Who stood out on first day of the NBA draft combine? And who should the Bulls keep an eye on?

CHICAGO — With the draft order now set for the top 14 picks, the NBA turned its attention toward the court at Wintrust Arena on Tuesday to begin analyzing the measurements and skill sets of the 2025 prospects.

Cooper Flagg headlined yet another day of predraft festivities, but the first day of the combine also offered an opportunity for non-lottery and second-round prospects to showcase physical qualities that could see them rise — or fall — on draft boards. The day included physical measurements; athletic tests including the vertical jump, agility drills, sprints and shuttle runs; and shooting drills.

Here’s what we saw and heard on Day 1 of the combine.

The leading man

There were many (somewhat joking) questions, after the Dallas Mavericks defied 1.8% odds to win Monday night’s lottery, surrounding general manager Nico Harrison’s decision making and whether he might consider trading the No. 1 pick after dealing superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers this season.

But an ESPN report confirmed Tuesday that the Mavericks plan to keep the top pick and use it on Duke’s Flagg.

Flagg participated fully in day one of the combine, a benefit of a new stipulation in the collective bargaining agreement that requires all domestic players to report to Chicago and participate throughout the week. And Flagg showed the physical attributes that make him a standout prospect, logging a 29-foot standing vertical leap and a 35.5-foot maximum vertical jump.

While he didn’t finish first in any specific category, Flagg’s sharpshooting and overall athleticism checked all the boxes necessary to maintain his very stable position as the projected first pick.

Just a little short

For Rutgers wing Ace Bailey — long projected as a top-four pick — the most important part of the week happened Tuesday.

Bailey was listed as 6-foot-10 last season, but entering the combine, many scouts, agents and teams were curious to see if he actually measured up to that height.

The answer: not quite.

Bailey measured 6-7 1/2 barefoot. He did record a 7-0 1/2 wingspan and 8-11 standing reach, but registering more than 2 inches below his listed height is concerning.

Will that difference be enough to knock Bailey down a few spots in the draft order? He’s already one of the least predictable options in the lottery, a player with undeniable talent whose inconsistency adds a massive asterisk to his overall profile. Losing a potential height advantage certainly won’t help Bailey’s case as he continues the predraft process.

Early risers

Washington State senior Cedric Coward has been driving much of the chatter around this year’s combine as he steadily climbs from a mid-second-round prospect to a potential first-rounder — and is knocking on the door of the lottery.

Measuring 6-6 with a 7-1 wingspan, Coward offers intriguing length for a guard — and his defensive potential could round him out into a versatile two-way option. He showed a steady, consistent form during the shooting section of the on-court workout, knocking down corner 3-pointers with a sharp, easy shot.

Coward, 21, might not even stay in this year’s draft. He’s committed to Duke, which would be the fourth stop of a college career that began at Division III Willamette. But as rumbles of interest continue to grow among front offices, it’s hard to imagine Coward not being a major player in this year’s draft.

Who are the Bulls watching?

The frontcourt should be the Bulls’ focus in this year’s draft process. Their young core is centered entirely around guards and wings, including Coby White, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. But big men haven’t been a primary focus for the Bulls in recent years as they leaned heavily on veteran center Nikola Vučević.

It’s clear Vučević’s run in Chicago is nearing an end. Although he has time left on his contract, the 34-year-old made it clear throughout this season that he’s eager to be in a “win-now” situation rather than occupying space as the oldest player on a rebuilding roster. The Bulls will spend the summer — and, if unsuccessful, likely the majority of next season — attempting to offload Vučević after passing on the opportunity to trade him at this year’s deadline.

The Bulls do have two younger centers on the roster in Zach Collins, 27, and Jalen Smith, 25. Collins joined the Bulls at the trade deadline and played Smith out of his backup role, a notable dynamic as the Bulls look at potential trade options this summer. But neither player packs enough star power at the position to make sense as a long-term starting option.

For this reason, the Bulls should spend this week scouting bigs. The front-runners are Duke’s Khaman Maluach and Maryland’s Derik Queen. The 7-1 Maluach is rough around the edges as a prospect, but his physical profile and defensive mobility, both at and away from the rim, stand out. Queen is shorter at 6-9, but his versatility and finishing could be a solid fit alongside Buzelis and the Bulls guards.

Picking at No. 12, the Bulls might be too far down the draft order to select either Maluach or Queen, both of whom have been projected in the top 10. Georgia’s Asa Newell, South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles, Michigan’s Danny Wolf — a Glencoe native — and Georgetown’s Thomas Sorber could be other options.

Other non-frontcourt names who could pique the Bulls’ interest include Michigan State’s Jase Richardson, France’s Noa Essengue and Illinois’ Kasparas Jakučionis.

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