine continued in Chicago on Thursday, with the second day of scrimmages taking place. Between measurements and drills, personnel from all 30 teams in attendance are diving into biggest headlines surrounding this year's draft. More specifically, everyone is still in awe that the Dallas Mavericks won Monday's draft lottery.
That has shifted the way the 2025 NBA Draft will play out.
Cooper Flagg is the obvious first-overall pick, but who will go after him? Are Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, the two prospects many teams have ranked at the top of their draft boards behind Flagg, the second and third picks?
While these questions loom large in conversations among league personnel, evaluations from the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages have been strong. Tahaad Pettiford drew a lot of attention on the first day of scrimmages on Wednesday, and Maxime Raynaud decided he didn't need to play on Thursday after a 20-point, nine-rebound performance the day before.
These scrimmages are where those on the border of staying in the draft or going in the first round make their money. Jalen Williams and Andrew Nembhard made names for themselves in these scrimmages at the combine in 2022, and Brandin Podziemski became a first-round pick with his performance in 2023. Last year, it was Baylor Scheierman who cemented himself as a first-round pick.
The NBA Draft Combine is the moment for prospects to prove their worth, and that is what several players did over the last few days. Aside from what's happening on the court, conversations between league personnel are also focused on Jayson Tatum's injury and how that is going to impact the league moving forward.
Here is what is being talked about the most in Chicago after Thursday's scrimmages.
Jayson Tatum's injury dominating draft conversations
Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury is significant for many reasons. Aside from the obvious regarding the Boston Celtics' run as the most dominant team in the East over the last few seasons likely ending, this injury opens the door for other teams to jump in the conference.
The Cleveland Cavaliers aren't going to make a substantial change because of the success they've found with their core, the New York Knicks aren't going anywhere, and now there is an opportunity for teams like the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons to build on the success of their young rosters.
Boston now faces major decisions to make in the offseason. It is hard to imagine the Celtics can come back and win two more games to advance past the Knicks in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. Even if the C's were able to pull off a historic comeback, this roster is set to undergo major changes in the summer to shed salary.
Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Sam Hauser are the three players being discussed the most among NBA personnel, as Holiday would command a significant market. Holiday will turn 35 in June, but he is a two-time champion and Olympic gold medalist. Despite being older, he is still a significant defensive asset who can help lead a team to championship heights.
This fallout of Tatum's injury also extends to conversations about Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant possibly hitting the trade market. While all of this is speculation in Chicago among league personnel right now, the fallout from Tatum's injury will shift the balance of the NBA.
Cedric Coward rises into first-round conversations
Every year, there is at least one player in the draft who shoots up draft boards after great performances during scrimmages, drills, and/or simply having great conversations with teams in the arraigned meetings. Cedric Coward is that big winner this year at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine for many reasons.
Aside from his positive attitude and character that teams have been raving about, Coward really proved himself on the court in shooting drills since scouts didn't get much of a look at him in college this year due to a season-ending shoulder injury. In these drills, Coward presented a smooth stroke from the perimeter, knocking down over 70 percent of his total attempts.
Cedric Coward shooting it in the NBA draft combine side-mid-side drill pic.twitter.com/HIJg1czs0t
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2025
As far as his measurements go, Coward opened a lot of eyes with his 6-foot-5 frame and 7-2 1/4 wingspan. Coward has a lot of upside to be an immediate two-way presence on the wing, which is why the noise surrounding him being a lock for the first round continues to grow.
Unfortunately for Duke, it doesn't look as if Coward will be playing in Cameron Indoor during the 2025-26 season, as he will very likely be with a team in the NBA after being selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Yaxel Lendeborg facing 50-50 NBA vs. NCAA decision
Like Coward, Yaxel Lendeborg has been one of the most talked about prospects in attendance at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine this week in Chicago. Lendeborg has gained a lot of traction to be a first-round pick in this year's draft because of his combination of length, athleticism, and basketball IQ.
At 6-foot-8 with a 7-4 wingspan, Lendeborg could provide immediate value in the frontcourt for an NBA team. He displayed that in the two scrimmages he played in on Wednesday and Thursday.
In his first scrimmage, Lendeborg had 13 points and nine rebounds on 6-of-11 shooting. On Thursday, he did not play as much, recording just four points on 2-of-6 shooting. He also had two steals.
While many are beginning to label Lendeborg as a late first-round pick, he is still undecided on whether to stay in the 2025 NBA Draft or return to college and transfer to Michigan.
“I love Michigan,” Lendeborg told reporters in Chicago, via Jeff Borzello of ESPN. “I love the idea of going over there and developing, but the NBA is just what everybody wants, so I’m dead in the middle now. It’s hard.”
Lendeborg has until May 28 to decide on his immediate future.
Biggest winners from 2025 NBA Draft Combine
Maxime Raynaud – Stanford
After going for 20 points and nine rebounds in the final scrimmage on Tuesday, Maxime Raynaud decided to shut things down and sit out of the scrimmages on Thursday. The Stanford big man has drawn attention at the NBA Draft Combine due to his rebounding abilities and potential to be a pick-and-pop threat in the NBA.
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 after his performance in Chicago.
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Miles Byrd – San Diego State
One second-round-rated prospect nobody seems to be talking about is Miles Byrd. Standing just under 6-5 with a 6-10 wingspan, Byrd possesses a lot of two-way potential as a shifty and crafty guard.
After a strong performance on the first day of scrimmages with 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range, Byrd came back on Thursday and dropped 13 points, four rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Teams are always looking for guys in the second round of the draft who do all the little things that contribute to winning.
Whether it's rebounding, making the extra pass, pushing the tempo in transition, or getting back on defense, Byrd can do it all. He checks off all the boxes of intangibles other prospects don't have.
Lachlan Olbrich – Australia
Lachlan Olbrich is one of the few who got bumped up from the G League Elite Camp to the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. Many teams wanted to learn more about Olbrich's motor and skill in the paint coming from the NBL in Australia.
After recording 15 points and 10 rebounds in his first scrimmage on Wednesday, Olbrich came back on Thursday with 13 points and 12 rebounds. In total, he was 12-of-20 from the floor in these two scrimmages. Although he is not a modern-day big man in the sense that he spreads the floor offensively, Olbrich is a traditional big man who proved to be a bruiser in the paint.
PJ Haggerty – Memphis
While it is likely that PJ Haggerty will withdraw from the draft and return to college, he proved to be one of the better scorers in the scrimmages at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. Haggerty was consistent, scoring 18 points in his first scrimmage, followed by 16 points on Thursday. The only concern that popped up for Haggerty was his seven combined turnovers.
There is no doubt that the Memphis guard can score the basketball. Whether or not he is ready to make the transition and be fine with the idea of being on a two-way contract as a rookie is the decision he has to make.
Jamir Watkins – Florida State
Nobody had a better Day 2 of scrimmages than Jamir Watkins. Last year, Watkins came to the NBA Draft Combine and was passive with his shot selection. That wasn't the case with Watkins on Thursday, as he had 23 points, five steals, four rebounds, and four assists.
This is the performance scouts have been wanting to see from Watkins, who was very active on defense as well regarding his ability to switch onto multiple positions and hold his own. Keep a close eye on a team taking a swing at Watkins late in the second round after previously being projected to go undrafted.
Ryan Nembhard – Gonzaga
Ryan Nembhard, the brother of Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, is one of the best passers and facilitators in this draft class. He never looks out of rhythm, and Nembhard recorded 13 total assists in two scrimmages.
No matter how big a player is, teams are always looking for smart, experienced guards that they can trust in their second unit. Nembhard is a player any team can trust with the ball in his hands, and his basketball IQ stood out on the floor over the last two days.
Mark Sears – Alabama
Mark Sears was one of the most dynamic offensive talents in the country this past year at Alabama. At the NBA Draft Combine, teams not only wanted to see Sears continue to be a facilitator as a lead guard, but they also wanted to see how his shot looked in live-game actions against other NBA talents.
After struggling with 12 points and seven assists on 4-of-13 shooting and 1-of-4 from 3-point range on Wednesday, Sears bounced back with 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting on Thursday. Sears proved to be one of the best stationary shooters in this draft class going through drills at the start of the combine.
Any team in need of backcourt depth in the second round will fall in love with the idea of selecting Sears.
Tamar Bates – Missouri
After being called up from the G League Elite Camp, Tamar Bates raised some eyebrows on Thursday. The Missouri guard recorded 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, on Thursday. Bates is an interesting draft prospect because he's older and more well-rounded than others who were on the floor in the scrimmages. His experiences, as well as his versatility to guard multiple positions, have put Bates on the map in the second round of this year's draft.
