Winners and losers of NBA Draft Combine measurements

CHICAGO - At the NBA Draft, measurements and athletic testing are heavily scrutinized. They aren't the most important thing necessarily, but they're one of the few tangible statistical outcomes that are out there to be discussed, meaning they get increased importance within the scope of the event.

That being said, most of the time we have a pretty good feel for a lot of these measures. DraftExpress.com has been creating a database over the last decade of all of the measurements that the site has been able to gather at the various events these players attend. That means both draft fans and NBA executives and scouts already had a pretty good idea of how these guys measured out with a few exceptions.

There are always some surprises that catch folks off guard, though. Again, you should remember that in the grand scheme of things measurements should not drastically alter your view of whether or not a prospect is going to be successful or not. However, they can point to some potential issues or places for growth in the future. Also, the standing reaches of players should be taken with a heavy grain of salt, as Jakob Poeltl and despite posting solid height measurements to go with length were far underreported with 8-foot-9.5 standing reaches.

Having said that, here are the winners and losers of the combine with full measurements below.

WINNERS

Wade Baldwin | SG| Vanderbilt: Baldwin had previously been measured at around 6-foot-3 in shoes with a 6-10 wingspan. So he was always going to be one of the winners here. However, Baldwin actually exceeded expectations here by getting to 6-4 in shoes with a 6-11.25 wingspan measurement. The Vanderbilt point guard is currently No. 19 on the CBS Sports Big Board, and is considered one of the higher upside point guard options in this draft. He's right in the mix in the second half of the lottery and to be second point guard taken after Kris Dunn.

Ben Bentil | PF | Providence: Often, measurements are about meeting or exceeding expectations. Bentil was one of those guys who had previously not been measured due to his late rise as a prospect. While he didn't necessarily measure out at an elite level, he did get the baseline numbers that he needed in order to sell himself as a stretch-four going forward. He measured 6-8.25 in shoes with a 7-1.5 wingspan to go with the longest hands at the combine at 9.5 inches. That should be enough to keep him in the mix for the first round if he can perform well in interviews, workouts and combines.

Henry Ellenson | PF-C | Marquette: The Marquette prospect measured at 6-11.5 in shoes with 7-2.5 wingspan and a 9-0 standing reach. In today's modern NBA, that's going to be enough for him to play the 4 and the 5.

A.J. English | SG | Iona: Out of Iona, English is definitely one of the lesser-known prospects in attendance. However, he measured superbly length-wise with a 6-10 wingspan to go with a 6-3 height. Those are solid numbers as he tries to work his way into the second round.

Brice Johnson | PF | North Carolina: Johnson is a guy that had been measured in the past with small arms at 6-9. This time around though, Johnson was measured at 6-10.5 with a 7-0.25 wingspan and an 8-10.5 standing reach. Again, these aren't necessarily standout measurements, but they're solid ones for an energy 4/5 in the NBA. That should help solidify him as a first round pick.

Dedric Lawson | PF | Memphis: Lawson measured out at a legit 6-8 in shoes to go with a 7-2.5 wingspan and a near-6-11 standing reach, great numbers for a combo forward. He also tied Bentil for the longest hands in attendance at 9.5 inches. The 18 year old is one of the youngest players in this draft and still looking to make a decision as to whether or not he'll stay in the draft.

Malachi Richardson | SG | Syracuse: Richardson's stock is apparently a bit better than we have him, as he's not being forced by the NBA to participate in the 5-on-5 portion of the combine. His measurements were largely known, but it's worth pointing out he might have the best for any wing in attendance, at 6-6.25 with a 7-foot wingspan and massive 10-inch wide hands.

Pascal Siakam | PF| New Mexico State: Another guy that there were no measurements on, Siakam measured at 6-9.5 with a 7-3.25 wingspan -- terrific measurements for an energy big man. Siakam will play in the 5-on-5 portion this week, which should be tailor made for his skill set due to his high motor and athleticism levels. He could see his stock rise this week.

Denzel Valentine | SG | Michigan State: Valentine measured out well with a near-6-11 wingspan to go with a 6-5-plus height in shoes. His near 10-inch wide hands also grade well for a wing.

Zhou Qi | C | China: Zhou measured 7-2.25 with 7-7.75 wingspan and a 9-4.5 standing reach, all the largest at this combine. These measurements were basically known, but they're still standout numbers that will help build buzz for him.

LOSERS

Tyler Ulis | PG | Kentucky: Ulis measured well in terms of length and height, getting up to nearly 5-10 with a 6-2 wingspan. However, the concerns about his frame are apparently well-founded, as he weighed in at just 149 pounds. That is 11 pounds less than the lowest weight recorded at the NBA Draft Combine, according to the DraftExpress database, which will undoubtedly scare some teams in terms of the beating and rigor that NBA players take.

Melo Trimble | PG | Maryland: Trimble measured with a relatively short wingspan, with his height coming in at 6-2.5 and his arms coming in at 6-2. For a player whose game is somewhat predicated on slashing and getting to the rim and foul line, that length may give some teams pause in regard to how he translates in the NBA.

Kyle Wiltjer | PF | Gonzaga: Wiltjer is the player who recorded the highest body fat in attendance, throwing up a 15.25 percent mark that bested the next closest player by over two percent.

Jake Layman | SF | Maryland: Layman measured well at a legitimate 6-9.25, but his wingspan was also at that level, and if his 8-6 standing reach is accurate it's hard to imagine him playing something of a combo forward in the NBA. He'll look to make up for this by performing well in the athletic portion.

Full Measurements: