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Draft Combine Notebook: Day 2

Marc D'Amico
Team Reporter and Analyst

CHICAGO – The final day of the NBA Draft Combine was all about the numbers. And so is today’s notebook.

Below is a breakdown of the best results of the day, as well as their standing in the recent history of the Combine. Sit back and soak in the athleticism that these guys showed off.

Markel Brown vertical leap

Markel Brown tied Jahii Carson for the top vertical leap at the Combine by jumping 43.5 inches into the air.
Marc D'Amico/Celtics.com

Top Max Vertical – 43.5 inches - Markel Brown and Jahii Carson

Markel Brown (Oklahoma State) and Jahii Carson (Arizona State) can jump out of the gym. Almost literally. The two guards tied for the top maximum vertical leap at the Combine by jumping an incredible 43.5 inches off the ground. That’s a full two inches more than the next-best total of 41.5 inches, logged by three players. Brown’s and Carson’s vertical leap tie for the third-highest since 2004, according to DraftExpress.com.

Top Lane Agility – 10.42 secs – Zach LaVine

In a test that marks the lateral quickness and speed of players, UCLA guard Zach LaVine was far and away the most elite. He finished the drill in 10.42 seconds, far ahead of the next-best time of 10.75 seconds by Dante Exum. LaVine’s time stands as the fifth-best in the last three Combines, according to DraftExpress.

Top Shuttle Run – 2.76 secs – Aaron Gordon

This is another test that marks lateral quickness, but in much shorter movements. Players start in the middle of the lane, sprint to one side of the lane, over to the other side of the lane, and then back through their starting spot. It is a heck of an accomplishment for a 6-foot-8 big man like Aaron Gordon (Arizona) to lead the entire Combine in this drill. He’s been known as a freak athlete, and he showed why today.

Top Three-Quarter Court Sprint – 3.1 secs – K.J. McDaniels

From end to end, K.J. McDaniels (Clemson) is the fastest NBA Draft prospect this year. He ran three quarters of the court in just 3.1 seconds, which DraftExpress says is the fourth-best time in the last three Combines. McDaniels had some competition, as two other players finished with a 3.15 or better, but he was the cream of the crop.