This article is part of our NBA Draft series.
Although official NBA combine activities ended on Thursday, private workouts and pro days continued throughout the weekend. Teams will now move into the private evaluation phase, but the final public events prior to the 2023 NBA Draft are complete. Let's check into who raised or lowered their stock in recent days.
Stock Up
Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara
Podziemski flirted with a triple-double in his first scrimmage, finishing with 10 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. It's an impressive feat, given the lack of chemistry and inconsistent usage in the games. Podziemski's production aligned with the 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals he averaged at Santa Clara. Podziemski expressed that he felt more comfortable on-ball, but his pure shooting -- 43.8 percent clip from deep -- bodes well for his off-ball profile too. Podziemski officially declared for the draft on Friday, which is reasonable evidence that his camp is also happy with his Combine performance.
Keyonte George, Baylor
George did not play in the scrimmages or partake in the drills, but he hosted a pro day that looked sharp. George was hobbled by an ankle injury throughout the final six games of Baylor's season. He shot just 22.5 percent from the field after suffering the sprain on Feb. 25, although it's possible he could've sustained the initial injury earlier. An explosive, two-way guard with boom-able scoring, George averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists across Baylor's first 16 games.
Maxwell Lewis, Pepperdine
Lewis is another player who did not participate in any Combine drills, but he measured at over 6-foot-6 and 207 pounds. Lewis talked about adding 10-15 pounds of muscle since concluding his sophomore season at Pepperdine, which is enormous for the lanky, slithery finisher. Lewis has many intriguing offensive tools. Adding muscle was the first step to NBA acclimation, and he's done it already. Lewis shot 65.0 percent at the rim and 57.8 percent in the paint overall -- well above average.
Marcus Sasser, Houston
Sasser came to the Combine and took care of business. He led all players by canning 80.0 percent of his threes in drill work, following up a career where he shot 36.9 percent on 7.0 threes per game at Houston. The 6-foot-2 point guard is a rock-solid shooter and defender with first-round upside.
Stock Down
G.G. Jackson, South Carolina
Jackson struggled shooting throughout the Combine, from gameplay drills, to spot-up around the horn, to basic mid-rangers in his pro day. Struggling in a controlled environment isn't ideal. Additionally, Jackson did not play defense or pass during his time at South Carolina, so the fact that he shot poorly during his solo shooting drills is a huge red flag. If the shot isn't pure and the decision-making is questionable, Jackson could profile as a long-term project despite his former ranking as a consensus top prospect coming out of high school.
Reece Beekman, Virginia
Beekman's defense shined -- as it typically does for the ACC DPOY -- but the rest of his game looks unrefined. After missing numerous finishes around the basket, Beekman looked hesitant to keep attacking. That is a problem, given that his shot is inconsistent. His field-goal percentage dropped to 40.5 percent during his junior campaign. Beekman's overall offense is a liability. It's worth noting that his adjustment away from Virginia's snail-like style could be a factor.
Leonard Miller, G League Ignite
There are significant questions about the coaching, player development, and overall growth environment of the G League Ignite. Yet, Miller opted out of scrimmages at the Combine, which would've been the first opportunity to see him against his typical peers. Miller's decision could simply mean that he's confident in his draft stock, but it raised eyebrows. Miller shot just 29.7 percent on 101 three-point in the Ignite's full season. He also posted a 0.88 AST/TO ratio.
