The NBA Draft Combine has gotten underway in Chicago as representatives from every team will get a chance to check out a number of potential draftees. While many top prospects chose to skip the combine altogether, Washington’s Markelle Fultz and Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox are both in Chicago.
Fultz is considered by many to be the top overall prospect in the draft while Fox is hovering around the top-five as well. Both players are believed to be among the prospects the Los Angeles Lakers are considering should they hold on to their draft pick.
The Lakers already met with Fultz yesterday and according to Tania Ganguli of the L.A. Times, they plan on meeting with Fox as well:
The Lakers met with Markelle Fultz yesterday and are planning to meet with Kentucky guard De'Aaron Fox today at the combine, per sources.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) May 11, 2017
Fox has been a recent riser on many draft boards, especially after his performance in the NCAA Tournament. In particular, his game against UCLA, when he scored 39 points on potential top pick Lonzo Ball, really caught the eye of everyone.
What makes Fox stand out amongst other prospects is his amazing speed. Fox will immediately be one of the fastest players in the NBA, and he uses that speed to get in the paint at will and create for himself and his teammates. He is also an excellent defender and an extreme competitiveness that appeals to teams, but there are serious questions about his lack of a jump shot.
At this stage, the Lakers are simply hoping to keep their draft pick, and they will find out their fate at the NBA Draft Lottery on May 16. If they are fortunate enough to keep it, Fox could certainly be in play as a fast, defensive-minded point guard the team lacks.