News and notes from the pre-draft combine held by the Nets and Rockets over the weekend in Brooklyn, N.Y. Forty-four players participated, most of whom are considered second-round picks in the June 30 draft.
* Texas guard J’Covan Brown was the biggest backcourt standout, displaying potential as a backup point guard. That’s the good news -- considering most scouts figured Brown was little more than an undersized (6-foot-2) shooting guard who had little chance of getting drafted. “He made good decisions with the ball and was very effective in the pick-and-roll,” said a scout.
* As for big men, perhaps no one helped himself as much as Justin Hamilton, a 7-footer from LSU. Hamilton ran the floor and finished very well, showing a soft touch from inside and out. His hands were also measured as the largest at the combine. Yes, they measure hands.
* Meanwhile, Mississippi State forward Renaldo Sidney took the honor (disgrace?) of the combine’s heaviest player, at 6-9 and a whopping 304 pounds. Regardless, Sidney came away as one of the more intriguing prospects. On the bright side, he displayed an ability to shove players out of the way and finish near the rim. On the downside, he owns a 22.4 body-fat percentage and was spotted using an inhaler following his workout.
* Believe it or not, the fastest player in the end-to-end sprint hailed from the Ivy League. That would be none other than Penn’s Zack Rosen. More impressively, the 6-0 Rosen also displayed true point guard skills, driving past defenders with relative ease and displaying some determined defense.
* Another point guard, Tu Holloway of Xavier, also impressed. Holloway’s strength is perimeter shooting (as opposed to driving and dishing) and he was strong in that area in Brooklyn. Scouts worry about his defense and size, however, as he’s supposedly closer to 5-10 than 6-0.
* While on the subject of little guys, keep an eye out for Casper Ware out of Long Beach State. He measured at 5-9 ½, but drew comparisons to Sacramento rookie Isaiah Thomas, the final pick in the entire 2011 draft. Ware was amazingly quick, looked capable of pulling up for shots over taller defenders, and was the fastest player in the lane agility drill.
* Stanford forward Josh Owens had the best vertical jump at the combine at just less than 35 inches while standing still. He also displayed great strength. Expect Owens to receive tons of individual workouts between now and the draft.
* Other notable performances in Brooklyn: UC Santa Barbara shooting guard Orlando Johnson (6-5); Alabama swingman Tony Mitchell (6-6); Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom (6-2); Missouri swingman Kim English (6-6); and Mindaugas Kupsas (7-2).
* Mitchell particularly stood out, with one scout saying he played himself into the second round. He might even be a first-rounder had he not been thrown off the team at Alabama for a run-in with Crimson Tide coach Anthony Grant. “He’s a slasher, outstanding in transition,” a scout told the New York Post. “And his shot has improved.”
* Kupsas wasn’t nearly as impressive, but his standing reach measured at 9-4. That makes him a serious prospect.
* All 30 NBA teams had at least one representative at the combine.
Follow Sam Amico on Twitter @SamAmicoFSO.
