In preparation for the 2017 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers are hosting Indiana forward/center Thomas Bryant, Southeast Missouri State guard Antonius Cleveland, Dayton guard Charles Cookie, Monmouth guard Justin Robinson, Arizona guard Kobi Simmons and Purdue forward Caleb Swanigan in their fifth pre-draft workout at the team's practice facility in Tualatin.
Thomas Bryant
Full Name: Thomas Jermaine BryantPosition: Forward/CenterHeight/Weight: 6-11 / 248 Birthdate: July 31, 1997 (Rochester, N.Y.)High School: Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.Va.)College: IndianaAn early entry candidate for the 2017 NBA Draft. Career Highlights: A two-time All-Big Ten Third Team selection. ... Holds the IU career record for field goal percentage at 59.2 percent. ... A Preseason All-American as a sophomore by Blue Ribbon Magazine and NBC Sports.com. ... The Big Ten’s leader in field goal percentage as a freshman (68.3). ... Played in the 2015 Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald’s All-American Game as a high school senior. ... Participated in the 2013 USA Basketball Developmental National Team minicamp for 48 of the nation’s top high school players.Sophomore (2016-17): An All-Big Ten Third Team selection. ... Averaged 12.6 points and 6.6 rebounds. ... Made 38.3 percent of his three-point field goal attempts (23-of-60) after making just five threes as a freshman. ... Finished 10th in the Big Ten in rebounding and fifth in blocked shots (52).... Shot 51.9 percent from the floor and 73.0 percent at the free throw line. ... Increased his scoring average in Big Ten play to 13.8 points per game. ... Had four 20-point games and one 30-point game. ... Hit 13-of-18 shots to go with 11 rebounds and two steals in a 31 point effort vs. Penn State.... Tallied seven double-doubles. ... Posted 23 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks vs. Northwestern.... Had 23 points and two steals vs. Purdue. ... Produced 17 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four blocks against Nebraska. ... Notched 20 points and six rebounds vs Illinois. ... Converted 7-of-9 from the field for 16 points in the regular-season finale against Ohio State. ... Opened the season with a double-double against Kansas, scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.Freshman (2015-16): Paced the conference in field goal percentage. ... Set an IU single-season record for field goal percentage for all games (68.3) and Big Ten play only (68.4). ... Started all 35 games and averaged 11.9 points and 5.8 rebounds. ... Received All Big Ten Third Team accolades. ... Named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. ... Converted 11-of-13 from the floor against Minnesota and finished with 23 points and eight rebounds. ... Made 8-of-10 from the floor and totaled 19 points at Nebraska. ... Posted his first double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds against Ohio State. ... Collected 19 points, five rebounds and two steals against Kentucky in the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. ... Produced 12 points and eight rebounds vs. UNC in Sweet 16. Strengths: Ferocious competitor with extraordinary length and nice touch. ... Uses his size and length to finish effectively around the rim. ... Very active on the offensive glass. ... Keeps plays alive.... Has extended his range out to the three-point line. ... Gives his team an emotional lift with how hard he competes.Personal: Spent his senior year of high school at Huntington Prep (W.Va.), which has also produced future NBA players O.J. Mayo, Patrick Patterson and Andrew Wiggins.
Antonius Cleveland
Position: GuardHeight/Weight: 6-6 / 195Birthdate: February 2, 1994 (Memphis, Tenn.)High School: Faith Baptist Christian Academy (Ludowici, Ga.)College: Southeast Missouri StateCareer Highlights: Named All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team as a senior. ... A four-year starter at Southeast Missouri State, setting the school record with 109 starts. ... Capped his career as the fifth-leading scorer in program histroy. Senior (2016-17): Finished seventh in the OVC in scoring (16.6 ppg) and field goal percentage (54.3) and ranked fourth in steals (1.4 spg). ... Led the Redhawks in scoring, steals, blocks and minutes played (32.9 mpg). ... Scored a season high 28 points against DePaul. Grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds twice, both against Murray State. ... Dished out a season-high seven assists to go with 11 rebounds and 13 points against Murray State. Junior (2015-16): Led team in scoring (15.2 ppg), rebounding (6.6 rpg), minutes played (31.4 mpg), steals (42) and blocks (15). Ranked second on the team in assists (61) and third in field goal percentage (43.7). ... Averaged 15.9 points and 6.8 rebounds in OVC play. ... Registered at least 20 points seven times, including a season-high 25 points against Ole Miss. ... Paced team with five double-doubles. Sophomore (2014-15): Finished second on the team in scoring (10.8 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.8 rpg). ... Scored a season-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Murray State. ... Posted a double-double of 10 points and a season-high 12 rebounds to go with four steals against Eastern Illinois. Freshman (2013-14): Started 21 games. ... Ranked third on the team in scoring at 9.1 points per game. ... Shot 52.5 percent from the field. ... Named OVC Freshman of the Week four times. ... Notched 14 double-figure scoring games, highlighted by a 21-point performance against Murray State. ... Scored at least 10 points in each of his first three starts.Strengths: Very good physical profile for a wing. ... Long and explosive. ... Attacks the basket and finishes at the rim. ... Gets terrific elevation on his mid-range pull-ups. ... Has improved as a three-point shooter. Personal: Became the first SEMO player to make it to the College Slam Dunk Championship (2017). ... Also received Division I interest from South Florida and Florida International, among other schools.
Charles Cooke
Full Name: Charles Lafayette Cooke IIIPosition: GuardHeight/Weight: 6-5 / 190Birthdate: July 1, 1994 (Trenton, N.J.)High School: Trenton Catholic Academy (Hamilton, N.J.)College: Dayton
An early entry candidate for the 2016 NBA Draft before withdrawing his name from consideration. Career Highlights: Played his first two seasons at James Madison before finishing up his career at Dayton. ... Named All-Atlantic 10 First Team as a junior and Second Team as a senior at Dayton. ... Selected A-10 All-Defensive Team as a junior and senior. ... Named All-Colonial Athletic Association Third Team as a sophomore at James Madison. ... Averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in three games at the 2017 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. Senior (2016-17): Led Dayton in scoring (15.8 ppg) for the second straight year. Also paced the team in rebounding (5.1 rpg) and was second in assists (2.8 apg) and blocks (1.0 bpg). ... Shot a career-high 45.5 percent from the field. ... Scored in double figures in 26 of 29 games. Scored a career-high 31 points in season opener against Austin Peay. ... Part of winningest senior class in Dayton history (102 wins) and first class to go to NCAA Tournament all four years. Junior (2015-16): In first season at Dayton after sitting out 2014-15 following transfer from James Madison, named All-Atlantic 10 First Team and NABD All-District 4 First Team. Also selected to conference’s All-Defensive Team. ... Dayton’s co-MVP. ... Led UD in scoring (15.6 ppg) and three-point shooting (39.9 percent), was second in rebounding (5.8 rpg) and blocked shots (38) and was third in steals (40). ... Scored 20 or more points 12 times, including a season-high 26 vs. Fordham. Sophomore (2013-14): Started 29 of 30 games for James Madison. ... Averaged 14.3 points. ... Scored 15 points in First Four victory over LIU-Brooklyn. ... Tallied a season-high 25 points against High Point. Freshman (2012-13): Started 11 of 32 games. ... Averaged 5.8 points. ... Started at No. 13 UCLA in his JMU debut. Strengths: Has good size and length on the wing. ... Plays within the flow of the game and doesn’t force the action. ... Makes smart decisions and values the ball. ... Effective mid-range scorer and has the athleticism to finish at the rim. ... Improved his three-point shooting as college career progressed. ... Physical ability and smarts make him a plus-defender. Personal: Nickamed Tre. ... Member of Trenton Catholic Academy’s New Jersey state championship team as a sophomore.
Kobi Simmons
Full Name: Kobi Jordan SimmonsPosition: GuardHeight/Weight: 6-5 / 166 Birthdate: July 4, 1997 (Atlanta)High School: St. Francis HS (Alpharetta, Ga.) College: Arizona
An early entry candidate for the 2017 NBA Draft. Career Highlights: A part-time starter as an Arizona freshman. ... A McDonald’s All American as a high school senior in 2015-16. ... Participated in numerous USA Basketball Development training and minicamps during his high school career. Freshman (2016-17): Started 19 of 37 games. ... Averaged 8.7 points and 2.0 assists in 23.5 minutes per game. ... Shot 39.5 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three-point range. ... Scored 14 or more points on 10 occasions, leading Arizona in scoring in five of those outings.... Led UA in charges taken with nine. ... Opened the season with 18 points in win over No. 12 Michigan State, tying the most points scored in a Wildcats debut in a decade. Scored a season-high 20 points and added six rebounds and five assists in win at No. 3 UCLA. ... Was instrumental in a second-half comeback in win at Cal, scoring 10 straight points. ... Collected 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting vs. Texas Southern. ... Saw his minutes decrease in late February through the remainder of the season as the Wildcats shortened their rotation.High School: The 2016 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Player of the Year as a senior. Averaged 26.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists. ... Guided St. Francis to 100 wins, two state championships and four state championship appearances. ... Scored 36 points, including seven made three-pointers, in 2016 state semifinals vs. Milton High. ... Scored 12 points in the 2016 McDonald’s All-American Game. ... The No. 18-ranked player and a five-star prospect on ESPN’s 2016 Top 100. ... Graded as the top prospect in Georgia for his graduating class.Strengths: Has great size for the point guard position. ... Smooth and fluid athlete with good quickness. ... Puts pressure on the defense with his ability to create his own shot. ... Has quick hands on defense and the size to defend both guard spots. Personal: Also considered attending Kentucky and Ohio State. ... Played high school basketball with Denver Nuggets guard Malik Beasley.
Caleb Swanigan
Position: ForwardHeight/Weight: 6-9 / 246 Birthdate: April 18, 1997 (Indianapolis)High School: Homestead HS (Fort Wayne, Ind.)College: Purdue
An early entry candidate for the 2017 NBA Draft. An early entry candidate for the 2016 NBA Draft before withdrawing his name from consideration.Career Highlights: A consensus All-American, the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year and the Big Ten Player of the Year as a Purdue sophomore. ... Ranked second nationally in rebounding. ... Joined Tim Duncan of Wake Forest (1996-97) as the only players in the last 25 years to average at least 18.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a season. ...Earned Academic All-America Second Team accolades. ... Helped the U.S. win gold at the 2015 U19 FIBA World Championships (6.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and the 2014 U17 FIBA Worlds (8.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg).Sophomore (2016-17): A consensus First Team All-American, honored by the AP, NABC, USBWA, Sporting News, USA Today and NBC Sports. ... Voted Big Ten and USBWA District V Player of the Year. ... Averaged 18.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists. ... Shot 52.7 percent from the field and 44.7 percent from three-point range. ... The first player nationally since the 1985-86 season to amass 640 points, 430 rebounds and 100 assists in a season. ... His Division I-leading 28 double-doubles were the most in Big Ten history and 13th most in NCAA history. ... Set Purdue’s single-season rebounds record with 436. ... His 227 rebounds in Big Ten play equaled the most in 55 years (Ohio State’s Jerry Lucas in 1962). ... Named Basketball Times Player of the Year and Pete Newell Big Man of the Year. ... A top-five finalist for the Wooden Award, Naismith Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy and Karl Malone Power Forward Award. Freshman (2015-16): Named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team (10.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg).... A midseason finalist for the Wayman Tisdale Award (nation’s top freshman) and early-season candidate for the Karl Malone Award. ... Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week a school-record three times, sharing the league lead. ... Set Purdue freshman records in double-doubles (eight) and for rebounds by a wide margin. ... One of three freshmen in the country with totals of at least 340 points, 280 boards, 60 assists and 20 made threes.Strengths: Proficient interior scorer with a variety of moves on the box. ... Knows how to use his body to create space. ... Has superb touch and is a tremendous finisher. ... Exhibits a high basketball IQ. ... Terrific rebounder with reliable hands. ... Can make a face-up jump shot. Personal: His story of overcoming adversity has been well-documented and featured in the media. Growing up, he bounced in and out of homeless shelters, attended more than 15 schools and battled weight issues and other challenges. Before his 8th-grade year, he was taken in and eventually adopted by former Purdue athlete Roosevelt Barnes, who provided him with stability and helped him flourish as a person.
Justin Robinson
Position: GuardHeight/Weight: 5-8 / 175 Birthdate: April 12, 1995 High School: Kingston High School College: Monmouth
Career Highlights: Averaged 15.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in four seasons at Monmouth. … Named MAAC Player of the Year as a junior and senior, becoming the first player to win the award in consecutive seasons since Manhattan’s Luis Flores won in 2003 and 2004. … Earned First Team All-MAAC honors after his sophomore campaign. Senior (2016-17): One of four hawks to play in all 34 games, totaling 1,128 minutes for the season. … Led the MAAC in scoring with 19.7 points per game. … Led Monmouth in assists with 4.8 per game. … Also led MU in field goals (212), three-pointers (96) and free throws made (149). … Scored in double figures in 32 of his 34 games. … Was named MAAC Player of the Year, becoming the first player to take home the award in consecutive seasons since Manhattan’s Luis Flores accomplished the feat in 2003 and 2004. Junior (2015-16): One of two Hawks to start all 36 games, totaling 1,184 minutes on the year. … Set the Monmouth single season scoring record with 693 points. … Averaged 19.3 points per game to lead the team. … Also led MU in field goals (214), three-pointers (80), free throws made (185), assists (132) and steals (79). … Scored in double figures in all but one regular season game and three total games on the season. Was named MAAC Player of the Year, becoming the third Monmouth player to capture the award. … Earned AdvoCare Invitational MVP honors after breaking former NBA first-round pick Michael Beasley’s tournament record with 77 points in three games. Sophomore (2014-15): Named First Team All-MAAC. … Named to the NABC All-District Second Team. … Started all 33 games for the Hawks, posting a team-high 13.4 points per game, which ranked 12th in the league, while scoring 15.8 ppg in MAAC contests. … Ranked fourth in the league in assists with a 3.6 average, while his 1.7 steals per contest ranked fifth in the league. … Contributed 120 assists and 56 steals to go along with his team best 441 points. … Led the Hawks in minutes played (1,062) and a 32.2 minutes per game average. … MAAC Player of the Week on December 8th. … Reached double-digits in scoring 24 times for the season. Freshman (2013-14): Appeared in 28 games, including 25 starts as a freshman, before a stress fracture in his foot sideline him for the last four games of the year. … Finished fourth on the team with a 7.1 ppg scoring average. … Averaged 3.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds. … Played the fifth-most minutes on the team, despite missing four games and being limited to 18 minutes over his last three games played. Personal: Son of Abe Robinson and Stephanie Blackmon and Regina Robinson. … Majored in communication.