The NBA Draft Combine participants were announced

While the Knicks are at camp with the new coaching staff and the old players, the lowdown on the draft is that the combine bubbly is running through a city near you or me. Last night during the Heat-Celtics game, Shams Charania treated us tasteful basketball fans to a sweet treat. The Combine participant list!

Shams notes the omissions of James Wiseman, Obi Toppin and Anthony Edwards. Toppin and Edwards don’t really surprise me, they have nothing to worry about or gain from this process. To me there were some immediate head scratchers and the absence of Wiseman, Cole Anthony, Tyrese Maxey and Aleksej Pokusevski were among them. All four hope to be lottery and possibly high lottery choices and all of whom have major public question marks. I guess Wiseman thinks he’s smarter than everyone. Are they healthy? Do they weigh less than a tissue? Are you 5’8” without shoes? Tell me the truth. What’s the matter?

A couple wing shooter types also elected to peace out on the process in Aaron Nesmith and Saddiq Bey. They likely have little to gain being in a gym where size and athleticism makes the biggest impression. As bigger wings, we know their sizes are rudimentarily fairly sizey, so it’s maybe not the biggest red flag. The Florida State lotto boiz, Devin Vassell and Patrick Williams, will also not be present. Is it possible these fools were given guarantees way out in advance of the draft? Or are they getting bad advice?

Some guys that are exciting to see are Killian Hayes and LaMelo Ball. Two of the top level playmakers who may offer some very intriguing measurements. I got twenty bucks on Killian having better lane agility than LaMelo and being able to lift eighty times as much weights. A lower level of exciting point guard battle than Ball and Hayes is Markus Howard and Tyrell Terry. I dunno, I just like it. Shoot and score more!

A few more personal favorites to see are Desmond Bane, who should be a top ten pick. Maybe even number eight, yes I have stated it. Bring me your hate. Then I see we have Isaiah Joe, who won’t be a top ten pick either, but if there’s a way to take him, I wouldn’t say I don’t hope the Knicks do that! Have I ever mentioned that I’m a big Skylar Mays fan? Well I am. If the Knicks took Bane at eight, somehow got Joe at 27 and snagged Mays at 38, I’d be ecstatic. That’s a conversation, y’all ain’t ready to have with me tho!

My last highlights are Theo Maledon, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Jayden Scrubb (who the Knicks have interviewed). All of whom are particularly un-talked about. Meanwhile the Knicks with Scott Perry (who is still around, theoretically) have had somewhat of a history of making the push for players from the road less traveled. Cases in points, Mitchell Robinson out of high school and last year’s D2 player of the year, Amir Hinton. What else is up, toasterinos? Who do we like? Who do we like to hate?