CHICAGO – I love the draft combine.
It’s like an NBA mixer. It’s the two week Las Vegas summer league condensed down to a few days, with NBA executives crammed into a small venue instead of spread out in two big gyms. It’s a chance to get face time with anyone you need to talk to. It’s in a great city at a great time of year.
For me, there is value in attending the combine.
For NBA executives … I wonder.
On paper, the combine offers a lot. Scores of players, from the elite (Duke phenom Zion Williamson) to the intriguing (UCF’s Tacko Fall), all in one gym, available for testing, medical workups, interviews and five-on-five play.