- Slug: Sports-Suns predraft,460
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By MICHAEL NOWELS
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Tyler Harvey led the NCAA in scoring last season and Kendall Gray was the nation’s second-best rebounder. You probably haven’t heard of either of them.
Harvey, an Eastern Washington guard, and Gray, a Delaware State center, were among six players who participated in a predraft workout hosted by the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on Tuesday. It was the first in a series of workouts hosted by the team in the lead-up to June’s NBA Draft.
For players from lesser-known schools, these workouts with teams represent a significant opportunity to prove themselves against competition stronger than what they faced in their conferences. It’s also a chance to sell teams on their skill sets.
“I think everybody needs a defensive presence — energy and effort,” Gray said. “With my offensive rebounding ability, I can definitely put pressure on other bigs. Force them to box out as much as they can because I’m always attacking the glass.”
For the teams hosting the players, the workouts are equally vital to evaluate those skill sets in a context more similar to the NBA. Even players in top-flight conferences are not matching up against NBA-ready players every game.
Still, Suns general manager Ryan McDonough sees the increased importance for former mid-major stars.
“I think it’s especially beneficial with some of the smaller-conference guys because when you watch them in conference, usually they’re pretty dominant and the competition oftentimes doesn’t really simulate an NBA game with the size, speed or athleticism,” McDonough said.
The underdog storyline is familiar to Harvey.
He helped the Eagles earn their first Big Sky Tournament championship since 2004 and just their second in school history. Harvey was not offered a single scholarship coming out of Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, California.
He walked onto the Eastern Washington team, eventually earning a scholarship. In the 2014-15 season he not only led the country in scoring but also in three-pointers made.
Plenty of NBA scouts turned out to see him in person once they got wind of his jumper.
“I really didn’t like to know when they came,” Harvey said. “I just wanted to play my game, not worry about that kind of stuff. That stuff will take care of itself. I just want to go out there and play my game and win.”
This workout was Gray’s second in an NBA facility — he worked out with the San Antonio Spurs prior to the NBA Draft Combine earlier this month in Chicago.
Gray recognizes the importance of these workouts and feels he’s made strides already.
“It was a drastic improvement from San Antonio. I felt more confident,” he said. “My legs were under me and just working out, training, it got me to this point now where I just felt comfortable on the court.”
McDonough lauded Harvey’s footwork and quick release but described the 6-foot-4, 181-pound guard as “a little bit slight” and noted that increasing a three-point shooter’s range from the NCAA’s 20-foot-9-inch line to the NBA’s 23-foot-9-inch line is a big change for some players.
“Taking that step back to the NBA line will be a challenge for him because you know it is a different shot,” McDonough said. “You need to be stronger. You shoot it a little bit differently — you need more of your legs, especially in a workout like this where we run them pretty good and they get tired toward the end.”
Harvey downplayed the challenge, saying he often shot from several feet behind the line depending on defenses.
“I’ve been working on that since I was a kid,” he said. “I love shooting it from deep.”
The last big name to come out of the Big Sky Conference was Weber State guard Damian Lillard, who was the NCAA’s second-leading scorer in 2011-12 before being drafted sixth overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard’s skills have transferred well to the top level, and, though Harvey is more of a pure shooter, he can look to Lillard’s success as proof it can be done.
“When I redshirted, I watched him play a little bit,” Harvey said. “He’s a great player — you can pick up things from his game and incorporate it into my game, as well, but he’s a fun player to watch.”
Gray said he is traveling alone and has eight or nine more workouts scheduled across the league before a pro day set up by his agency, ASM Sports, on June 12 in Las Vegas.
“I actually kind of like it,” he said. “It’s given me a lot of freedom just to get my mind right, clear my head from everything, other distractions. It’s a good feeling.”
