2020 NBA Draft: 10 players hurt most by no combine this year
By Brian Rauf
Cassius Stanley, SG, Duke
Stanley‘s skill set is still raw to some extent – he’s not someone who can consistently create his own shot and he’s inconsistent with both his shooting and shot selection – but his raw athleticism is immense.
He has good size for a shooting guard at 6-6 and 195 pounds, yet he’s also very quick with a ridiculous 46.5-inch vertical. That combination made him one of college basketball’s best and most deadly players in transition, and that combination alone will pay bigger dividends in the faster-paced NBA.
Stanley still needs a few years of development, which is why he’s projected to be a second-round pick, but that athleticism will at least allow him to have an impact while he develops. A number of teams probably would’ve talked themselves into taking him in the first round if they had gotten to see that athleticism up close and, while that still may happen, the chances are slimmer without a combine.
Ty-Shon Alexander, PG, Creighton
Alexander toyed with the idea of returning to Creighton for his senior season after originally declaring for the draft, but he ultimately decided to keep his name in the draft pool. There are no doubts about him defensively but is a bit of a tweener at 6-4.
He is currently projected to go undrafted, which is why his decision may be frustrating for college basketball fans considering Creighton would’ve been a top-five team had he returned. If Alexander had the opportunity to go through the athletic testing at the combine while displaying his defensive chops in the scrimmages, there’s a chance he emerges as a 3-and-D guard that warrants a second-round pick.
That could still happen, obviously, but the chances of him being drafted are much slimmer without him being able to show what he can do at the combine.