CHICAGO — Perhaps no player saw his stock soar more at the NBA Draft Combine than former Syracuse big man Rakeem Christmas.
According to DraftExpress.com, Christmas jumped 20 spots to No. 36 from No. 56 as a result of his play this past week in front of NBA personnel at Quest Sports Complex.
CHICAGO — Ryan Boatright doesn’t appear in the first round of any NBA Mock Drafts.
In fact, the 5-foot-10 point guard out of UConn doesn’t turn up in the second round of the DraftExpress.com mock, either.
But Boatright, who played this week at the NBA Draft Combine at Quest Sports Complex, says he believes he should get drafted. He met in Chicago with the New Orleans Pelicans and will work out on Tuesday for the Philadelphia 76ers. According to Derek Bodner, the Sixers will also work out shooting guard Michael Qualls (Arkansas), point guard Keifer Sykes (Wisconsin-Green Bay) and point guard Terry Rozier (Louisville) on Tuesday.
“[I’m trying to show] that I deserve to be a first-round pick, that I’m one of the top guards coming out of this draft,” Boatright told SNY.tv.
Kentucky Wildcats guard Aaron Harrison (2) saw his draft stock plummet after the NBA Draft Combine while his brother Andrew Harrison (5) saw his rise.: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Rashad Vaughn, Chris McCullough, Jordan Mickey, Andrew Harrison, J.P. Tokoto, Rakeem Christmas and Michael Frazier all saw their NBA Draft stock rise following this week’s combine in Chicago.
Kansas’s Cliff Alexander, meantime, fell out of the first round, while Aaron Harrison fell off the draft board completely.
According to DraftExpress.com, which covered the combine extensively, the 6-foot-5 Vaughn, a one-and-done shooting guard out of UNLV, moved into the first round at No. 29 from No. 41.
McCullough, a 6-10 one-and-done forward from Syracuse who is recovering from ACL surgery and did not do any activities at the combine, moved into the first round to No. 30 from No. 33.
Sterling Gibbs is taking his talents to UConn.
“It’s a great opportunity to be able to come into a veteran team with a great coach and have the chance to make an impact,” Gibbs told SNY.tv. “The tradition of UConn and their guards speaks for itself.”
UConn has produced NBA guards Ray Allen, Kemba Walker and coach Kevin Ollie, among others.
The 6-foot-2 Seton Hall transfer chose the Huskies after visiting this past week and will be immediately eligible for Ollie’s crew. He also took trips to Pittsburgh and Ohio State.
Jan 11, 2015; Syracuse, NY, USA; Chris McCullough is at the NBA Draft Combine but can’t participate because he’s recovering from ACL surgery. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
CHICAGO — After less than one full season at Syracuse, New York City native Chris McCullough declared for the NBA Draft despite the fact that he tore the ACL in his right knee in January.
Now he’s taken a break from his rehab at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York to visit with NBA teams this week at the NBA Draft Combine.
“It’s a little boring for me because I can’t play so I just get to watch and enjoy the process,” the 6-foot-10 McCullough told SNY.tv on Friday.
Still, his goal is to be ready for the 2015-16 NBA season.
“By NBA training camp, I’ll be ready to play,” he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=73&v=BPlsqo2bk2M God bless you, Riley B King. You've
May 12, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
CHICAGO — The ouster of the Chicago Bulls from the Eastern Conference playoffs could set into motion a series of dominoes that will end Tom Thibodeau’s coaching tenure in the Windy City and ultimately have an effect on the coaching staffs at two college programs.
Iowa State head coach Fred Holberg has long been linked to the Bulls job, while Chicago assistant Ed Pinckney could now wind up on Chris Mullin’s staff at St. John’s.
“Yeah, until they tell me I’m not [the coach] I expect to be here, so that’s the way I’m approaching it,” Thibodeau said in a deadpan after the Bulls were trounced by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, 94-73, at United Center.
