The NBA draft combine, where young men have their basketball careers determined by stop watches and mysterious body fat tests, took place in Chicago, Illinois, last week and it did not dissapoint. Over the course of three days, 76 of college basketball’s best from this past season participated in team interviews, athletic drills and five-on-five scrimmages in front of scouts and coaches to prove themselves as NBA-ready players. While it doesn’t garner much national attention, there’s few events in the offseason that impacts the future of players and collegiate programs alike.

There were few schools with as much stake in the combine as the Gonzaga Bulldogs were this year. With Chet Holmgren’s status as a top-3 pick secured, the attention was centered around the other draft-eligible Zags whose future remains in question. Andrew Nembhard, Drew Timme and Julian Strawther came in ready to learn and impress, but all three walked away with different outlooks.

Here's the biggest takeaways from the NBA Draft combine:

Andrew Nembhard is a 1st-round pick

It was only one scrimmage, but Nembhard’s brilliant performance on Friday showcased that he could warrant a top-25 selection in the draft. The 22-year-old dropped 26 points and 11 assists (the most in a combine scrimmage in four years) with a steal and two turnovers. Every offensive possession seemed to run through him, and for good reason, as he dissected the defense and consistently got his teammates involved while being an aggressive scorer himself.

In a pick-and-roll heavy offense, which is largely what the NBA has come to currently, Nembhard thrived in making the right reads. Whether it was hitting the roller with a touch pass or zipping it to the open shooter as the defense collapsed in, there were few possessions that ended in a bad shot or turnover with him in control. The fluidity and pace made it seem like the game was almost too easy at times, and while playing alongside talented teammates surely contributes to that, it’s a sign Nembhard’s decision-making and mental processing are among the best in this class.

His overall athleticism didn’t standout in testing, aside from his elite agility, but it also doesn’t hinder his ability to score, either. An arsenal of floaters, pull-up jumpers and even short corner fadeaways proved he has the prototypical toolkit for a guard to keep opposing defenses honest in how they cover him. He didn’t shoot the lights out from deep but going 10-for-18 from the floor is an efficient way to completely take over a game, something he rarely did as a Zag for a full 40 minutes.

Nembhard proved himself as a floor general with high basketball IQ last season, but this was never seen at Gonzaga. He didn’t simply initiate the offense, he commanded it like a true leader with his decisive playmaking and ability to create his own shot in ways he hadn’t put on display before. It wouldn’t be a shock to see a playoff-caliber team take a chance on him with a late first-round pick.

The new and improved Drew Timme?

The draft combine usually isn’t friendly towards players like Timme, who never developed as a consistent shooter or tremendous athlete while at Gonzaga. So, it wasn’t a shock to hear about his relatively unimpressive test results, both in the shooting and strength and agility drills, but those didn’t tell his full experience in Chicago. Because when it came time to ball, all those measurements were irrelevant to Timme’s superb play over the weekend.

Like Nembhard, he wasn’t afraid to show off some new tricks, either.

From the start of the first scrimmage, Timme was determined to prove he was more NBA-ready than most experts anticipated. No longer confined to the low block, he operated on the perimeter like a stretch four, providing on-ball screens and dribble-handoffs. He wasted no time in expanding his range either, as he knocked down a contested 3-pointer from the left wing in the opening minutes. He finished the first scrimmage with a team-high 13 points and had three attempts from behind the arc, something he never did as a Zag.

As a follow-up, Timme exploded for 21 points and knocked down four 3-pointers on Saturday, further illustrating his commitment to fitting in with the style of modern basketball. Nembhard had the most impressive day, but it was Timme who caught everyone’s attention with his newfound shooting stroke, along with his existing array of post moves and footwork around the rim. It was the complete package on offense, something not many believed would be case heading into the combine.

The lack of athleticism was more apparent on defense against stretch forwards and athletic centers, but still far from being considered a complete liability on that end. While he’s not the most agile, he makes up for it with his length and motor to contest shots and hustle for loose rebounds.

The building blocks are in place, now its about consistency. Should Timme continue his upward trend, he could hear his name called late on draft night from a team willing to develop him due to the upside. Or, if it means another year in Spokane for the All-American, then next season could be the best Timme we’ll ever see on the college stage.

Just a taste for Julian Strawther

Though he didn’t participate in the scrimmages, the combine was still a positive experience for Strawther who’s draft stock was a total question mark beforehand. After testing well and going through team interviews, he should have a better understanding of himself as a prospect in terms of improvement and aspects of his game that scouts already admire. It’s likely Strawther will return to Gonzaga for his senior season, but the journey to the NBA for him is far from over.

As a raw talent, there’s a lot to like. He posted the fastest lane agility score of anyone at the combine while being near the top of the leaderboards in the shooting drills. He has the prototypical size for a wing at 6-foot-7, though he’ll need slightly bulk up for the NBA, but the mold is certainly there in place. If he does return to college, he could be setting himself up for another major jump in production and development.

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