Fred VanVleet

Wheat Hotchkiss

Fred VanVleet's college résumé is as impressive as they come.

In his four years at Wichita State, VanVleet led the Shockers to 120 wins. They made a Cinderella run to the 2013 Final Four and took an undefeated record into the NCAA Tournament the next season. VanVleet was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year twice and was an honorable mention AP All-American three times. He graduated as the school's all-time leader in assists, steals, and assist-to-turnover ratio.

But despite all those accolades, when the invites went out for last month's NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, VanVleet wasn't on the list. That slight would anger many players, but don't expect VanVleet to carry a chip on his shoulder because of it.

"I don't think I have any more room on my shoulder for more chips," VanVleet said after his pre-draft workout with the Pacers on Wednesday morning at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. "I'm pretty booked when it comes to that.

"It doesn't surprise me. It's just the way my story has always been and always will be, I guess."

VanVleet is used to being overlooked. The 6-foot guard from Rockford, Ill. didn't receive any offers from a high-major program coming out of high school. He wound up at Wichita State, where he helped lead the Shockers on one of the more impressive four-year runs any mid-major program has ever enjoyed.

He played a significant role as a freshman, averaging 16.2 minutes per game and raised his game to another level on the biggest stage. He scored 13 points to help the ninth-seeded Shockers knock off top-seeded Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, then had 12 points a week later when they bested second-seeded Ohio State to improbably advance to the Final Four.

Over the next three years, VanVleet was one of the most dependable players in all of college basketball. He averaged 11.6 points per game as sophomore, 13.6 as a junior, and 12.2 as a senior. His other stats were even more consistent, as the point guard averaged between 5.2 and 5.5 assists and between 1.8 and 1.9 steals per game in each of his final three collegiate seasons.

All the while, the Shockers won a lot of games. They lost a total of just three conference games over VanVleet's final three years, went to the Sweet 16 in 2015 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in both 2014 and 2016. A talented Kentucky team spoiled Wichita State's dreams of an undefeated season when they knocked off the Shockers in the second round in 2014, but Wichita State bounced back the next two seasons, beating three higher-seeded teams in the next two NCAA Tourneys.

VanVleet consistently performed at his best against the best competition. Indiana fans won't soon forget his 27-point performance in a first-round  win over the Hoosiers his junior year. He followed up that game by tallying 17 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four steals in an upset win over second-seeded Kansas two days later.

Night in and night out, you knew what you could expect from Fred VanVleet.

"I take pride in playing every game like it's my last," VanVleet said.

But despite all his accomplishments in college, NBA scouts aren't exactly salivating over VanVleet's pro potential. He's on the smaller side, even for a pure point guard. He isn't particularly quick and his athletic measurements likely aren't going to catch anyone by surprise. You won't find his name in the first round of any mock drafts and you'll be hard-pressed to find sites that project him as even a second-round selection.

Even at his pre-draft workout on Wednesday, VanVleet went largely unnoticed by the local media, who instead hovered around 7-foot-1 Thon Maker, the 19-year-old prospect who's attempting to enter the NBA straight out of high school (if you're interested in Maker, Pacers.com's Mark Montieth has you covered). There's no question that VanVleet is a more polished player than Maker, but "potential" often carries a lot more weight than "proven" when it comes to the NBA Draft.

Still, there is a place for guys like VanVleet in the pros. He can run the point and he's a good shooter, with a career 3-point percentage of .386 and free throw percentage of .805. He could likely carve out a lengthy career and make a lot of money overseas, but he isn't giving up on the NBA dream just yet.

"There's 30 teams," VanVleet said on Wednesday. "All it takes is one team to fall in love. I'd love for it to be the Pacers."

Jake Layman and Shavon Shields are well-acquainted. The two wings had many head-to-head battles during their days in the Big Ten, starring at Maryland and Nebraska, respectively.

They found themselves matched up once again on Wednesday as the two wings at the Pacers' pre-draft workout.

"It was good to play against and compete against him again," Shields said.

"We're good friends now after playing against each other for a couple years," Layman added.

Of the two prospects, Layman is generally considered the better potential pro. Most projections have the 6-9 forward going in the middle of the second round. DraftExpress currently has Layman going 49th overall, while ESPN.com's Chad Ford ranks him as the 51st-best prospect in this year's draft class. The Pacers own the 50th overall selection in the Draft, which will take place at the Barclays Center on June 23.

Layman has great size for an NBA wing and long strides that help him run the floor well. He is a capable shooter, knocking down just under 40 percent of his 3-pointers and over 83 percent of his free throws as a senior.

Layman's length and mobility also allowed him to be a plus-defender in college and he said on Wednesday that he thinks he can guard any position from 1-4.

But perhaps Layman's best attribute might be that he stays within himself. On a Maryland team with a host of future pros, Layman played a very specific role, knocking down open shots and playing solid defense. He'd likely be asked to take on a similar role at the next level, which should help him transition from the college to the pro game.

"I think an ability that I have is to be able to form into whatever role I'm given," Layman said.

He did just that at the NBA Combine last month, blending in well with teammates in five-on-five scrimmages. Layman had nine points and six rebounds on 3-of-6 shooting in his first scrimmage and then scored 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting in his second exhibition.

The biggest knock on Layman is that he isn't great at creating his own shot, although that isn't something that he was asked to do much at Maryland. Still, the former Terrapin has been putting a lot of emphasis on his ball-handling during the pre-draft process in hopes of showing teams that he is more than just a spot-up shooter.

Shields, meanwhile, was a second-team All-Big Ten selection as a senior, when he led the Cornhuskers in scoring at 16.8 points per game. At 6-7 and 220 pounds, he also has good size for an NBA wing, but needs to improve his shot in order to stick at the next level.

Shields shot under 20 percent from 3-point range as a junior and though he improved his percentage to .364 last season, he likely faces an uphill battle convincing scouts that he can consistently knock down shots from beyond the longer NBA arc.

Still, Shields has a few intriguing qualities. For one, he's very intelligent. He majored in biological sciences at Nebraska and was a two-time Academic All-American.

"I think I'm a pretty intellectual person, a smart person, so I think my basketball IQ and things like that translate to the court," Shields said.

Shields also has an outstanding athletic pedigree, albeit in a different sport. His father, Will, won the Outland Trophy as an offensive lineman at Nebraska and then was a 12-time Pro Bowler as a guard for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

Shavon Shields didn't directly follow in his father's footsteps, choosing instead to pursue his own passion for basketball. Still, he's learned a lot from watching his father ply his trade, lessons that he can carry over into his own career in professional sports.

"He's a super hard worker," Shields said about his father. "He didn't play the most glorious position, but he did his job every day, showed up to work and that made him successful."

Zimmerman Hoping to Follow in Friend Turner's Footsteps

When Wednesday's workout wrapped up, Stephen Zimmerman saw a familiar face. Pacers forward Myles Turner was one of a handful of players who put up shots on the practice court after the conclusion of the workout.

Zimmerman and Turner are good friends. They were two of the featured post players on the USA Basketball team that won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championships. Zimmerman even worked out with Turner in Las Vegas last summer as he prepared for the NBA Draft.

"He's obviously a great player and everything," Zimmerman said about Turner. "I'm young and compared to him. We've played together a lot so that's one of the guys I look up to."

Now it is Zimmerman's turn to prepare for the draft. Like Turner, he elected to turn pro after just one season in college. The 19-year-old averaged 10.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game for UNLV.

A 7-foot center, Zimmerman has a lot of similarities to Turner in his offensive repertoire. He's pretty mobile and has a solid shooting stroke for a big man. Though he attempted just 16 3-pointers in college, he figures to eventually be able to stretch his left-handed shot out to the NBA 3-point line.

Zimmerman will hear his name called at some point on draft night, the only question is when. A few recent mock drafts had him going to the Pacers with the 20th overall pick, but other projections don't have him going until the middle of the second round.

Zimmerman is likely facing questions about his physical profile. He needs to put on weight, something he admitted on Wednesday, but that shouldn't be a problem as he grows into his body over the next few years.

There are, however, a few medical concerns with Zimmerman. He dealt with a knee injury this season at UNLV. He also has a childhood injury that prevents him from fully extending his right arm (his off-hand), though it doesn't appear to have a profound impact on his game. Doctor evaluations might be what make or break his chances of going in the first round.

From Belgium to the NBA? Obasohan Living the Dream

Arguably no player appreciated the opportunity to work out for an NBA team on Wednesday more than former Alabama guard Retin Obasohan. Originally from Antwerp, Belgium, Obasohan left his home country five years ago, moving to Tuscaloosa, Ala., hoping it would give him a better chance of eventually making it to the NBA.

"I just wanted to chase that dream," Obasohan said. "As a young kid, I always believed in myself, I always figured I wanted to be the best. In order to be the best, you've got to play in the NBA. That had always been my dream and I figured that the college route was the best way to do that."

Obasohan was a role player in his first three seasons with the Crimson Tide, but he made a huge leap as a senior. The 6-1 guard increased his scoring average by 11.4 points per game to 17.6 and earned first-team All-SEC honors. He gives a lot of the credit to new head coach Avery Johnson, a 16-year NBA veteran.

"It's hard to put into words because people like him, his influence transcends beyond basketball," Obasohan said. "He teaches you the game of basketball to a level you've never seen it before, but at the same time, the lessons that he teaches us go far beyond basketball."

Given his size, Obasohan's best fit would likely be as a point guard at the next level. However, he wasn't a great distributor in college.

While he doesn't have a ton of height, Obasohan does have a stocky frame that actually had football-crazed Alabama fans asking him if he'd consider a career on the gridiron. He isn't doing that, but his size could also serve him well on the hardwood at the next level.

"I'll compete day in, day out," Obasohan said. "I have a big frame, I'm athletic, I can guard multiple positions. So I think from day one I can wreak havoc on defense."

Watch one-on-one interviews with all six prospects from Wednesday's pre-draft workout in the video player below.

vanvleet-ready-to-prove-doubters-wrong-once-again

VanVleet Ready to Prove Doubters Wrong Once Again

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Height: 6-1
Weight: 195
Position: PG
College: Wichita State
Age: 22

PPG: 12.2
RPG: 3.2
APG: 5.5
BLK: 0.1
STL: 1.8

Player BioCourtesy of Wichita State Athletics

AS A SENIOR (2015-16): Named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year for the second time in his career, becoming just the ninth player in MVC history to win multiple Larry Bird Trophies… Earned First Team All-MVC status for the third-year-in-a-row and also picked up his third-straight MVC All-Defensive Team selection… Earned honorable mention AP All-American status for the third time and was a second team Senior CLASS All-American… Named to the USBWA and NABC’s All-District Teams… A three-time MVC Player of the Week… Selected to the Reese’s College All-Star Game at the Final Four in Houston… Averaged 12.2 points and a career-high 5.5 assists to lead WSU to a 26-9 record, its third-consecutive Missouri Valley Conference regular season title, and a pair of NCAA Tournament wins... Became just the fourth player in MVC history to lead the conference assists crown in back-to-back-to-back years and the first Shocker to pace the league in multiple seasons… Also the MVC leader in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.19) for the third time and owns each of the top-three marks in WSU history in that category… In conference play, led the league in assists (6.4) and steals (1.8), while posting a 4.0-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Averaged 14.0 points in three NCAA Tournament games and tallied 11 steals… Put up 14 points, seven assists and just one turnover in a First Four win over Vanderbilt (March 15) to help the 11th-seeded Shockers advance to the main bracket… Tallied 16 points and matched WSU’s NCAA Tournament record with five steals in a rout of sixth-seeded Arizona (March 17)… In the Round of 32 against third-seeded Miami (March 19), helped WSU rally from 21 points down to take the lead midway through the second half… Entered the Miami game needing one steal to break Jason Perez’s career record… Tied the mark with a steal and transition layup just over 12 minutes into the game and broke the record 30 seconds later with another to help key an 8-0 Shocker run. In 18 conference games, led the league in assists (6.4) and steals (1.8), while posting a 4.0-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio… Helped WSU finish atop the MVC standing by four games with a 16-2 record… Matched his career-high with 11 assists on Feb. 3 against Southern Illinois to record the MVC’s only point-assist double-double during league play (12 points, 11 assists and also tallied four steals)… Averaged 14.8 points, 6.0 assists and 2.1 steals to lead the Shockers to a 9-0 January… Scored a career-high 32 points in a key win at Evansville on Jan. 31 that helped earn him conference player of the week honors for a third time and put an early end to the MVC race. Had 24 of his 32 points in the second half against the Aces… Made 15-of-15 free throws in the win at Evansville, tying Dave Stallworth’s half-century old school record for most makes without a miss… Had a 29-point outing against Indiana State on Jan. 17 that was briefly a career-high… In a 30-day stretch from Dec. 19 – Jan. 17, recorded multiple steals in eight-straight contests… Snagged a career-high 12 rebounds in a Jan. 9 win at Southern Illinois – the Shockers’ only double-figure rebounding effort of the season – to win his second MVC Player of the Week honor. Went 10-for-12 from the foul line in a Dec. 22 win over Nevada, helping WSU break a 29-year old school record with 44 total free throw makes and tie a 63-year old MVC record with 62 attempts… Hit a season-high four three-pointers (4-of-6) in an overtime loss at Seton Hall… Picked up the MVC’s Player of the Week award after leading WSU to resume-boosting wins over UNLV (Dec. 9) and No. 25 Utah (Dec. 12)… Rejoined the WSU lineup on Dec. 5 at Saint Louis after missing the first four games of his Shocker career and helped the team win 15 of its next 16 contests… Missed four November games and was hobbled in two others after suffering a strained hamstring in late October… Missed the team’s exhibition game and saw just three minutes in the season-opening win over Charleston Southern… Returned Nov. 17 at Tulsa but re-aggravated the injury during the first half and played at half-speed the rest of the night… Sat out the Nov. 21 win over Emporia State and missed all three games at the AdvoCare Invitational in Florida (Nov. 26, 27, 29), during which the Shockers lost three-straight to USC, Alabama and Iowa to drop to 2-4. Entered the year with a bevy of preseason accolades after opting to return to Wichita for his senior season… Was named to the second team of Sporting News’ preseason All-America squad… Voted MVC preseason Player of the Year and to the league’s five-man preseason all-conference crew (predictions he would later validate)… Competed for a spot on the United States’ Pan American Games roster at its summer training camp in Colorado Springs.

AS A JUNIOR (2014-15): An Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American… Named First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference for the second straight year and repeated on the MVC All-Defensive Squad… NABC First Team All-District and USBWA All-District selection… Ranked second on the team with 13.6 points per game and won his second-straight MVC assists crown, averaging 5.2… Named the team’s Co-MVP and also took home the Shelly Cox/KAKE-TV Leadership Award at WSU’s postseason celebration… Finished seventh nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.10)… Was 25th nationally in total assists (183) and 35th in assists per game (5.2)…. Keyed a Shocker offense that ranked among nation’s best in turnover margin (7th, +3.9), fewest turnovers per game (4th, 9.3) and assist-to-turnover ratio (9th, 1.46)… Set a WSU record for steals by a junior (66) and ranked second in the MVC in that category… For the second year in a row, started every game and averaged 31.5 minutes of court time… Topped 35 minutes in 16 different contests, including seven-straight to close out the year… Was stellar down the stretch topping 20-points in five the last 15 games of the season… Averaged a team-best 16.0 points after Feb. 1… Matched his career-high with 27 points in an NCAA Round of 64 win over Indiana on March 20 and joined the school’s 1,000-point club on the same night…  Finished with 25 points in the Sweet 16 against Notre Game… Combined to average 23.0 points and 4.3 assists in three NCAA Tournament games… Averaged 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals in two MVC Arch Madness games to make the all-tournament team… One of five finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given annually by the Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation’s top point guard... Moved past Toure’ Murry on Feb. 22 to become WSU’s all-time assists leader with his 432nd career assist.... Finished out a string of 15-straight assists without a turnover to lock down Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week honors on Feb. 16... Collected the first triple-double by a Shocker in 42 years with a 10-point, 10-rebound, 11 assist effort against Missouri State in front a national audience on ESPN2... In a Jan. 11 win at Loyola, recorded the first points-assists double-double by a WSU player in over a decade with 14 points and 10 dimes... Averaged 9.0 points, 5.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds in three Diamond Head Classic games  to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team for the runner-up Shockers... Tied a school record with seven steals in the season opener against New Mexico State… Named First Team Preseason All-American by the Associated Press, Bleacher Report, Blue Ribbon, CBSSports.com, Sports Illustrated and USA Today, among others… Named one of the top 20 guards in college basketball by Sports Illustrated prior to the season… Enters the year ranked 16th on WSU’s all-time assists list (282)… Honored in July by “Real Men, Real Heroes” for his involvement and service to youth in the Wichita community… Served as keynote speaker at his alma mater’s high school graduation early in the summer... Spent the 2014 summer improving on an already impressive game: Attended the Nike Skills Academy for point guards during the month of June and joined teammate Ron Baker at the CP3 Skills Academy in August… Joined Baker and Tekle Cotton in throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a Kansas City Royals baseball game in June…

AS A SOPHOMORE (2013-14): Loaded up on postseason honors, earning Third Team All-America nods from both the Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches … An Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American… Named the Larry Bird Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and was one of three Shockers to earn First Team All-MVC status… Also named to the MVC All-Defensive Team and Most Improved Team… One of six finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given the nation’s top point guard… Voted to the US Basketball Writers Association’s All-District team… Picked to the MVC All-Tournament squad… Winner of the Shelley Cox Leadership Award at the team’s postseason celebration… Started all 36 games at point guard, averaging 11.6 points… Ranked fourth in all of Division I in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.02-to-1) and was 23rd in total assists (193), 35th in assists per game (5.4), 27th in total steals (69), and 48th in steals per game (1.92)… Also led the team in minutes played (1141), minutes per game (31.7), three-point percentage (.418)... Had at least five assists in 24 of the 36 contests and led the MVC total assists, assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio… Finished just one assist shy of Warren Armstrong’s single-season school record of 194… Also ranked third in the Valley in steals, fourth in three-point percentage and fifth in free throw percentage (.830)… Paced the team in scoring eight different times, hitting his career-high of 22 points on four separate occasions… Notched five total 20-point games… A very underrated rebounder, he led the team on the glass seven times, snagging a career-best eight boards at Loyola on Feb. 19… Tallied an impressive 14 assists in two NCAA Tournament contests while turning it over just two times... Credited for a career-high 10 assists in 28 minutes on Jan. 8 vs. Illinois State… Turned the ball over only 18 times in 16 Koch Arena appearances… Had one turnover or fewer a remarkable 21 times… Recorded 4+ steals on six different occasions, with a season-high five thefts Feb. 16 at Evansville… Averaged 19.5 points while shooting 61.9 percent from the field in wins over SIU and UNI to earn MVC Player of the Week honors (Dec. 30-Jan. 5)... Appeared with teammates Baker, Cotton, Lufile and Early on the cover of the Feb. 24 edition of Sports Illustrated as talk of WSU’s unbeaten status gained increasing national attention

AS A FRESHMAN (2012-13): Received on-the-job training as the backup to fifth-year senior point guard Malcom Armstead, appearing in all 39 games while averaging 4.9 point and 2.3 assists in 16.2 minutes… Ranked second on the team with 89 assists… Took on a larger role in the final weeks of the season and in the NCAA Tournament… Scored in double-figures in two of the five NCAA games, with 13 against Gonzaga and 12 against Ohio State... Averaged 7.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in five NCAA games played, while making 12-of-14 free throws (85.7 percent)… Scored seven of WSU’s final nine points down the stretch, starting with a trey at the 1:28 mark that put WSU up 70-65, in helping hold off No. 1 Gonzaga (His four other points came off free throws)… Had 13 points for his just his second double-figure scoring game against Gonzaga... On Feb. 13, finished one assist shy of a double-double, going for 17 points and a season-high nine assists against Drake in Wichita… Played 11 minutes in the exhibition after missing some preseason with an ankle injury... Had seven points and four boards in 17 minutes against Western Carolina and fouled out against Howard with three points in 21 minutes... Saw limited time in Cancun with 7 and 8 minutes, respectively... Had five assists in 22 minutes against Northern Colorado…

AT AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL: Rivals.com ranked him the No. 19 point guard in the class of 2012 and the No. 138 player overall out of Auburn High School in Rockford, Ill.… Was the only Class of 2012 Missouri Valley Conference high school recruit in the Rivals top 150… Earned All-State honors after averaging 20.0 points and 6.0 assists… Averaged 18.6 points and 7.5 assists as a junior… Led his Auburn to its first Class 4A state finals appearance since 1975… Was the team’s leading scorer in four of its five postseason wins… Scored 18 point sin the title game at Carver Arena (home of MVC rival Bradley) as the team staked a runner-up finish… Played AAU basketball for the PrymeTyme Ballers in Rockford, Il for coach Anthony “Doc” Cornel, posting a 54-8 overall record… Signed with Wichita State in the Fall of 2011.

PERSONAL: Full name is Fredderick Edmond VanVleet.. Son of Susan VanVleet and Joe Danforth... Has three brothers: Darnell, J.D., and Tre, and two sisters: Alexis and Aaliyah... Born Feb. 25, 1994…... Majoring in Sociology.

Fred VanVleet

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