NBA Draft: Here Are the 1-on-1 Workouts We'd Pay to See
By Jason McIntyre
The NBA Draft is in a month. The Combine happened.The draft order is set. The next step? Workouts. News on workouts isn’t always easy to come by, as agents are tight-lipped about the entire process to ensure their clients get drafted as high as possible. The secret world of workouts is legendary – from Yi Jianlian wowing the Bucks against a chair, to Tyreke Evans beating Stephen Curry in 1-on-1, leading the Kings to draft the Memphis star. Here are some workouts we’d pay to see for $20 a pop:
D’Angelo Russell vs. Emmanuel Mudiay. Yes, there’s different players – Mudiay is more physical, a more aggressive attacker; Russell is a better shooter and team player – but how good Mudiay can be is still something of a mystery man because he didn’t play college basketball and really didn’t play that much in China. Mudiay is in the mold of Westbrook; Russell comparisons span from Manu Ginobili to James Harden to Jeremy Lamb.
Stanley Johnson vs. Justise Winslow. I’ve got a soft spot for Winslow. I’ve been fond of his game since December of his freshman year. Yes, some parts of his game remind me of a young James Harden (obviously not the current version) and it’s more than the fact that they’re similar in size and left handed. Johnson is an attacking tank, a hefty 240 who isn’t much of a shooter yet. In today’s spread-the-floor NBA, would Johnson be a liability late in games because he can’t shoot? Was a total non-factor against Sam Dekker in the Elite 8 (fouled out in 25 minutes, 2-of-4 FG, 6 points).
Cameron Payne vs. Tyus Jones. Two high-upside point guards are 6-foot-1 and 6-foot-2 respectively, and could need a year or two of seasoning before becoming impact starters. Both are very good offensively. How would the Murray State star do against the Final Four MOP?
Sam Dekker vs. Kelly Oubre. Dekker will be a fascinating player to watch over the next month. Which Dekker shows up at workouts – the NCAA tournament beast? Or the one who was hit-and-miss in Bo Ryan’s structured offense? It feels like Dekker has more upside, and I’ve gotta ask, what Bill Self players from Kansas who were 1st round picks have lived up to expectations? Darrell Arthur? Xavier Henry? Thomas Robinson? Brandon Rush? Julian Wright?
Jahlil Okafor vs. Karl Anthony Towns. Two elite post players? Yes, please. Sadly, only two teams could make this happen, the Timberwolves and Lakers. It seems extremely unlikely that we’ll see these two go at it … but not for the reason you think. Would one of them dog it so they ended up in LA? Don’t act like it didn’t cross your mind.