Good afternoon/evening/night from the NBA Combine in Chicago, the Emerald City.
If you missed Day 1 of our observations and notes, well, shame on you. But you can catch up here.
Here are some tidbits from the second and final day of the combine.
Henry Ellenson, PF, Marquette, Freshman
Ellenson, a Rice Lake, Wis. native (about a two hour drive to Minneapolis), is projected to be a top-10 pick. The Wolves have a top-10 pick and Ellenson would fit a position of need for the Wolves.
He’s not doing anything on the court for teams, but is taking meetings. He has indeed met with the Wolves.
“It was good,” Ellenson said on the meeting. “… I could see a good fit with that young group. Karl-Anthony Towns is obviously a talent and they’ve got young guards, obviously Andrew Wiggins. It depends how it all goes.”
At 6’11” 240 pounds, Ellenson is a big guy in the post, but he also hit 30 3-pointers in 33 games, so the potential for him to space the floor is there.
Wayne Selden, SG, Kansas, Junior
Selden is not participating in any on-court drills with teams after undergoing a minor surgery on his knee.
He did have some interesting things about former teammate Joel Embiid and his situation in Philadelphia, though.
“Joel is young,” Selden said.
It’s worth noting that Selden is a year younger than Joel.
“He never really had to face any adversity, so it was kind of tough on him at first,” Selden continued. “He’s doing all the things from my knowledge to get to the next level.”
Selden is projected as a mid second-round pick.
Caris LeVert, PG/SG, Michigan, Senior
LeVert is also not doing any on-court action with teams due to a foot fracture.
He said that’s been the main focus of his interviews.
“It’s been a lot about the medical,” LeVert said. “Probably the first half of every interview has been about the foot.”
With that foot causing him problems in college, it’s no secret why teams are concerned. He’s projected as a mid second-round pick.
Jakob Poeltl, C, Utah, Sophomore
Poeltl, a true seven footer, is projected as a top-10 pick after two very impressive seasons at Utah.
He said he’s talked with “13 or 14” teams so far, the Wolves being among those teams.
“I did meet with the Timberwolves,” Poeltl said. “It was my second day. It was, like I said, all the interviews are all about my background, how I got to basketball. That was the main deal with them, too. (Also) getting to know their new coach.”
Like Ellenson, Poeltl fits a position need for the Wolves and is projected to go right around where the Wolves pick. Poeltl said that his main objective after college has been working on expanding his range.
Stephen Zimmerman, C, UNLV, Freshman
Zimmerman is an undersized big man who is hearing he needs to get bigger, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. He’s listed at 240 pounds, but it’s a very skinny 240 pounds for a seven footer.
Stay tuned. Plenty more to come.
