The two days of NBA Draft Combine scrimmages were full of talented players — some of who trying to decide whether to stay in the draft.
For a handful of players, their decisions became slightly easier due to their standout combine performances. Let’s take a look at seven players who had impressive performances during the scrimmages.
The 7-foot-1 center was one of the best players in the first days of scrimmages — and performed well enough to opt out of the second day. He scored 20 points while also having nine rebounds, three assists, and shooting 7-for-12 from the field, 2-for-5 from three, and 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
He displayed his catch-and-shoot ability, touch at the rim, and also offered a few moves out of the post to create for himself and teammates. Raynaud is currently considered a second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Pettiford was the best player on the floor in the first scrimmage he appeared in — displaying strong point-of-attack defense, hitting an off-the-dribble three out of the pick-and-roll, skying for a transition dunk, then later hitting another three. He scored 23 points to go along with eight assists and two steals in that game.
Pettiford is likely to be a second round pick — but whether he receives a guaranteed contract or a two-way is yet to be seen.
Similar to Pettiford, Toohey had his best game in the first day of scrimmages. The 6-foot-8 wing/forward stood out at times, flashing defensive mobility while also having an impressive drive and live-dribble dime to a cutter. Additionally, he went three-for-five from beyond the arc in that game.
Overall, he averaged 12 points, 1.5 assists, five rebounds, and two steals per game while shooting 61.5% from the field (13 attempts), 50% from three (six attempts), and 83.3% from the free throw line (six attempts).
Peavy was all over the floor through two scrimmages, averaging 10.5 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and 0.5 blocks.
He was disruptive defensively — both on and off ball. In the first scrimmage, Peavy had a steal navigating a dribble handoff screen, a block in transition, and multiple on-ball defensive stops/forced turnovers. The Georgetown alum showed more than anticipated with the ball in his hands as well, showcasing a few impressive drives. While his shot wasn’t falling, his form looked solid overall.
In addition to the defense and drives, Peavy’s hustle plays and overall energy he plays with stood out — he had both an offensive rebound put back dunk and drew a charge in the first scrimmage as well.
Read More: Behind the Scenes: Micah Peavy’s Path to Emerging as NBA-Level Talent
The 6-foot-6, 182-pound sophomore averaged 12 points, four assists, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and two blocks in his two scrimmages while shooting 50% from the field (16 attempts) — including 45.4% from beyond the arc (11 attempts).
While he only shot 30.1% from three this past season, this was on a high volume of 11.8 attempts per 100 possessions and 5.9 attempts per game. Additionally, Byrd is a career 82.9% free throw shooter on 123 total attempts. His catch-and-shoot ability flashed during the scrimmages, as did his defensive activity. Byrd is currently projected as a second round pick and has made it clear he would return to San Diego State if he decides to return to college.
Niederhauser popped at the G League Elite Camp, ultimately leading to an invite to the NBA Draft Combine. The Penn State junior measured in at 6-foot-11 (without shoes), 243 pounds, a 9-foot-3 standing reach, and over a 7-foot-3 wingspan. Additionally, recorded an impressive 37-inch max vertical leap and 33.5-inch standing vertical leap.
Additionally, Niederhauser moved really well during the scrimmages and showed flashes as a roller/lob threat and as a rim protector. Overall, he averaged 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, one assist, and two blocks in the two scrimmages.
The 6-foot-6, 215-pound wing was all over the court in the second day of scrimmages, scoring 23 points to go along with four assists, four rebounds, five steals, and one block while shooting 61.4% from the field (13 attempts) and 33.3% from three (six attempts).
Watkins is one of the top players available in the transfer portal but could stay in the draft if a team believes in him enough to offer a guaranteed contract and roster spot.
It should be noted that both Tamar Bates and Brice Williams showcased their knockdown shooting ability in the second day of scrimmages as well.
