NBA Combine: Intriguing Measurements from the First Few Days in Chicago

The NBA Draft Combine is finally here, as 75 prospects are set to go through drills, measurements and other events to help improve their draft position.

To start the week, prospects were measured for height, weight, wingspan and standing reach, all without shoes. While most players turned in expected results that were similar to their listed height and weights, others were slightly smaller than anticipated.

Size may not be everything in the NBA, but it certainly impacts a player's draft position, especially at the top of the class. Of course, there are exceptions, like Houston's Reed Sheppard, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft class after a solid season at Kentucky, but players without ideal positional size will typically have a harder time earning a spot at the top of the draft.

Here are a few intriguing measurements from this year's NBA Combine.

Ace Bailey, Rutgers

After being listed on the Scarlet Knights' roster at 6-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Bailey measured at 6-foot-7 and half an inch, while weighing 202 pounds.

While Bailey still has solid size for a wing, especially with his shot-creation skills, his stature is not as staggering for a perimeter player as it was billed to be. Even after measuring smalled than expected, Bailey will likely be one of the first five players taken in this year's cycle.

In his lone season at Rutgers, Bailey tallied 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and a steal per game while shooting 46% from the field and 34.6% from 3-point range.

Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma

Fears also came in shorter than his listed height, measuring at 6-foot-2 and half an inch after being listed at 6-foot-4 on the Sooners' website.

An inch and a half may not seem like much, being being under 6-foot-3 at the guard position is difficult in the NBA. Fears has an impressive skill set and could overcome not being as tall as many of the other top guards in the league, like fellow Oklahoma alum Trae Young has, but players like Young and Jalen Brunson are rarities.

Fears' size could cause him to slide on draft night despite averaging 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game as a freshman in the SEC.

Jase Richardson, Michigan State

If Fears' height is a concern, Richardson's certainly is as well after measuring shorter than 6-foot-1.