Auburn basketball: Why these two Tigers will improve their stock at the NBA Combine

Two former Auburn basketball players have been invited to the NBA Combine. Here’s why they’ll both see their draft stock rise

Due to the strange season schedule brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the annual NBA Combine is happening much later than it would have in normal years. Originally scheduled to start on May 21, the event is now supposed to start on October 16, assuming everything goes to plan and remains on schedule.

As for Auburn basketball, before a few years ago, the idea of having a player (let alone two) being invited to the NBA Combine was pretty foreign. Prior to Chuma Okeke going 16th overall to the Orlando Magic in 2019, Auburn hadn’t had a player get drafted since 2001.

However, on Monday, both Austin Wiley and Isaac Okoro were invited to the NBA Combine. And while the duo have yet to officially accept the invite, it would be likely benefit them both if they attended the event.

While Okoro’s draft stock is much higher and much more cemented than Wiley, both former Tigers have the chance to impress scouts and coaches and both have the necessary skills to do so.

The full list of combine invites includes 105 potential pros from schools across the country and while only 60 players will be drafted, each attendee can change their draft stock for better or worse.

First, I’ll start with Okoro. The former four-star prospect surprised a lot of people with a spectacular freshman season on The Plains. Blessed with a strong, 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame and freakish athleticism, Okoro is seen by most experts as a top-10 prospect in this year’s draft.

Obviously, Okoro being only 19 years old certainly helps his draft stock. He was able to put up 1.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting a very impressive 51.4 percent from the field.

The biggest draw for drafting Okoro is obviously his defensive potential and athleticism. He is seen as possibly the best defensive prospect in this draft and while his shooting definitely needs work, he can often get to the rim at will and his shooting can and likely will, improve.

For example, take a look at former No. 3 overall pick Jaylen Brown. In Brown’s one season at Cal, he put up similar numbers to Okoro (14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists) while also being an excellent, athletic defender.

That same season, Brown shot an unimpressive 29.4 percent from deep on 3.0 attempts per game and shooting was seen as an obvious weakness to his game. Okoro shot 28.6 percent from beyond the arc last year on 2.5 attempts per game/

Fast forward four years into Brown’s NBA career and he is now one of the Boston Celtics’ best shooters, hitting his three-pointers at a 38.1 clip on over five attempts per game. I’m not saying Okoro will ever be a great shooter in the NBA but I certainly believe he will someday be able to hit his shots at a league-average rate.

The NBA Combine is all about showing off physical skills and Okoro has those in spades. He has an NBA body, can jump with the best of them and is extremely strong for his age. If Okoro attends the combine, he’ll be able to showcase all of that.

As for Wiley, the senior should attend the combine simply because he’s a fringe second-round draft pick right now in the eyes of most. 10-15 years ago, a player like Wiley would probably be a first-round pick — he’s a traditional big man.

Wiley has looked like an NBA player since he arrived on campus as a 17-year-old freshman but four years later he has built his body up and honed his skills despite various issues with injuries and NCAA eligibility throughout his career.

At 6-foot-11 and 260 pounds, Wiley has great size and that should certainly help him at the Combine but on the other hand, he hasn’t developed any sort of outside shot and isn’t really able to switch on smaller players out on the perimeter — two skills that have become extremely valuable for modern big men in today’s league.

But while Wiley may not fit the mold of a modern NBA big, there is still a place in the league for players like him. Wiley’s 2019 senior season was his best season yet and the Alabama native put up career highs across the board with 10.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting an efficient 57.4 percent from the field.

Not to menton, Wiley did all that while playing just 21.4 minutes per game, making him one of the most efficient big men in the country last season.

Few players at the 2020 Combine will have either the size or strength to match up with Wiley down low and rather than using the combine to accentuate his weaknesses (outside shot, mobility), he should play to his strengths and dominate down low.

Players like Andre Drummond and Steven Adams have dominated the NBA with similar skillsets to Wiley. Wiley’s age and injury history certainly hinder his draft stock but while they are constantly undervalued by scouts and draft experts,  a few four-year collegiate players always separate themselves from the pack and contribute in the NBA right away.

While it would be silly to call Wiley the next Andre Drummond, I do believe he has a place in the NBA. Most draft projections for the former Auburn center have him going from the early second round to going undrafted.

In an NBA currently dominated by defensive versatility and three-point shooting, Wiley should be able to use the combine to show that low-post bangers still have a place in the league.