8 NBA Draft prospects who can increase their stock the most at the Combine

The Washington Wizards are officially on the clock after winning the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, with a little over a month until the main event. All week in Chicago, more than 70 top prospects will test and scrimmage in the Combine, with a chance to increase their stock through both live competition and open-gym displays of athleticism or shot-making.

These prospects in particular have a chance to really move up draft boards with a strong Combine:

Matt Able | G | NC State

Matt Able has already committed to Michael Malone and North Carolina in the transfer portal, so the odds favor him returning to school as a sophomore. That said, he's an 18-year-old freshman with a lot of desirable NBA traits. A talented movement shooter and a disruptive defender at 6-foot-6, Able will get a chance to capture the attention of decision-makers with a strong showcase over the next week.

He has a rumored 6-foot-10 wingspan, with a projectable frame that should fill out with NBA strength development. Able's 3-point numbers weren't special on the surface (35.5 percent), but he chucked 'em at a high volume and often with a high degree of difficultly. His quick trigger on the move, out of a variety of actions, should apply real gravity on offense. High stock numbers (3.3 STL%, 1.9 BLK%) point to Able's length, athleticism and instincts on that end.

He will need to show up, test well and perform in scrimmages. Able spent his freshman season in a strict complementary role, which will probably mirror his NBA usage. Still, scouts will want to see him flash a bit more playmaking and interior scorer. Able's mid-range struggles (41.3 percent) and lack of rim attempts (66 across 34 games) are red flags he can address in a more free environment.

Meleek Thomas | G | Arkansas

Meleek Thomas put together an excellent freshman season at Arkansas, joining a long lineage of star guards under John Calipari. That said, the Hogs were more often than not the Darius Acuff Jr. show, and rightfully so. Thomas thrived in a secondary role, drilling spot-up 3s (41.6 percent) and focusing his energy on the defensive end. In Combine and workout settings, scouts will hope to get a better understanding of Thomas' on-ball utility.

With real positional size for a combo guard, Thomas has the twitchy handle and burst necessary to create and extend advantages. There's some hidden point guard potential there. Thomas is not slated to participate in scrimmages, but he's a talented athlete who has already measured well.

This is the launchpad event, ideally. Thomas appears all-systems-go on the draft, but a juicy role could await him next season in Fayetteville. Now is the time to convince scounts that he's worth picking now, and worth picking high.

Tyler Tanner | G | Vanderbilt

Tyler Tanner is testing the waters after a breakout sophomore campaign. He has a lottery grade here at FanSided, but the consensus pegs him in the late first or early second round. Unless Tanner can improve his standing among NBA scouts, he will probably run it back at Vandy.

That's not the worst idea considering how weak the guard class is in 2027. That said, Tanner has a chance to really impress folks at the Combine — if not with his measurements, then with his athletic testing and scrimmage performances. He has already committed to playing five-on-five, hoping to do everything in his power to realize his NBA dream.

Tanner is far smaller than your average first-round guard these days, measuring a hair over 5-foot-10 barefoot and 167 pounds. It's fair to be concerned about how he holds up physically in the NBA. That said, he can jump out of the gym and he's incredibly coordinated, with elite defensive playmaking metrics (4.1 STL%) and rim finishing numbers (64.4 percent), not to mention a plus-six wingspan. If Tanner is the most impressive guard in the building, which is very possible, scouts could come around despite the perceived risk.

Allen Graves | F | Santa Clara

Allen Graves mostly came off the bench at Santa Clara as a redshirt freshman, but he quickly caught the attention of NBA scouts with elite defensive playmaking numbers (5.0 BLK%, 4.9 STL%) and efficient 3-point shooting (40.7 percent), albeit on lower volume.

Graves probably won't jump out of the gym, so to speak, but he's an extremely agile and fluid defender, which should show up in related drills. He should probably play in the scrimmages, too, with a chance to showcase a wider breadth of skills than he was allowed to in a refined, play-finisher and energizer role with the Broncos.

He will be quite popular in more analytically-minded front offices, tied with Caleb Wilson for the second-highest freshman BPM (12.7), trailing only Cameron Boozer.

Izaiyah Nelson | F | South Florida

Last season, Penn State's Yanic Konan Niederhauser turned a buzzy Combine showing into a surprise first-round selection. With Motiejus Krivas, Patrick Ngongba and other top center prospects opting to run it back in college, there's a path to a similar rocket-like ascent for South Florida's Izaiyah Nelson.

He measured 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan at the Portsmouth International Tournament, where he put on a show for tons of NBA decision-makers. He was out of the national spotlight with the Bulls, but South Florida was a competitive bunch and Nelson — with springboard athleticism and great underlying metrics — has a lot of traits NBA teams like.

An elite rebounder and whirlwind, rangy defender (5.9 BLK%, 3.3 STL%), Nelson ought to ace the athletic testing and put on a show in scrimmages. He can get up for lobs, sprint the floor like a gazelle and showcase his penchant for dirty work. Don't be shocked if he goes from an afterthought to "how'd that guy go there?"

Jayden Quaintance | C | Kentucky

Jayden Quaintance was limited to four games at Kentucky this season due to setbacks related to the ACL he tore as a freshman. But he's still 18, with incredible defensive tape and serious untapped potential. He will be a classic "holy s**t" guy in open gym runs and a Combine setting. He just moves like a star center.

Quaintance will need to clear extensive medical evaluations, but he came into the season as a projected top-five pick for a reason. He put up incredible block numbers (9.8 BLK%) as a 17-year-old freshman at Arizona State. He can blow up plays in drop coverage, guard up at the level and switch onto the perimeter, or dominate as a weak-side roamer. He's one of the most versatile defensive anchors to enter the league in recent memory.

If Quaintance can assuage injury concerns, showcase any advancements in offensive skill, and remind scouts of his elite physical tools — not to mention how rare it is to find such a young and productive player — he could start to climb up boards. Again.

Jeremy Fears Jr. | G | Michigan State

All signs point to Jeremy Fears Jr. returning to Michigan State for his senior season, but he will participate in five-on-five scrimmages and fight to keep his name in the draft. Here's the thing about Fears: you can scrub the box score, crunch the numbers, and nitpick his profile all you want. But when he's in a competitive environment, rarely does he fail to meet the moment.

The older brother of Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears, Jeremy was the best facilitator in college basketball last season (53.0 AST%). He pushes the tempo relentlessly and he keeps mistakes to a minimum. Though not the most efficient scorer, Fears displays the burst and physicality to pressure the rim and earn regular trips to the free throw line.

Most of all, Fears is one heck of a competitor on defense. He sticks like glue at the point of attack and consistently makes wow plays on that end of the floor. He will set the tone in scrimmages and do everything in his power to capture NBA attention, at the very least because he will feed his teammates and elevate those around him. There's a real NBA player there

Dailyn Swain | F | Texas

Dailyn Swain might be the consensus highest-ranked prospect to compete in scrimmages this week. The junior clearly has something to prove, with a wide range of opinions on exactly where he belongs in the first round. Swain's a natural athlete who should test well in that department, but he's also a smart, physical two-way player whose impact can shine in a team setting.

The primary point of emphasis for scouts will be Swain's jump shot, which is the major hangup in a potential lottery bid. Swain is a dexterous, explosive driver who creates his own offense very efficiently, but he's a low-volume shooter with a long, clunky release. His free throw numbers (81.5 percent) and at-rim finishing hint at workable touch, but he needs to clean up his mechanics and prove he's comfortable launching from distance.

If Swain can stand out with his size and athleticism as a defender, who applying consistent rim pressure and showcasing his unique, big-guard skill set, there will be plenty of meat on the bone for NBA decision-makers, even if there's work to do on his jumper. This is a great opportunity for Swain. If he can sprinkle in a few 3s, however, the buzz will really start to grow.

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