G League Elite Camp Preview
Who will be the names to keep an eye on at this event? Who will likely earn an invite to the NBA Draft Combine? Find out more in the short-read below.
Introduction
Some prospects cannot afford to protect their draft stock by shutting it down. At least not this year. With the draft being so wide open after the lottery, NBA teams will carefully use events such as the G League Elite Camp for their due diligence.
This event is the most valuable one after Portsmouth Invitational with it being a chance for less-coveted prospects to make up for the less exposure they had during the season.
NBA teams will look at Toumani Camara for example, who stood out during both Portsmouth Invitational and the G League Elite Camp while following it up with a stellar performance during the NBA Draft Combine. Therefore, these events are crucial, especially for teams that don’t pick in the first round and could use immediate help in their rotations.
Participants
Here are the 44 participants in the G League Elite Camp. Early standouts are Isaac Jones from Washington State (photo above) and Clarence Daniels from New Hampshire. Both played JUCO basketball before they transferred to play Division I basketball for their last two seasons in college.
Standout Candidates
Isaac Jones
He had a terrific year at Washington State, where his role as a screener and play-finisher led to him having a 15+ point season, earning his team a spot in the NCAA Tournament. An underrated part of his game is his passing, which will be the primary focus for him to show to potentially interested teams.
On the defensive side of the ball, Jones’ rebounding and activity as an interior defender got him on NBA radars, especially in the second half of conference play. For NBA teams, his motor combined with the above-mentioned area will be a welcome addition to their rotation.
Clarence Daniels
At 6’6”, Daniels is a bulky wing who played as a forward in college. The strengths of his profile are as a switchable defender who will primarily guard the three and four positions. As a rebounder, his instincts combined with his strength are what an NBA team will value to add depth to their wing rotation.
In his last two years, Daniels worked on improving his three-point shot. Although it looks better mechanically, it’s still a work in progress, despite good numbers this year—36.3% on 4.7 attempts per game. That’s a crucial part of what he’ll have to show to NBA decision-makers at this event.
Jameer Nelson Jr.
As one of the better defensive-minded guards in college, Nelson Jr. is a bulky guard at 6-foot-1 who fits today’s NBA game with the combination of his motor and feel for the game. In a league that prioritizes size and length, Nelson Jr. has his defensive impact on the game as his separator between himself and other undersized guards.
As a facilitator, Nelson Jr. shows good handles and the ability to read incoming defenses. His biggest value as a scorer is as an angle-creator where he’s a good decision-maker to either try to score himself or facilitate for others.
However, despite both of the above-mentioned being what NBA teams look for in a backup leading guard, Nelson Jr. has had an inconsistent season, especially with his shooting. For his NBA role, it’s crucial that a team can rely on him converting open ones consistently to ensure their offensive rating stays on par. His primary focus in this event will therefore be on the shooting drills.
Isaiah Crawford
With the NBA valuing wing-sized ball handlers, Crawford’s game is a good fit for most teams. Crawford stood out due to how well he’s playing in a faster-paced game and has shown scalability from serving as a spot-up shooter to making plays with the ball in his hands as both a scorer and facilitator
He’s already proven his value as a defender in college, mainly due to his knowing how to utilize his excellent athleticism and physical tools. This made him the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year
The next step is to continue to build on that. And for that, he has to improve as a team defender. NBA decision-makers will mostly focus on how he’ll perform on that end. In Crawford’s case, he will likely be asked for a lot of private workouts due to his archetype fitting the needs of most teams.
For more on his NBA profile, here’s my scouting report from two months ago:
Isaiah Crawford Scouting Report
We have seen NBA front offices bet on prospects who measure out well. The archetype we mostly see is a team defender with the potential to grow as a defender in time. In the long run, the ability to separate them from their peers will be on the offensive end.
Mantas Rubštavičius
Rubštavičius will benefit from a lack of depth among shooters in this class. He has shown to be able to play in an NBA-paced style in the NBL this season. While the numbers declined during the season, Rubštavičius has shown that his shooting consistency in terms of his form and footwork before his shot is what an NBA team looks for.
For more on his NBA profile, here’s my scouting report from earlier this season:
Mantas Rubštavičius Scouting Report
After being selected in the All-Tournament during the 2022 FIBA U20 European Championship, Rubštavičius decided to move to the NBL as a part of their Next Stars program. A difference with other Europeans taking this route is that Rubštavičius already played many minutes at the highest level, making it more likely that he would ad…
Conclusion
Outside of the five players above, I expect the following ones to receive invitations to the NBA Draft Combine:
— Eli Ndiaye - summarized scouting report available on NBA Draft Junkies
— Jaylen Wells - In-depth scouting report
— Adama Bal - In-depth scouting report
I think Mantas Rubštavičius might be a standout. I saw a couple of his games in australia, and I think he really held his own.
Caleb Love is also a good shout. Even though the shooting is inconsistent, he's improved tremendously with his playmaking. When he is consistent, he is one of the best players on the court