Announcing the 2018 Professional Basketball Combine!

The Professional Basketball Combine (PBC) is back! This May, the PBC returns for its second annual event. The 2018 PBC will grow upon its successful 2017 debut to give NBA prospects an extra opportunity to participate in a secondary NBA draft combine. Each player will have the chance to compete in combine testing, private workouts and scrimmages, and interviews with NBA executives and scouts. The 2nd annual Professional Basketball Combine will take place following the NBA Combine on May 22nd and 23rd at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. 

The Professional Basketball Combine was created in 2017 to give elite players an extra opportunity to showcase their talents and work ethic. All of this in order to achieve their ultimate goal of playing professional basketball. At the PBC, players will have the chance to perform in front of NBA executives, scouts, G-League personnel, and overseas teams. Last year, personnel from 16 NBA teams were in attendance for the event. That number is expected to grow this year, giving players an incredible opportunity to make a lasting impression before draft day. Along with the 25 scouts and execs in attendance, basketball media personalities like Alex Kennedy, Bobby Marks, Adam Zagoria, Steve Kyler and Jonathan Wasserman all reported on the event.
 
In 2017, the PBC featured 23 players including several who made their NBA debuts this season (Antonio Blakeney, Charles Cooke, Jeremy Morgan, Gian Clavell, and Mangok Mathiang). Of the 23 players, 4 signed two way contracts, 11 are currently playing in the G-League and eight have contracts in leagues overseas. 

Not only did the PBC provide teams another opportunity to evaluate 23 draft prospects in one location, but it provided players a unique opportunity to break onto the scene. Tidjan Keita, who was virtually unknown before the PBC, impressed teams enough to get a summer league invite and ultimately a spot on the Northern Arizona Suns roster. Gian Clavell of Colorado State University put on a show at the PBC which earned him a spot on a summer league team before helping him secure a two way contract with the Dallas Mavericks.

After a great year one, here are some reactions from participants and attendees last year following PBC:
​​"The Professional Basketball Combine was a great resource for our organization to continue to evaluate quality prospects on the court and in an excellent face to face interview setting. We are looking forward to attending again this year as well." - NBA Scout 

“Jake and his management staff did a phenomenal job organizing and running the PBC. The event exceeded my expectations by the number of scouts/ NBA teams present and the quality of top 75 NBA prospects like Antonio Blakeney, Charles Cooke, Mangok Mathiang, etc.. Looking forward to seeing the event gain more exposure as the legit second chance for NBA prospects to be seen in a NBA combine setting." - Coach R-Jay Barsh

"Any time you can gather 20+ draft prospects in a single location, you can count on us being there. I'm surprised not every team was in attendance, but I expect that to change in the future." - NBA Scout
 
“I truly believe the PBC gives players, especially ones that aren’t invited to the NBA Draft Combine, an opportunity to play and show off in front of NBA scouts. It was a big part of me being able to start my professional career in the G-League.” - Austin Nichols, Memphis Hustle

​"The PBC was the sole reason we invited certain players to our pre-draft workouts!" - NBA Scout
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"The Professional Basketball Combine put me in front of NBA teams and helped me a lot. It was great that it was at my old school. I got to go back to where my career really kicked off and it helped boost it to other levels.” - Mangok Mathiang, Charlotte Hornets Two Way Player

If you have any additional questions about the event or want to learn more, please visit our website www.professionalbasketballcombine.com or feel free reach out to Jake Kelfer, the Director and Founder of PBC, at jake@jakekelfer.com.