In what could be a shortened NBA season, team personnel may have to look into further information on the upcoming draftees.
This allows team scouts and front office advisors to look more at the player’s tape from their time at college or overseas. But, since the NCAA and many other basketball leagues had shut down due to the global pandemic, not many players had enough time to showcase their true talent.
The NCAA canceled March Madness, which is the largest tournament the NCAA has to offer in regards to basketball.
With the tournament closed, many players were unable to showcase their talent against other top schools. Players such as guards Kemba Walker and Jalen Brunson made a name for themselves and boosted their draft stock after great performances in March.
Scouts may not have enough information on a player due to the shortened season and potential cancellation of the combine.
They might have to look into past events that these players have participated in before their college days. Players such as LaMelo Ball should have enough film from his high school days, the Lithuania Basketball League, and from the short stint in the Junior Basketball league that his father created. Along with his time in the NBL (Australia), Ball has plenty of film that scouts could use to determine his worth to respected teams.
Not every player is as fortunate when it comes to having film on them. Players that were fringe draft picks in recent mock drafts have little to offer besides their time in college. This could hinder their draft stock as players such as LaMelo Ball or Obi Toppin could rise in the draft.
James Wiseman is an example of a player that without the combine could be affected in the draft. Wiseman was suspended from Memphis early on in the season, before later de-committing to work out for the combine and the NBA Draft. With facilities closed, and little film to work with. Many scouts could find themselves unsure of what Wiseman has improved or looked like during his time away from Memphis.
Recently, the NCAA and NBA had agreed to extend the date to which a player can drop out of the 2020 Draft. With uncertainties around both NCAA basketball and the NBA, the decision was accepted to give players an extended chance to withdraw. This allows players and an agent to get a better chance of seeing what their draft stock is currently before making a decision. Withdrawing from the draft allows players to return back to their schools if they are not comfortable with where they might land in the draft. Some players find success in staying an extra year of college as they get more attuned physically and mentally before heading into the tougher NBA talent pool.
Although the draft has yet to be officially pushed back, players from around the globe are hoping that their time in college or in other professional leagues was enough to make their dreams of playing in the NBA come true.
