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The 2021 NBA combine continued on Friday with two scrimmage games showcasing what some of the top prospects in this class can do in a head-to-head matchup.
Iowa’s Joe Wieskamp was among the standout players in Game 1. Even though his team lost 86-76, the 21-year-old finished with a game-high 26 points on 6-of-7 shooting from three-point range and 10 rebounds.
B/R’s Jonathan Wasserman projected Wieskamp to be selected No. 54 overall by the Indiana Pacers in his most recent mock draft.
“Wieskamp’s size and bounce are excellent for a 46.2 percent three-point shooter,” Wasserman wrote.
NBA draft analyst Chad Ford highlighted Wieskamp and Texas center Jericho Sims as two of the “big winners” from this combine.
Chad Ford @chadfordinsider
Texas big man Jericho Sims will emerge as one of the big winners this week. Elite size, athleticism and played well in the 5-on-5 games. <br><br>Ditto for Iowa’s Joe Wieskamp. Tested as a great athlete, an elite shooter, playmaker. Surprised he isn’t getting more late 1st looks.
Sims put up 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting with six rebounds in 28 minutes for the winning team.
South Carolina’s A.J. Lawson was involved in everything for his team. The Candian star scored 17 points (4-of-10 from three-point range), grabbed seven rebounds, dished out seven assists and had four steals.
Sims’ wingspan of 87.25 inches was tied with Auburn’s JT Thor for the second-longest at the combine. Neemias Queta had the longest at 88 inches. Sims also measured in at 250.2 pounds with 5.5 percent body fat.
Jonathan Givony @DraftExpress
Another good game in what’s been a strong week at the NBA Combine for Texas’ Jericho Sims. Did a great job defending pick and roll, gave his team a consistent option setting and finishing out of ball screens, and showed flashes of untapped skill w/his footwork, handle and touch. <a href=”https://t.co/Us2RMIUcjN”>pic.twitter.com/Us2RMIUcjN</a>
Sims is older for an NBA draft prospect, having spent the past four years playing for the Longhorns. The evolution in his game during that time is evident, as he started all 50 games over the past two seasons with an average of 9.5 points and 7.7 assists per contest.
The second game of the day was a wild offensive showcase for both clubs. Team 4 defeated Team 2 by a final of 101-94 in a game that saw nine different players score at least 10 points.
Quentin Grimes had an excellent showcase with 27 points (7-of-12 three-point shooting) in 27 minutes.
Per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Grimes’ all-around performance throughout the week may have helped his draft stock:
Jonathan Givony @DraftExpress
Another great game for Houston’s Quentin Grimes (27 points) after a strong showing yesterday. Will easily finish as the NBA Combine’s leading scorer, but has arguably helped himself more w/the much-improved passing he’s shown. Really guards too. Was once a projected lottery pick. <a href=”https://t.co/j6TxItUO30″>pic.twitter.com/j6TxItUO30</a>
Wasserman’s latest mock had Grimes going with the second-to-last-pick of the draft to the Brooklyn Nets. The 21-year-old showed a fantastic shooting touch last season at Houston. He made 40.3 percent of his three-point attempts and averaged 17.8 points per game.
Chad Ford @chadfordinsider
Game 2 Combine Box Score highlights<br><br>Quentin Grimes: 27 pts, 4 rebs, 7-12 from 3<br><br>Isaiah Mobley: 18 points, 4 rebs, 5 steals, 3-5 from 3<br><br>Greg Brown: 12 pts, 4 rebs, 5-8 from field<br><br>Duane Washington Jr.: 17 pts, 2 rebs, 2 assists, 6-7 from 3<br><br>Justin Champagnie: 17 pts, 8 rebs
USC forward Isaiah Mobley may have gotten underrated coming into the predraft process because his brother, Evan, is likely going to be a top-five pick.
But Mobley was a standout player on both ends of the court throughout this week:
Jonathan Givony @DraftExpress
USC’s Isaiah Mobley has done some really nice little things for his team this week on both ends of the floor. Has terrific timing defensively and has shown plenty of skill as a passer and shooter the past few days at the NBA Combine. <a href=”https://t.co/pb2gmTBMQr”>pic.twitter.com/pb2gmTBMQr</a>
Mobley wasn’t a high-volume shooter in two seasons at USC, but he was efficient with a 47.3 field-goal percentage. The 21-year-old displayed more touch as a sophomore by making 43.6 percent of his three-pointers, though only averaged 1.2 attempts per game.
If Mobley’s offensive game continues to evolve, he’s got the length to be a disruptive defender with an 87-inch wingspan and 107.5-inch standing reach.
With the top of the draft seemingly set, aside from knowing the exact order that the players will be selected, the combine provided a great opportunity for teams picking lower in the first round and in the second round to see the potential diamonds in the rough that could be available.
Based on the results from Friday’s two scrimmage games, there will likely be a lot of players who are able to contribute at the next level.
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