NBA draft combine: Risers, fallers and more intel

Which 2019 NBA draft prospects are trending up and down after this year's combine in Chicago?

The combine followed a truly wild lottery on Tuesday -- one that has ramifications across the entire league. But the past week also has provided an important setting for scouts and NBA executives to get a better read on first-rounders and potential sleepers outside of the college basketball stage.

ESPN's Kevin Pelton and Mike Schmitz break down their big scouting takeaways and key insights on multiple prospects.

Trending up

Luka Samanic | F | Olimpija Ljubljana

Going back through the tape, 6'11 Croatian forward Luka Samanic made so many impact plays on both ends of the floor yesterday. Inside-out scoring threat who played with solid toughness/physicality. Showed his ability to step out and switch as well. Great day for him overall. pic.twitter.com/kEbok643VF

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) May 17, 2019

No player boosted his stock more than the 6-foot-11 Croatian forward, whose 13-point, seven-rebound, 19-minute showing in the first game was enough for him to shut it down for the week with first-round buzz building in Chicago.

Samanic's decision to come to the combine and play 5-on-5 was initially met with skepticism among NBA scouts. The long travel and lack of familiarity with the collegiate players participating has led to uneven performances for foreign players in the past. I'll never forget Rudy Gobert getting beat time and time again by Colorado State bruiser Colton Iverson in 2013, which played a role in Gobert falling No. 27. Samanic hadn't been known for his toughness or ability to handle pressure all that well up until this point, and the fact that his team (Olimpija Ljubljana) was in the midst of the Slovenian League final made the decision even more questionable.

But Samanic was outstanding on both ends of the floor. With so many players sitting out, Samanic's decision to compete earned praise from NBA front-office members. Offensively, Samanic's versatility was on full display, as he showed the ability to push in transition, attack off the dribble as a mismatch 4/5, score on the block and stretch it to 3 off the catch. His flashes on the defensive end were maybe even more eye-opening, as Samanic switched onto point guards such as Jordan Bone impressively, containing the ball and forcing midrange jumpers. Although he still gave up a couple of deep catches and didn't offer much rim protection, Samanic was outstanding guarding the perimeter. He also showed more fight on the glass than usual. While he had an uneven showing on my latest European scouting trip, I noted that his defense was trending in the right direction. That was the case in Chicago.

Samanic has never been short on talent. He burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old, was quickly snatched up by Barcelona and debuted in the lottery of our very first 2019 mock draft before falling after his most recent up-and-down season. Samanic always has been a first-round talent and an interesting fit in today's NBA, especially since he measured 6-foot-11 in shoes with an 8-foot-11 standing reach and improved 227-pound frame, giving him great tools for a modern big.

Scouts will have to discern if his play in Chicago is sustainable. Can Samanic become this year's version of Rodions Kurucs? After his strong showing in Chicago, it will be interesting to see if Samanic opts to take the floor in Monaco at the NBA Global Camp, as he likely has proved enough at this point to garner real interest in the first round. -- Schmitz

Terance Mann | SF | Florida State

Not among our top 100 prospects entering the combine, Mann parlayed a strong performance at the G League combine earlier in the week into an opportunity to showcase his role-player skills in front of NBA scouts.

Mann was particularly impressive on Thursday, stuffing the box score with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting, five rebounds and four assists. On both days, I was impressed with Mann's ability to move without the ball and defend one-on-one. -- Pelton

Nic Claxton | F/C | Georgia

Entering the combine with first-round potential, the 6-foot-11 big man showed enough flashes on both ends to garner interest in that range, making for a tough decision on whether to return to a Georgia team that brings in a stellar recruiting class and a potential No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft in Anthony Edwards.

Despite finishing with just seven points in 42 minutes on 3-of-8 shooting from the field and a head scratching 0-of-7 from the free throw line, Claxton blocked 11 shots, corralled four steals, switched on the perimeter seamlessly, knocked down an open spot 3 and measured out really well (7-foot-2½ wingspan and a 9-foot-2 standing reach, resembling a young Anthony Randolph, physically). While intriguing, Claxton proved that he is still more prospect than player. He is not overly physical on the defensive glass, with a thin, narrow lower body. He struggles to defend more aggressive bigs in the post, and he is a blank canvas offensively, with little in his scoring arsenal and questionable on-court decision-making.

With that said, his defensive agility, shot-blocking instincts and ability to knock down an occasional 3 and push in transition give him great upside. Scouts are intrigued by his modern fit on the defensive end of the floor. For a team that is willing to be patient with him, he could make sense in the late first round or early second round. Likely to spend a lot of time in the G League next season, Claxton could certainly boost his stock to top-10 status by returning for his junior season, especially with a reloaded Bulldogs team and the NBA eyeballs that Edwards brings. -- Schmitz

Isaiah Roby | F | Nebraska

The 21-year-old Cornhusker forward intrigued NBA scouts with his combination of ballhandling, feel, defensive versatility and fluidity at 6-foot-8½, with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and big hands.

While Roby lacks a degree of toughness when defending and finishing -- and he has to evolve into the consistent shooter his mechanics suggest -- watching him push in transition comfortably, make heady reads in the half court, swipe the ball from guards defending pick-and-roll and rotate for occasional blocks piqued the interest of NBA scouts. Should he shoot the ball well in workouts, Roby could garner more interest in the early second round. He fits the profile of what teams are looking for from a versatility standpoint. -- Schmitz

Tremont Waters | PG | LSU

Without a clear top point guard on the court in Chicago, there was an opportunity for several prospects vying for position in the second round, and Waters made the most of it. He generally outplayed Tennessee's Jordan Bone and Shamorie Ponds from St. John's in his two matchups.

I was most impressed by Waters showing the ability to knock down the 3 off the dribble, an important skill for an NBA point guard. A 34 percent 3-point shooter in two years at LSU, Waters went 4-of-9 beyond the arc in Chicago, though the sample is so small as to potentially mislead. Waters had a pair of steals in both games, and his excellent steal rate in college -- his projection is third best among player in my database -- is a big reason why Waters ranks just outside my consensus top 30. -- Pelton

Trending down

Grant Williams | PF | Tennessee
Dedric Lawson | PF | Kansas

Two of the most productive big men in college basketball last season were unable to carry over that kind of dominance in Chicago. Williams, the only player in our top 35 to compete on court in the combine, didn't stand out from the group. He shot a dismal 2-of-13 on Thursday, and while he was better Friday, Williams couldn't entirely erase the memory of that performance.

Even as he was struggling with his shot, Williams still made winning plays at both ends of the court, coming up with four steals. His effort level, quick feet for his size and ability to pass out of the post limit the negative impact of a couple of below-average performances. Nonetheless, scouts who already were skeptical of Williams' ability to translate his game to the NBA at less than 6-foot-6 in bare feet saw those concerns reinforced.

Both Lawson and Williams might have suffered a bit from the desire to show scouts their versatility. Williams missed all seven shots he attempted from the longer 3-point line, while Lawson spent much of the two days spotting up on the perimeter. Lawson was more successful there, knocking down four of his eight 3-point tries, but he made just two shots inside the arc and did not get to the free throw line. Given a poor showing at the 2016 combine after his freshman season at Memphis, Lawson probably needed a better effort to win over doubters. -- Pelton

Charles Bassey | C | Western Kentucky

Bassey failed to move the needle, struggling to prove exactly how he fits in today's NBA. His lack of skill and up-and-down motor really stood out in Chicago, where he shut things down after the first day. While he adds value in spurts as a rebounder and shot-blocker, he is an upright perimeter defender who far too often gets lost in space defensively. He also fails to drop in midrange jumpers, push shots and jump hooks on the other end of the floor.

Bassey is fairly mobile for a guy his size, though not incredibly fluid. He doesn't turn 19 until late October, either, and he is coming off an extremely productive freshman season. Still, he looked much closer to a fringe draft pick than a longtime NBA contributor. -- Schmitz

Neemias Queta | C | Utah State

Queta's rise since the 2017 U18 European Championships in Estonia has been remarkable, but he was unable to follow up on his strong freshman campaign at the combine -- posting only 3 points and 10 rebounds in 39 minutes of action while struggling with Tacko Fall (understandable) and Dewan Hernandez.

He measured off the charts at 7-foot-0¼ and 226 pounds, with a 7-foot-4¼ wingspan and a 9-foot-3½ standing reach, similar to a taller Clint Capela at the same age. But Queta showed that he needs to get stronger, become more mobile and continue to improve his feel for the game. That isn't surprising, given the fact that he was playing in the Portuguese league not too long ago and doesn't have a ton of high-level experience. While still full of long-term potential as a rim-runner, lob-catcher and shot-blocker, Queta would benefit from a full summer working on his body and another year at Utah State, unless he would prefer to develop in the G League. -- Schmitz

Scouting notes

• While he didn't take the floor in 5-on-5 action, Nassir Little's stock appears to be trending in the right direction. He has shot the ball much better than scouts and executives had anticipated and has impressed throughout the interview process.

Given his less-than stellar situation at North Carolina, it's no surprise that Little is trending closer to the top-10 pick that he was touted as heading into the season.

• 18-year-old Jalen Lecque turned in an up-and-down game on Thursday but held out Friday after getting feedback, according to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Lecque is a 1 percentile athlete who measured well (6-foot-4¼, 6-foot-8¼ wingspan) and showed off his shifty nature, defensive potential and springs in 5-on-5 action for spurts. He even made one lefty wrap pass out of pick-and-roll that he hasn't shown much of in the past. Lecque also was far too sped up, regularly dropping passes from Jared Harper on the perimeter while not even looking at the rim. Shooting is Lecque's clears bugaboo at this stage of his development. He wasn't overwhelmingly impressive in live action, and there are questions about his approach and just how realistic he is about his status as a prospect. But there's enough intrigue there to warrant a selection late in the draft as a flier pick with physical upside.

• Scouts were anxious to get eyes on Darius Bazley, who sat out this past season after originally committing to Syracuse. After struggling at the Nike Academy last summer, Bazley reminded teams of his talent and physical upside, scoring in a variety of different ways, showing potential defensively and facilitating with creativity that wasn't expected given his lack of experience. While his jumper is unorthodox, he can handle, finish with either hand around the rim and defend multiple positions. The fact that Bazley measured 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan and 8-foot-11 reach bodes well moving forward. He certainly helped himself and solidified his status as a draft pick.

On the flip side, 6-foot-7 wing Brian Bowen -- another non-NCAA prospect -- turned in a little more of an uneven performance in his second straight combine showing. He made 3-of-7 treys and crashed the glass, but he also looked a little limited with the ball, turned down open spot-ups for tough pull-ups and struggled to finish in traffic. He should still get looks in the mid- to late second round.

• Three second-round caliber prospects helped themselves over the course of two days: Cody Martin, Quinndary Weatherspoon and Terence Davis.

Martin stood out by defending with toughness at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, operating as a lead ball handler given his excellent vision and feel and finishing above the rim in space. He didn't make a 3 and remains limited in that area, but should a team feel comfortable it can work with his mechanics, he could most certainly carve out a role in the NBA.

Weatherspoon also shined with his passing and defensive toughness at 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. He didn't shoot the ball well, and he is a below-the-rim athlete, but he has a chance to be drafted.

Davis' scoring instincts stood out at 6-foot-4½ with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, particularly in transition. The 22-year-old scored 30 points in just 45 minutes while shooting 8-of-11 from 2 and 4-of-10 from 3. His feel for the game and handle need to improve, but he could eventually carve out a role as a microwave scorer.

• Ky Bowman (downhill guard) and Charles Matthews (wing defender) also had some solid moments -- with Bowman getting downhill, facilitating and defending, and Matthews guarding multiple positions and making athletic plays in transition. Although he got injured in the first game, DaQuan Jeffries is another potential second-rounder worth tracking, as he holds impressive tools and stood out at the G League Elite Camp.

• Although he didn't prove himself as a sure draft pick or show all that much in terms of NBA translatable skill, the fact that Dewan Hernandez came out and averaged 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in just 20.2 minutes after sitting out all last season is noteworthy. While on the bulky side, he is fairly mobile with decent length and touch. He put himself in the conversation for a two-way contract.

• Kansas freshman Quentin Grimes, a former projected top-10 pick, impressed teams with his feel and toughness in the first game, but he finished the second game 1-of-9 from the field and appeared to revert back to his Jayhawks ways, with up-and-down confidence on the perimeter. He and Devon Dotson -- who was great in the open court and on defense, while struggling to finish in traffic and shoot -- have important decisions to make about whether to return to school. -- Schmitz