Which 2026 NBA Draft prospects have most to prove at scouting combine?

The 2026 NBA Draft lottery is in the books. Every NBA team knows when it's drafting in the 2026 NBA Draft , and so now the evaluation process begins in full. Front office personnel from around the league, top prospects and their agents have all convened in Chicago this week for the annual NBA draft combine .

The entire draft class typically goes through medical examinations, as well as agility and shooting drills, at Wintrust Arena with private workouts conducted through agents during the week-long event. There are also live-action scrimmages the top of the draft class usually decline to play in, but the right performance in front of so many influential eyes can often propel a fringe prospect. This year's combine will feel different than some of its recent predecessors due to the decline in underclassmen who have declared for the draft , which is a reflection of the NIL money available at the college level these days.

But it nonetheless carries enormous weight for players trying to improve their draft stock while figuring out whether to return to school before the NBA Draft's June 13 early entry withdrawal deadline . Here's a look at a group of players, as well as two potential college basketball national championship contenders, with the most at stake as the 2026 NBA Scouting Combine gets underway in Chicago: When is the 2026 NBA Draft Combine? The 2026 NBA Draft Combine officially began on Sunday, May 10 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago and runs through Sunday, May 17.

It is not open to the public. NBA DRAFT LOTTERY WINNERS AND LOSERS: Who got rewarded for the rebuild? WHO'S NO.