NCAA Basketball: 5 sleeper prospects at the 2018 NBA Combine

Almost every player who is invited to the NBA Draft Combine has had an excellent college career, but some are being overlooked or undervalued as NBA prospects. Who are the five biggest sleepers?

The NBA Draft Combine begins on Thursday and there are high stakes for both the players and the college programs that they are associated with. Many of the participants still have the option to return to school if they are not satisfied with their draft stock so fans and coaches will be monitoring the event closely.

Each year multiple players improve their draft stock by turning heads and performing well in the scrimmage portion of the combine. The players who are widely considered to be first round picks do not have to participate in the 5-on-5 action and are just required to be measured, interviewed, and put through drills.

The prospects that do play in the scrimmages have a lot to gain. These players’ draft stock are in precarious positions so performing well in front of scouts and general managers can only help secure a selection.

This article will look at 5 players who presumably have to play in the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages and are currently undervalued. These sleepers will improve their draft stock with strong play in the 5-on-5 portion and their abilities will be described in detail.

Jevon Carter – PG West Virginia

Carter is currently seen as a second-round pick, but could easily move into the first round with a strong NBA Draft Combine performance.

He is an elite defensive pest who can also shoot from long-range and create for his teammates. Carter averaged 17.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, and 6.6 apg as a senior. He averaged 3.0 steals per game which shows his ability to get into passing lanes and pressure ball handlers on the defensive end.

The aspect of Carter’s game which often goes overlooked is his shooting ability because his defensive abilities garner a lot of attention. He shot 39% from three on 77 makes as a senior making him a legitimate 3 and D guard.

At 6’2” he has good size for a PG, but a strong wingspan measurement could indicate his ability to play SG as well. Either way, Carter can pass, shoot, and defend which are all highly coveted qualities in today’s NBA.

Carter will turn 23 before the season starts and this is the biggest negative aspect of his draft stock. Older players are often seen as having lower upsides so a team might want to invest in a younger guard who has more time to develop.

However, teams in the late first round like Boston, Golden State, and Portland could really use skill set and experience to bolster their benches.