Top transfer talent showed out through two days of the NBA Draft Combine. With the draft looming on June 26th, scouts and team personnel piled into Wintrust Arena Monday for the start of evaluations. Look for these transfer stars to be off the board in the first round of this June’s draft. (Note- Players who declared while retaining their eligibility are removed from consideration.)
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee G
What a year it was for Thornton, Colorado, native Dalton Knecht. Knecht transferred from Northern Colorado after being the Big Sky’s leading scorer in 2022-2023. A story of constant growth continued to unfold for Knecht as he averaged just under 22 per contest this season for the Vols. The senior guard left it all on the floor in an Elite Eight loss to eventual national runner-up Purdue in a 37-point performance.
Knecht measured well at the opening day of the combine, coming in at 6’ 5.25″(w/o shoes) and 212 pounds. Knecht’s measurables along with his 39-inch maximum vertical bode well for an off-ball guard in the league. Knecht projects as a top ten pick, with a low chance of falling out of the lottery.
Devin Carter, Providence G
The Big East Player of the Year lit up day one of the combine. At just 6’ 2.25″, Carter tied for first in the max vertical jump with a whopping 42 inches. His 2.87 ¾ sprint time shattered the previous NBA Draft Combine record set by former Nebraska guard Cookie Belcher at the 01-02 combine.
Carter averaged just nine points per game his freshman season at South Carolina, but steadily improved through two years of starting every game at Providence. Carter tallied just under 20 points and nine rebounds per night from his guard position. Carter’s brilliant season and start at the combine make him a probable first round pick.
Kel’el Ware, Indiana C
Kel’el Ware’s raw talent jumps out at anyone who watches the seven-footer play. After averaging just under 16 minutes of playing time his freshman season at Oregon, Ware decided to transfer to Indiana. The former McDonald’s All-American exploded, scoring 16 per night while adding ten boards.
Ware possesses rare touch for a big man. If he can harness his stroke in the league, he will be an extremely tough cover. All that offensive talent comes with just under two blocks per game on top of it. With a 32.5 inch standing vertical and a seven-foot-seven wingspan, Ware’s paint presence will be felt immediately.
