NC State’s CJ Leslie is the best of the only 74 players physically capable of joining the NBA next season. Compared to the average prospect, he is taller (6’7″>6’5.6″), has a longer wingspan (7’2.25″>6’10”), jumps higher (40.5″>36.2″), and is faster both in the 3/4-court sprint (3.1>3.32 seconds) and the lateral agility drill around the key (10.19>11.28 seconds) than the average NBA prospect according to an exclusive analysis by Breitbart Sports made available only to NBA teams prior to last year’s draft.
| Range | Bench | Agil | Sprint | Wing-s | Hands | Ht | Vert | Tot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best | 21 | 10.19 | 3.08 | 7’8″ | 9.5″X11.5″ | 7’0.5″ | 44 | 25 |
| Average | 9.25 | 11.28 | 3.32 | 6’10” | 8.6″X9.5″ | 6’5.6″ | 36.2 | 13 |
| Worst | 1 | 12.94 | 3.59 | 5’10” | 7.5″X8.25″ | 5’9.5″ | 29 | 0 |
Leslie may not go until the second round, and Louisville’s Peyton Siva may not be picked at all, but both could be sleepers as these seven physical measurements constitute one of the four major indicators of how well a player is likely to do in the NBA.
On the table below, a 0.0 indicates a player is average in that category, while a 1.0 indicates he is one standard deviation above average and a -1.0 indicates one standard deviation below average. Those seven factors are weighted based on their historical impact on how well players have done at making and excelling in the NBA, so hand size has proven important but not nearly as important as a player’s agility and vertical. A rating with no decimal indicates the rating is estimated because we do not have official combine results from them.
| Rnk | Best Physical Prospects | School | Bench | Agil | Sprint | Wing-s | Hands | Ht | Vert | Tot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C.J. Leslie SF/PF | N.C. St, Jr | 0.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.9 | -0.3 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 25 |
| 2 | Nerlens Noel C | Kentucky, Fr | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 2 | 24 |
| 3 | Cody Zeller PF/C | Indiana, So | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 23 |
| 4 | Alex Len C | Maryland, So | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1 | 21 |
| 5 | Solomon Hill SF | Arizona, Sr | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | -0.2 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 20 |
| 6 | Peyton Siva PG | Louisville, Sr | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | -1.6 | -0.4 | -1.6 | 1.5 | 20 |
| 7 | Victor Oladipo SG | Indiana, Jr | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.5 | -0.2 | -0.1 | -0.6 | 1.6 | 19 |
| 8 | Nemanja Nedovic PG/SG | Lietuvos Rytas, Intl | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 2 | 19 |
| 9 | Gorgui Dieng C | Louisville, Jr | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1 | 19 |
| 10 | Mason Plumlee C | Duke, Sr | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 19 |
| 11 | Tony Snell SF | New Mexico, Jr | -0.5 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 19 |
| 12 | Trevor Mbakwe PF/C | Minnesota, Sr | 2.5 | -1.1 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 18 |
| 13 | Michael Carter-Williams PG | Syracuse, So | -0.3 | 0.9 | 0.8 | -0.6 | -1.8 | -0.2 | 1.3 | 18 |
| 14 | Shane Larkin PG | Miami FL, So | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.9 | -2.6 | -1.6 | -1.9 | 2.2 | 18 |
| 15 | Lucas Nogueira C | Estudiantes, Intl | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 16 | Vander Blue, SG | Marquette, Jr | -1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | -0.9 | -0.1 | -0.5 | 0.4 | 17 |
| 17 | Isaiah Canaan PG | Murray St, Sr | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | -1.3 | -0.4 | -1.7 | 1.2 | 17 |
| 18 | Anthony Bennett PF | UNLV, Fr | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 19 | Colton Iverson C | Colorado St, Sr | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 17 |
| 20 | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope SG | Georgia, So | -0.5 | 1.0 | 1.6 | -0.5 | -0.6 | -0.3 | -0.5 | 17 |
| 21 | Glen Rice SF | Rio Grande Valley, Sr | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | -0.2 | -0.6 | -0.3 | 1.2 | 16 |
| 22 | Carrick Felix, SG | Arizona St., Sr | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | -0.2 | -0.1 | -0.2 | 0.6 | 16 |
| 23 | Tim Hardaway Jr SG | Michigan, Jr | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | -0.7 | -0.8 | -0.3 | 0.4 | 16 |
| 24 | Giannis Adetokunbo SF | Filathlitikos, Intl | -1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| 25 | Adonis Thomas, SF | Memphis, So | 0.8 | -0.6 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.6 | -0.2 | 1.2 | 16 |
| 26 | Shabazz Muhammad SF | UCLA, Fr | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 16 |
| 27 | Ryan Kelly, PF | Duke, Sr | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 15 |
| 28 | Steven Adams C | Pittsburgh, Fr | 1.4 | -0.9 | -0.6 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 1.4 | -0.9 | 15 |
| 29 | Dennis Schroeder PG | Braunschweig, Intl | -1.8 | 0.3 | 0.9 | -0.5 | 1.0 | -1.2 | -0.6 | 15 |
| 30 | C.J. McCollum PG/SG | Lehigh, Sr | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | -0.9 | -0.6 | -0.9 | 0.6 | 15 |
| 31 | Phil Pressey PG | Missouri, Jr | -0.5 | 0.6 | 1.5 | -1.8 | -0.6 | -2.1 | 0.6 | 15 |
| 32 | Sergey Karasev SF | Triumph Moscow, Intl | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| 33 | Livio Jean-Charles SF/PF | Villeurbanne, Intl | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.5 | 0 | 15 |
| 34 | Kenny Kadji, PF | Miami FL, Sr | -0.1 | -0.3 | -0.9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 14 |
| 35 | Brandon Paul, SG | Illinois, Sr | 1.2 | 0.2 | -0.4 | 0.0 | -0.1 | -0.7 | 0.9 | 14 |
| 36 | Allen Crabbe SG | California, Jr | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.3 | -1.2 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 14 |
| 37 | Ray McCallum PG | Detroit, Jr | -0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | -1.5 | -1.2 | -1.4 | 1.1 | 14 |
| 38 | Norvel Pelle, PF/C | La College Prep, Fr | 0.0 | -0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | -0.5 | 14 |
| 39 | Richard Howell, PF | NC St, Sr | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 13 |
| 40 | Andre Roberson, PF | Colorado, Jr. | 0.2 | -0.1 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 13 |
| 41 | Archie Goodwin SG | Kentucky, Fr | -1.8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | -0.1 | -0.6 | -0.5 | 0.0 | 13 |
| 42 | Trey Burke PG | Michigan, So | -1.3 | 0.1 | 1.3 | -1.0 | -1.0 | -1.5 | 0.1 | 13 |
| 43 | Otto Porter SF | Georgetown, So | -0.1 | 0.0 | -0.6 | 0.8 | -0.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 13 |
| 44 | Ben McLemore SG | Kansas, Fr | -0.7 | -0.9 | 0.4 | -0.5 | 0.1 | -0.5 | 1.6 | 12 |
| 45 | Reggie Bullock, SF | UNC, Jr | 0.4 | -0.1 | 0.1 | -0.3 | -0.6 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 |
| 46 | Jackie Carmichael PF | Illinois St, Sr | 0.8 | -0.8 | -0.2 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | -1.2 | 12 |
| 47 | Robert Covington, PF | Tennessee St., Sr | -0.1 | -0.6 | -0.2 | 0.8 | -0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 12 |
| 48 | Jamaal Franklin SG | San Diego St, Jr | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | -1.2 | -0.4 | 0.0 | 11 |
| 49 | Tony Mitchell PF | North Texas, So | 0.8 | -0.8 | -1.6 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 11 |
| 50 | B.J. Young SG | Arkansas, So | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -0.4 | -0.1 | -0.9 | 0.0 | 11 |
| 51 | Ricky Ledo SG | Providence, Fr | -1.1 | 0.9 | 0.0 | -0.6 | -0.3 | -0.2 | -0.7 | 11 |
| 52 | James Southerland, SF | Syracuse, Sr | -0.9 | 0.6 | -0.5 | 0.7 | -0.6 | 0.4 | -1.2 | 11 |
| 53 | Erick Green PG/SG | Virginia Tech, Sr | -0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -1.0 | -0.6 | -1.1 | 0.0 | 11 |
| 54 | Myck Kabongo PG | Texas, So | -1.5 | 1.0 | -0.2 | -0.9 | -0.8 | -1.1 | -0.7 | 11 |
| 55 | Marko Todorovic C | Barcelona, Intl | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| 56 | Brandon Davies, C | BYU, Sr | -0.5 | 0.1 | -1.4 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.8 | -1.3 | 11 |
| 57 | Will Clyburn, SF | Iowa St., Sr | -1.3 | -0.6 | -0.5 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.0 | -0.5 | 11 |
| 58 | Nate Wolters PG | South Dakota St, Sr | -0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -1.4 | -1.0 | -0.5 | 0.0 | 10 |
| 59 | Joffrey Lauvergne PF | Partizan, Intl | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 10 |
| 60 | James Ennis SF | Long Beach St, Sr | -0.5 | -0.4 | -0.6 | 0.3 | -0.8 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 10 |
| 61 | Alex Abrines SG | Barcelona, Intl | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 9 |
| 62 | DeWayne Dedmon C | USC, Jr | -0.3 | -2.3 | -0.6 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.2 | -1.0 | 9 |
| 63 | Augusto Cesar Lima PF | Malaga, Intl | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 8 |
| 64 | Mike Muscala C | Bucknell, Sr | -0.9 | -0.7 | -0.9 | 0.7 | -0.6 | 1.2 | -0.7 | 8 |
| 65 | Seth Curry, SG | Duke, Sr | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -1.4 | -1.6 | -1.2 | 0.0 | 7 |
| 66 | Lorenzo Brown PG | N.C. St, Jr | -0.3 | -0.8 | -0.6 | -0.7 | -1.2 | -0.4 | -0.6 | 7 |
| 67 | Bojan Dubljevic PF/C | Valencia, Intl | 0 | -1 | -2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 7 |
| 68 | Grant Jerrett PF | Arizona, Fr | -1.5 | -0.9 | -1.5 | 0.9 | -0.3 | 0.8 | -0.6 | 6 |
| 69 | Pierre Jackson PG | Baylor, Sr | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -2.7 | -2.0 | -2.1 | 0.0 | 6 |
| 70 | Rudy Gobert C | Cholet, Intl | -0.5 | -2.4 | -2.0 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.8 | -2.0 | 5 |
| 71 | Jeff Withey C | Kansas, Sr | 0.2 | -1.9 | -1.2 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | -2.0 | 5 |
| 72 | Kelly Olynyk C | Gonzaga, Jr | -0.9 | -0.2 | -2.1 | -0.1 | 0.3 | 1.4 | -1.9 | 4 |
| 73 | Erik Murphy PF | Florida, Sr | 0.8 | -1.4 | -2.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.8 | -1.9 | 3 |
| 74 | Deshaun Thomas SF/PF | Ohio St, Jr | -0.9 | -2.6 | -1.6 | 0.0 | -1.2 | -0.2 | -1.2 | 0 |
A separate post will cover how the players stack up based on their Senior Value Add and these Physical Rankings. Two other indicators will be covered before Thursday’s NBA Draft.
A complete history of these factors for players over the past few decades can be found here at Draft Express.
Leslie’s hands are slightly smaller than average(8.75″x9″ < 8.6"x9.5") and he didn't bench (average 9.25 reps of 185 pounds), but on balance he is the only maximum 25 in the draft, while Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas is the only 0.
A good description of each measurement can be found here.
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