The stage is set in Chicago for NBA hopefuls. [@PompeyOnSixers]
All 30 NBA teams, plus 67 potential draft picks are in Chicago for the 2017 NBA Draft Combine. Held at Chicago’s Quest Multisport, activities began on Tuesday with interviews, photos, and activities geared for the players.
Today and Friday, NBA hopefuls will be tested on strength, evaluated on agility athletic ability, and play 5-on-5, if they are willing. Interviews with teams are ongoing, and one day they will media with reporters who made the trip to Chicago.
Local prospects attending the combine include OG Anunoby and Thomas Bryant from Indiana, Caleb Swanigan of Purdue, V.J. Beachem of Notre Dame, and Alec Peters of Valparaiso.
Wednesday is typically a big interview day, with each team getting six hours to interview prospects. During the week, teams can interview a maximum of 20 players but there are no guarantees in who is made available. Teams prioritize their lists and then the NBA assigns each player a schedule. The interviews are limited to 30 minutes.
For the Pacers, this is the first big task that new President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard will be heading up. He’ll lean heavily on Ryan Carr, the team’s Director of Scouting. This is what Carr, along with the other 10 scouts prepare for year-round.
Pacers representatives attending the Draft Combine: Kevin Pritchard, Larry Bird, coach Nate McMillan, Ryan Carr, VP of Basketball Operations Peter Dinwiddie, Mad Ants GM Brian Levy, and scout administrator Jason Buckner.
Dr. Chris Carr, the team’s Performance Psychologist, has been included in Indiana’s group over the last several years. During the interviews, a psychologist may take notes on things such as a player’s confidence, openness, hesitation (or not) to share, and he may speak up to ask a few questions of his own.
Best draft interview answer today: "Did you break any team rules?" "No, we didn't really have any rules…"
— Daryl Morey 🗽🏀 (@dmorey) May 11, 2017
You can watch television coverage from the Draft Combine on Thursday and Friday from 3:00 to 7:00 pm ET on ESPN2.
In recent years, the Pacers have held their first official pre-draft workout immediately following the draft combine when players are already in the neighborhood, just three hours north in Chicago.
The Pacers own picks 18 and 47 in 2017 NBA Draft, scheduled for Thursday, June 22nd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The @IndianaMBB product @nolimittb31 shows some love for IU! pic.twitter.com/xHhJMnejwq
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) May 9, 2017