Reynolds Discusses NBA Draft Combine
May 21, 2010 by Andrew Nicholson
Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie along with members of his scouting staff, including Wayne Cooper, Mike Petrie and Bobby Jackson, are in Chicago late this week to meet with NBA prospects at the 2010 NBA Draft Combine.
With many of the top prospects in the upcoming Draft participating, the in-person player evaluations are an important element to the Draft process. In recent years, play has become limited to basketball drills, while interviews and physicals help provide team executives the opportunity to get to know the individuals and verify physical characteristics like height, weight, wingspan, body-fat percentage and vertical.
Though it’s been altered over the course of his 25 years as a member of the Basketball Operations department, Kings Director of Player Personnel Jerry Reynolds says the Draft Combine remains an integral part of the Draft evaluation process. So, Kings.com took a timeout with the ever-knowledgeable Reynolds to help give fans a better idea of how the information gained at the Draft Combine assists the Kings in their Draft decision-making.
How valuable is the NBA Draft Combine for prospect evaluations?
Reynolds: “Overall, it’s very valuable. Now, the NBA Draft Combine probably doesn’t have the value it once did, because you really don’t get to evaluate players physically (competing). They don’t really do any competition of any kind. The ones that participate at all, it’s very limited drills, so it’s almost useless in that regard. But where it is valuable, is you get complete physicals on players, so a lot of the health questions on players are answered, one way or another, with a team of doctors and trainers there on-hand as well as the psychological part of it and the interviews. A person like Geoff Petrie gets to spend time with all of the potential top picks he wants to, and that’s certainly important. Like I said, the difference being, in the last 10 or 15 years the top players don’t participate physically. Years ago, the Scottie Pippens and Larry Birds and those players actually went there and played and competed, but that doesn’t happen any more.”
If a prospect makes a strong impression on-court, how much can a poor physical – length, height, strength, etc. — impact his potential draftability?
Reynolds: “I think all those things enter into it. That’s why you have the process. The main part of the process, truthfully, is the talent they have on the court, and that’s what is viewed during their collegiate careers however long or short it may be. Then, during the various things that follow, you may find out his physical size is a little different than you (thought), positively or negatively. Some of the tests, athletically, might come out a little better or worse than you anticipated. Then, of course, (you analyze) these other issues because what you’re trying to decide is how all this translates to the NBA. Being an outstanding college player doesn’t mean you’re going to be a good professional player anymore than being an outstanding high school player meant you were going to be an outstanding college player. So it’s really about, as best you can, come up with an idea of the good-percentage chance this particular athlete has a chance to succeed at the next level.”
Why has the Draft Combine evolved to the point where the top prospects rarely compete?
Reynolds: “Their agents have gotten a hold of the system to a terrible fault, in my opinion, and they don’t really want to allow their clients to compete. Honestly, in my opinion, if they really believed in their client there would be no risk – better players would fair better. They basically want to cut out that part of it as much as they can.”
What kind of questions are team executives asking when they have a chance to meet with the prospects one-on-one?
Reynolds: “It’s difficult to say because each team might approach it differently. They’re really just trying to get a feel of what kind of person (the prospects) are and their motivations and what’s important to them on-and-off the court. (They also) try to get some level (of understanding) of coachability and drive. I think those are some things you’d ask any potential employee, and coming into any company, especially for a young person, 19 or 20, you want to get some kind of idea of what their view of their future is.”
In the one-on-one interviews, what kind of characteristics are executives looking for to gauge a given prospect’s leadership ability or compatibility with the team, etc.?
Reynolds: “That’s pretty difficult to answer. I think you’re really just looking for a young man who definitely wants to be a player and you feel like has work ethic and has the ability to keep improving himself as a player and improve himself as a person and will stay on the right path and wants to be a part of a team. You’d like to find that perfect player and perfect leader and all, but truthfully you don’t have to find leaders – that’s one of those things that will sort itself out. What you’re really looking for is the very best basketball player and person you can to fit in with your organization.”
With assistance from Kings fan Kyle Hoffman, following is a list of links to more NBA Draft Combine coverage.
2010 NBA Draft Combine Participant List
Read more.
Ridiculous Upside
Prospect measurements
Read more.
DraftExpress.com (via @khoffman3113)
NBA Combine Video Interviews
Watch.
DraftExpress.com
NBA Draft Combine: Day 1
Read more.
NBADraft.net
NBA Draft Combine — Day 2 Lunks
Read more.
Ridiculous Upside
Kings Starting to Talk With the Prospects
Read more.
Sacramento Bee
Wall (and others) Speak to Kings
Read more.
Sacramento Bee
How Do Aldrich, Cousins Measure Up?
Read more.
Sacramento Bee
At NBA’s Pre-Draft Camp, Most of the Action Happens Off the Court
Read more.
SI.com
Stay tuned for more pre-Draft news, including exclusive Kings prospect workout coverage, on Kings.com and Full Court Press.
I tried to keep an open mind…but watching the Cousins interview, after watching the Johnson, Aminu, Orton, Turner, and Davis interviews, was unnerving. Could it be possible that comparing Cousins to Derrick Coleman might be an insult, now or later, to Coleman?! The body language, the smirk, some of those looks he shot at the interviewers, the "short" answers….all this came to mind when reading Jerry's comments about improving as a person as well as a player, work ethic, the right path, etc. He didn't really respond when someone asked about him playing with Tyreke.
Get Jordan Crawford with the 33rd pick. He has a good stroke and is athletic. He also dunked on Lebron, thats cool.
Parakhouski….best shooting center at combine…does GP like centers who can shoot?
I think you know the answer…
The Kings needs to draft a guy who can rebound and play Defense to give the kings more possession. The kings showed this year that they could score, now to work on the defenesive end.
With the 5th pick the sacramento kings select, Ryan Thompson out of the University of Rider.
Umm.. was Hasson Whiteside there? lol
lets draft cousins if minnesota dont steal it but we had hassan whiteside is young atletic and have size hes gonna our center for the future
The answer is yes, but not on the Kings… I don't know about you but i'm tired of these soft whiteboys getting punked inside the paint… Parakhouski looks just like another Spencer Softs to me… We need attitude and aggression (D Cousins)
Man! if the Kings pass on D Cousins because of his attitude then it goes to show how soft this organization is… We need guys with attitude and aggression in the paint … Cousins and Brockman at the same time would be something to see… O yea and if they have enough balls to draft Cousins, TRADE SPENCER SOFTS… PLEASE!!!!
Cousins
JT
Landry
Greeene
Reke
… i know Landry is'nt a SF but he's small enough to play the position if develops a consistent shot from 20 ft…. now thats a line up that could probably beat the Smell A Lakers!!! and the bench would be…
Spencer Softs (TRADE HIM!!!)
Brockman/Mcguire
Omri/Noch (TRADE HIM!!!)
Garcia/Udoka
Udrih
Goodbye Sean May… thanks but no thanks!!!
we do need rebounds, but i seen the sports news yesterday and they asked cousin's how people perceived him and he replied "people say all types of things about me that I'm immature, I'm a thug, a murderer, but you see how I am, all smiles"
lol he reminded me of Jamarcus Russell (not good) Its not about being too soft or tough we already have youth and toughness we don't need immaturity and time to wait for players to develop we a prospect who's ready, same way Tyreke was ready to play as soon as the season began
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AJFUB98qaM
Whiteside: Future Lottery Pick 2010
im sure whatever petrie does will be whats best for the team.he put on of the best teams in history together (2001 kings). remember…that was him.go kings!!!!
tyreke is our point guard (6'6) we could take a page from the lakers and have a big lineup!
Please dont get swept by the Lakers @ Boston
its all about THE boston celtics!!!! CHAMPIONSHIP TIME!!!! RAY ALLEN KEVIN GARNETT PAUL PIERCE RAJON RONDO AND PERKINS!!!! CANT STOP THE BIG BADD BOSTON CELTICSS
You're both wrong. Parakhouski's abilities are not important. 2nd round picks are gambles and you don't use your gamble pick on a player you have no use for. Redundancy at the white center who can shoot falls into the no need catagory. Furthermore, "No Parakhouski, I want DeMarcus Cousins." You do realize your confusing your 5th pick with your 33rd pick, don't you? If Cousins is available, he will be picked 5th. Unless Peterie is convinced DeMarcus is a guaranteed bust. In which case he will be taking the next best player, probabally not a center. Then he may try to get some toughness up front in the 2nd round. Toughness up front to offset or compliment Spencer. Not a Spencer Clone. Spencer was taken to continue the Vlade, Brad starting center position which had been relatively successful. There will be no finess centers drafted this year. I think that should be common knowledge. Parkhouski is a late second round pick who may not even get drafted.
That's a joke, right? Ryan Thompson is likely not to be drafted. Not in the first round, certainly not a lottery, and not in the second round either. He might be an undrafted free agent who we take a look at just to be nice. Not that he doesn't have talent but he's a player that is likely to spend some time in D-League or overseas. I'm sure you said it in jest, but we GMs don't draft players because they are related to current players. You may have gotten the idea from the Hawes Brockman connection. Brockman got picked because management was sure DeJuan Blaire would have knee issues which he still may have despite a fine rookie season.
Cousins is a gamble, but all the comparisons to Eddie Curry and Derick Coleman fall a little flat to me. Eddie Curry didn't play college ball and Coleman he had a good rookie season at Syracuse with almost 12 ppg and almost 9rpg wasn;t the dominant force that averaged 15ppg and 10rpg as a rookie that Cousins is. Besides Derick Coleman averaged 18ppg and 10rpg his rookie year in the NBA and had three 20+ppg and 10+rpg seasons in the NBA. Coleman was a very good player who had 11 very good seasons and 4 bad ones due to injury. If DeMarcus Cousins is as good as Derrick Coleman, Cousins is an excellent pick at #5. If Cousins avg. 18ppg and 10rpg as a rookie the way Coleman did, he will likely win Rookie of the Year. So excuse me if I'm a little confused. If he's not Shaq, he's a bust? Or something like that?
They won't pass because he's mean. They will pass because they think once he gets his paycheck he'll be a flat bust. It's not toughness their afraid of, it's a lousy NBA player. I think they will take the gamble and I think Cousins will be worth it, but if Petrie passes it's because he's convinced DeMarcus is a Train Wreck and I'll have to give Petrie the benefit of the doubt that he had good reason. Not because he was afraid of technical fouls and flagerant fouls and ejections neccesarrily. It;s not Rasheed Wallace he;s afraid of its' Sheldon Williams.
GET DIRK NOWITZKI!!! TRADE SPENCER SOFTS, NOCH, UDOKA AND SEAN MAY FOR IGUODALA
COUSINS
NOWITZKI
IGUODALA
GREENE
REKE
JT
LANDRY
OMRI
GARCIA
UDRIH
NOW THATS A PLAYOFF BOUND TEAM!!!
Confused or sarcastic? The Cousins/ Coleman comparison isn't just from the "neck down" and having the potential to post 20 and 10, but from the "neck up", ie, the bad attitude, on/off court behavior, work ethic etc. That's why I was commenting on Cousins' interview and Jerry's comments. Listen to what Orton had to say about Cousins.
I hope we could get D. Cousins!!! He's really a great player.Imagine this:
C: Demarcus Cousins
PF: Jason Thompson
SF:Carl Landry
SG:Donte Greene
PG: Tyreke Evans
BENCH:Omri, Beno,Brockman, Spencer, Francisco, free agent we sign
That's a Play-Off team for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With the 33rd pick in the 2010 nba draft the Sacramento Kings select… Willie Warren from Oklahoma!!!
would you pick Willie Warren at 33 if Terrico White was still available?
I would hope not.
What about Jordan Crawford from Xavier? He dunked on Lebron.
I Like what the 49ers did. they got Bigger , now they are going to play Smash Mouth type of football. Maybe the Kings should draft like the 49ers did. Smash Mouth Basketball. I say Take Cousins . and get Shot blocker Jarvis Varnado with the 33rd pick. Kings play to soft . I like to see the Kings turn the tables on the Lakers for a Change. Maloofs open their wallets we can buy Memphis #25th and #28th picks and get Players that are Tough Types a PG and SG , Like the Detroit Bad Boys , heck they won a Championship , why not have Smash mouth Basketball in Sacramento. Cousins is my Pick.
My opinion would be pick Cousins at 5 if he is still there. If he's gone take Avery Bradley over Wesley because Bradley's athletic ability and defensive prowess pair with Tyreke would be a dominating backcourt. Ask me like a moth ago and I would have said Johnson because I'm a fan of his ability and personality, but now I'm thinking long-term and Bradley has more potential and has dangerous athletic ability. But even if we go Johnson, the second round has some potential backcourt threats like Elliot Williams from Memphis or Jordan Crawford from Xavier. My whole reason for a guard pick would be some one you can penetrate like Tyreke giving open lanes from each other and open shots for the team. The more I think about it Bradley would be a great pick. Just my opinion
*Donte Greene has to play more for the Kings!! He's too valuable to waste on the bench or trade!! The Kings version of Lamar Odom
man i hope the twolves dont draft wes johnson,, i really like his game,, he could be the missing piece in the 2 spot.. he'll compliment well with tyreke..
Lol @ comparing the Kings to the 49ers,..how ignorant cant you get? basketball and football are two very different sports
no but Terrico White i think is a late first rounder… it would surprise me if he was still there in the second round
…i second that… Minnesota does need a big man to back up Jefferson so maybe they draft Cousins… or maybe we trade them Hawes and Nocioni for their pick? … fkuc it give em Udoka and May too haha
The thing is Cousins isn't a back up center with his skill and sky-high potential. He's going to be a future starter if not right away. If the twolves are greedy they'll pick him and based off of last year where Kahn snatched all the point guards, that's no joke. Hoestly the 5th pick wasn't what i was hoping for but it's a winning pick because, hopefully, anyone we pick there is going to be good. Whether it be Johnson, Cousins, Monroe( I like his size and skill set), Bradley. I don't like Aminu for the Kings because we already have Donte, who need to play imo, Nocioni, Omri, Thompson, Udoka. Drafting another forward would mean less pt for the others. Aminu just doesn't make sense for the Kings.
Laundry
I really hope we don't draft DeMarcus Cousins, he's one of the fattest players in the draft, i just seen that his body fat is 16.5% Hassan Whiteside's body fat is only 5.5 meaning he's in shape and he doesn't have the attitude, Cousins will be a good nba player but when? He already admitted that his deference is bad, excuse me he's "working on it" Hassan Whiteside lead the Ncaa in blocks at one point late last season (140) just remember Jamarcus Russell fat, thinking the games a joke, I see too many similarities between the two
jason thompson is trash an undersized center with an inconsistent shot that loves committing fouls and thats ur starting power forward playoff guy along with donte green that turns the ball over as soon as he touches it.. the kings have cap room to go after a good center and they should draft wesly johnson a sure talent without a high risk as a cousings would be….
damn I sound like a Hater lol.. i could be wrong about the guy, we'll see i guess
I would not pick Warren either. Terrico White is an excellent athlete, but Kennedy restricted this kid from breaking out.