The NBA recently announced that 75 players will participate in the upcoming 2025 Draft Combine. The event is set to take place from May 11 to May 18 in Chicago, Illinois, and will be an opportunity for the prospects to shine and impress the teams.
A select number of standout players will also be invited to participate in the 2025 NBA G League Elite Camp, which is scheduled for May 9 to May 11. But what are NBA scouts looking for at each position? Let’s break down some of the key traits for each position.
What Are NBA Scouts Looking For At Each Position Throughout the Draft Process?
NBA Draft scouts pay close attention to the players’ athletic abilities, skills, and potential contributions to the league. They measure their physical and athletic attributes, including height, weight, and wingspan.
Scouts will also ask the players to perform various drills and observe their shooting accuracy, ball-handling, passing, and defensive capabilities.
Here’s what the scouts might be looking for at each position in the upcoming NBA Combine, according to basketball recruiting website GoBigRecruiting.
Point Guards
Scouts will measure the point guards’ physical attributes and evaluate their basketball skills. They will perform athletic tests through vertical jump, shuttle run, and agility drills.
In addition, players with huge heights, wingspans, and standing reach will be focused on, along with their playing skills, such as shooting skills, ball-handling abilities, passing accuracy, and court vision.
Shooting Guards
The pre-draft process will study shooting guards’ ability to score points, particularly from the perimeter—three-point range and mid-range, and their ability to shoot from these areas.
Additionally, how they handle the ball, their passing ability, defense, and how they often perform as a backup to the point guard would be noticed. Their catch-and-shoot, ball-handling, footwork, and movement would be in focus without the ball being open to receive a pass and shoot.
Small Forwards
For small forwards, the scouts will examine the player’s skill in scoring, rebounding, and ball handling, in addition to defending a range of positions like forwards and guards.
Their offensive roles, rebounding skills, playmaking, and versatility will be on notice. The scouts would also look for a good mix of speed, agility, and strength in the player.
Power Forwards
For power forwards, the scouts either focus on their physical attributes with limited skill development, or a player with high skills but is underdeveloped physically, along with excellent academics.
They would also look for a player who is the fastest on the court and can control the game with his speed. His court vision or ball distribution skill would be another thing to focus on.
Centers
The primary focus for the scouts in the center would be their size. The tallest player on the court would be in focus for this category.
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And, of course, their ability to score near the basket, rebound, block shots, and protect the paint is a must-watch. Additionally, their screening skills, how they block the shots, and their rim protection play a vital role in the game’s offense and defense.
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