NBA Draft: Thon Maker impressing in interviews, workouts

Thon Maker has a long way to go to solidify himself as a player worthy of being selected in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft, but he’s starting to take some steps in the right direction.

Thon Maker is still a fairly unknown commodity. Famed for high-flying mix tapes featuring the kind of moves that aren’t typically displayed by 7-footers, he found a loophole in the draft process to declare early for the 2016 NBA Draft. He’s bringing that hype with him, hoping to impress the scouts and teams that may take a shot with his rare talent.

So far, though, at scouting events and showcases against tougher competition than he’s used to in high school in Canada, Maker hasn’t been totally convincing. The physical attributes, skill and potential is certainly there, but not in a manner that allowed Maker to assert himself over other top prospects.

Yet, as the NBA Draft Combine continues, Maker is starting to do more and more to help his draft stock, impressing in an interview here and showcasing intriguing ability there.

As ESPN’s Chad Ford relayed on Twitter, his interviews (he’s spoken to plenty of teams already) are going great and he’s putting together impressive workouts, showing off his quick feet and solid stroke from outside.

And as you’d expect, his physical tools are brilliant. As Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports has reported, Maker measured in at 216 lbs and 7’0.75″ with a 7’3″ wingspan. Beyond his quickness and agility, a 36.5 maximum vertical leap is really what caught everyone’s attention, because it just so happened to be the highest ever recorded in the history of the NBA Draft Combine among players over 6’11”.

Add on his excellent length and agility to shift around the paint, and the shot-blocking potential is high to say the least.

Regardless of those numbers, Thon still has a lot more work ahead to solidify himself as a first round-caliber talent. He’s disappointed some teams by not participating in five-on-five scrimmages and while the jumper, defense, intensity and athleticism are enough to please plenty of fans, they aren’t necessarily enough to urge teams to draft him too high.

Until the 2016 NBA Draft actually arrives, though, Maker is at least taking some steps in the right direction. As Ford reported, his interviews and workouts are going well and he probably has more riding on those than any other prospect in the entire draft class. Perhaps, if he can manage to impress in actual scrimmage situations against top players, Maker can add a little more evidence to his case as a genuine NBA-level rookie.

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