Seton Hall sophomore guard Isaiah Whitehead, Syracuse freshman guard Malachi Richardson and Iona senior guard A.J. English headlined the list of New York/New Jersey-area players invited to the NBA Draft Combine May 11-15 in Chicago, sources told SNY.tv.
The 6-foot-5 Whitehead won the Haggerty Award given to the best player in the metropolitan area. The 6-6 Richardson helped lead Syracuse to the Final Four. And the 6-5 English was named the MVP of the recent Portsmouth Invitational. English was also set to work out Saturday for the Utah Jazz, a source said.
Blessed To Be Invited To The NBA Combine Was Always A Goal Of Mines In My Basketball Career ��������
– Isaiah Whitehead (@IsaiahW_15) April 30, 2016
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DraftExpress.com projects the 6-foot-5 Whitehead as a second round pick in 2017, while neither Richardson nor English is projected to be drafted. All three players could help their stock in Chicago.
“I’ve heard late-first round [this year], early second but if I go into the Combine and wake some people up, hopefully it can go up,” Whitehead told SNY.tv last month.
Meantime, former Sports U players Wade Baldwin of Vanderbilt and DeAndre Bembry of St. Joe’s were both invited to the Combine, as was Richardson’s Syracuse teammate Michael Gbinije. The 6-3 Baldwin is projected as the No. 15 pick by DraftExpress.com, the 6-6 Bembry is projected at No. 30 and the 6-7 is projected at No. 55.
St. Joe’s senior guard Isaiah Miles was also invited, the school announced.
Other players with area connections invited include former Mount Vernon High School star of Isaiah Cousins. The 6-4 Oklahoma senior guard helped earn an invite with strong play in the NCAA Tournament en route to the Final Four.
Cheick Diallo, who played at Our Savior New American and chose Kansas over St. John’s, was also invited. He is projected as the No. 33 pick but could work his way into the first round with a strong performance.
UConn wing Daniel Hamilton and VIllanova’s Josh Hart were also invited, although neither is a projected first-round pick.
Kentucky freshman guard Isaiah Briscoe, who starred at Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, was named an alternate, meaning he could earn an invite if other players withdraw.
Among local players not invited to the Combine were Rutgers freshman guard Corey Sanders, sources told SNY.tv. If the 6-2 point guard returns to campus, he and 6-1 redshirt Nigel Johnson should help give first-year coach Steve Pikiell a strong backcourt.
Moustapha Diagne, a onetime Syracuse commit now at Northwest Florida State, was also not invited.
Underclassmen can test the NBA Draft waters without hiring an agent and opt to return to campus by May 25.
ZAGSBLOG will have live coverage of the Combine beginning May 11 in Chicago.
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