NBA draft combine 2026 winners and losers: Who tested, measured the best?
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CHICAGO — A.J. Dybantsa loaded up for another jumping attempt, and Cameron Boozer glanced over for a brief moment to watch as one of the players he's competing with to be the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft soar more than 42 inches into the air. Boozer flashed a quick grin at the result, then got ready at the starting line for a shuttle run.

The best prospects in the highly-anticipated 2026 NBA draft class were on the same court together on Tuesday, May 12, running, jumping and shooting together in front of the biggest league decision-makers during the annual NBA Scouting Combine taking place at Wintrust Arena in Chicago this week.

Though the film from actual games will do the heavy lifting for NBA teams evaluating players ahead of the draft on June 23-24, measurements, medical exams and agility drills conducted as part of the combine help differentiate similar prospects. Some players see their stock soar from a strong showing in Chicago. For others, the combine will be a humbling experience that leads to a return to school. The decision trees are more complicated now in the NIL era of college basketball.

Here's a breakdown of some winners and losers from the first two days of the NBA Scouting Combine, when the nearly 120 prospects in attendance went through anthrometric measurements, agility testing and shooting drills:

NBA DRAFT COMBINE: Ranking the top players in scrimmages this week

Winners

Note: All times and agility drill testing figures are unofficial, according to the NBA.

A.J. Dybantsa, BYU

Well, sort of. Compared to the projected top-three prospects in this draft class – Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson of Kansas and Duke's Cameron Boozer – Dybantsa did the best, particularly when it came to athletic testing. His 42-inch max vertical jump and 33.5-inch no step vertical jump were among the best at the combine and cemented his status as something of a physical freak after measuring taller than 6-foot-8 without shoes. He also made 23 of 30 off-dribble 3-pointers, better than Peterson and Boozer.

But the difference between the three remains slim based on Tuesday's testing results. Boozer, for instance, also measured well at more than 6-foot-8 without shoes and a 9-foot wingspan. He also shot the best of the three by hitting 59% of his 3-pointers overall during shooting drills. Peterson did the best in the shuttle run (2.95 seconds) and shot 58.8% on his 3-pointers overall.

Aday Mara and Morez Johnson, Michigan

Though Mara and Johnson can still technically return to Michigan, their measurables and agility testing might cement their decision to stay in the draft.

Mara checked in at 7-foot-3 without shoes and had a 9-foot-9 standing reach when tested by NBA Scouting Combine officials. That's tied for the second-longest standing reach in combine history, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. Combined with his encouraging performance during Michigan's national championship run, Mara has likely worked his way into the lottery.

Johnson checked in at 6-foot-9 without shoes and a 7-foot-3 wingspan, which compare favorably with NBA power forwards. He then performed well during agility testing on Monday at Wintrust Arena, logging the best pro lane drill time among big men in attendance.

Braydon Burries, Arizona

Burries might have locked himself in as a top-10 pick after checking in at nearly 6-foot-4 without shoes, while weighing a sturdy 215 pounds. He then stood out during agility and shooting drills on Tuesday, hitting nearly 61% of his 3-pointers, while ranking among the best at the combine in the pro lane drill and no step vertical jump testing (35-inch). His combination of shooting and athleticism will be hard for lottery teams to pass up.

Kingston Flemings, Houston

One of the elite point guards in this class had one of the smallest wing spans in the class during measurements but did a nice job making NBA folks forget that with a great performance in testing on Tuesday. At one point, he ranked among the top five prospects in nearly every agility drill at the combine and helped his cause more by shooting the ball well.

LosersKoa Peat, Arizona

Peat's outside shooting issues have contributed to questions about his draft stock, and he did nothing to ease those concerns in Chicago. He shot just 36.2% in all 3-point shooting drills, measured at just 6-foot-7 without shoes and also had a slow shuttle run. On the bright side, he did have an impressive 38.5-inch no step vertical jump. This nonetheless could push Peat to improve his stock and go back to Arizona, where it might be more lucrative than what he would make as a late first-round draft pick.

Amari Allen, Alabama

Allen had impressive numbers in athletic and agility testing, including a max vertical jump of 42.5 inches. But the potential first-round pick makes this list because he measured at just over 6-foot-5 without shoes, well below his listed height of 6-8 with the Crimson Tide this past season. That could affect his stock.

Allen Graves, Santa Clara

Graves was an unheralded recruit who broke out as a potential first-round pick during his redshirt freshman season at Santa Clara this past year, but he had a poor showing in testing on Tuesday. He finished outside the top 50 in every agility drill and didn't do well in 3-point shooting drills. Graves would be one of the most coveted players in college basketball's transfer portal if he returns to school.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA draft winners, losers from scouting combine drills, measurements



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