NBA Draft Combine winners and losers: Darius Acuff’s stock rises, Koa Peat struggles in early shooting drills

The NBA Draft Combine from Chicago is underway. Over the next few days, draft hopefuls will go through a variety of tests and compete against each other in scrimmages while also meeting with NBA teams to get a clearer picture of where their draft stock is. 

While the top prospects in the class don’t have a ton at stake this week, this is a make-or-break week for several players on the fence about a decision. The deadline to officially withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to school is May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

CBS Sports previewed the biggest names to watch this week at the combine, including Arizona’s Koa Peat, Tennessee’s Nate Ament and Santa Clara’s Allen Graves.

During the first two days of the draft combine, players watched the lottery unfold and went through a variety of tests. Some players measured up as expected, while others came up short — literally and figuratively. In the shooting drills, UConn’s Alex Karaban was one of the biggest winners, while Peat finished 6 of 25 in the 3-point challenge.

Let’s dive into the biggest takeaways so far.

Winner: Acuff Jr. helps his stock on Day 1

Arkansas guard measures up

A very hot topic in the days and weeks leading up to the draft was Darius Acuff Jr.’s height. The Arkansas star was the best guard in college basketball this season, but people were curious about his height. Acuff was one of the biggest winners of the draft after measuring in at 6-feet-2 without shoes with a 6-7 wingspan. Those are really good measurements for Acuff. He will be in strong contention to be the first true point guard off the board. In our latest mock draft, Acuff went No. 7 to the Sacramento Kings.

Loser: Could Flemings’ wingspan raise concerns?

The wingspan of the Houston freshman comes up short

One of the biggest surprises of the day was Kingston Flemings’ measurements. His height (6-2.5) wasn’t a surprise, but his 6-3.5 wingspan was. What he did on the defensive end of the floor (1.5 steals per game) makes it even more impressive, factoring in his wingspan. Here is how Flemings stacks up with the guards projected after pick No. 4.

Winner: Michigan posts massive measurements

NCAA Tournament champs could have big draft

Three Michigan players (Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr.) could be picked in the first round next month. Johnson is the one who has a stay-or-go decision to make, but after he tested this week, he may stay in the draft. Johnson’s measurements stood out. He has the perfect size to play either forward position in the NBA and could be a stock riser the next few weeks. At Michigan, he was able to exploit mismatches against smaller defenders on offense. On defense, he’s capable of guarding out on the perimeter against smalls. He’s a great fit almost anywhere. As for Mara, his stock has been on the rise since the NCAA Tournament, when Michigan won six consecutive games en route to the title. Mara was mocked No. 5 to the Los Angeles Clippers in our latest mock draft, which is his highest projection of the cycle. Mara measured in at 7-foot-3 without shoes, with a 9-foot-9 standing reach — tied with former No. 15 overall pick Mark Williams for the second-longest in combine history. Here is how Michigan’s frontcourt measured up.

PlayerHeightWeightWingspanStanding ReachAday Mara7’3″259.87’6″9’9″Morez Johnson Jr.6’9″250.67’3.5″8’11″Yaxel Lendeborg6’8.75″241.47’3.25″9’0.5″

Loser: Peat struggles in the 3-point shooting drill

Shooting a challenge for the Arizona big

In almost every other test at the combine, Peat did well. He finished at the top of the group in the no-step vertical (34.5 inches) and recorded one of the best 3/4 court sprint times as a 6-7, 245-pound forward. 

However, the knock on Peat coming into the combine was the shooting. Peat was very consistent inside the paint at Arizona, but beyond that, he didn’t showcase an ability to stretch the floor. He shot 53.6% on 2-pointers but attempted just 20 total 3-pointers (7 of 20) this past season. In the 3-point shooting exercise, Peat finished just 6 of 25. Peat will likely be a first-round pick if he stays in the draft, but it’s unclear where that would be. In our latest mock draft, Peat went No. 20 to the San Antonio Spurs. He is the one player who would benefit from another year of college basketball. If he returns to school and showcases an improved jumper, he could be a top-five pick next summer.

Winner: Karaban shoots the lights out

UConn star shows sweet shooting stroke

During his four-year career at UConn, Karaban shot 37.4% from the 3-point line. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he shot the lights out in the 3-point shooting drill at the combine. Karaban finished 22 of 30 (73.3%) in the shooting off the dribble drill, 18 of 25 (72%) in the 3-point star drill, 21 of 25 (84%) in the side-mid-side drill and 18 of 25 (72%) in the spot-up shooting drill. Karaban likely will hear his name called on Day 2 of the draft, but his ability to space the floor and his experience will be valuable for teams picking at the beginning of the first round.