The next step toward the pros begins Friday in Chicago, kicking off a nine-day stretch packed with major NBA pre-draft events, including the NBA G League Draft Combine, the NBA Draft Lottery, and the NBA Draft Combine itself.
First on the docket Friday is the NBA G League Draft Combine, where Seth Trimble is set to participate in a three-day showcase that could help shape his professional outlook.
The event features a mix of strength and agility testing, medical evaluations, and on-court five-on-five scrimmages designed to give NBA and G League personnel a closer look at emerging talent. Scouts, front office executives, and coaches from across the NBA ecosystem will be in attendance, closely evaluating prospects in a competitive, controlled environment.
For Trimble, the combine represents a critical opportunity to demonstrate his athletic tools, defensive versatility, and overall growth as a player. Beyond the measurements and drills, the live scrimmages often carry significant weight, giving players a chance to prove how their skills translate against similarly motivated competition.
With multiple major pre-draft events unfolding over the next nine days in Chicago, this stretch will serve as a defining window for players looking to elevate their draft stock and take the next step toward professional basketball.
The 44 prospects invited to the combine were split into four teams on Thursday, with Seth Trimble placed on a roster loaded with intriguing talent from across college basketball and international circuits.
His group includes Quadir Copeland (NC State Wolfpack men’s basketball), Noam Yaacov (Belgium), Donovan Atwell (Texas Tech Red Raiders men’s basketball), Aidan Mahaney (UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men’s basketball), Malique Lewis (SE Melbourne), Zach Cleveland (Liberty Flames men’s basketball), Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue Boilermakers men’s basketball), Mark Mitchell (Missouri Tigers men’s basketball), Graham Ike (Gonzaga Bulldogs men’s basketball), and Keba Keita (BYU Cougars men’s basketball).
The mix of high-major college standouts and international prospects sets up a competitive environment, giving scouts a chance to evaluate how each player performs alongside varied styles, skill sets, and levels of experience heading into the draft process.
A strong showing in Chicago could still earn Seth Trimble an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine, which begins immediately after the conclusion of the G League Combine.
The four-year standout from North Carolina Tar Heels was not included in the latest mock drafts from either ESPN or The Athletic, signaling that he is currently viewed more as a fringe draft candidate. However, he is still ranked No. 84 on ESPN’s Top 100 draft board, keeping him firmly on the radar of NBA evaluators.
That position places Trimble in a pivotal evaluation window: strong performances in drills, measurements, and especially live scrimmages could significantly improve his stock and potentially push him into consideration for the full NBA Draft Combine and, ultimately, draft night discussions.
On Sunday, the week-long NBA Draft Combine officially gets underway in Chicago, with Caleb Wilson, Henri Veesaar, and Matt Able all set to take part in the high-profile event.
The combine brings together top draft prospects for a full slate of evaluations, including athletic testing, measurements, medical screenings, and on-court workouts designed to give NBA front offices a deeper look at each player’s tools and potential fit at the next level.
Later that afternoon, attention shifts to one of the most anticipated moments of the pre-draft calendar: the NBA Draft Lottery, which will air live on ABC at 3 p.m. The results will help shape the top of the 2026 NBA Draft board and determine which franchises land the best odds at securing a potential future star.
For Wilson and Veesaar, the goal in Chicago is clear—make a strong enough impression throughout the week to solidify their standing as legitimate NBA prospects heading into June’s draft in Brooklyn.
Matt Able, who committed to North Carolina Tar Heels on April 21 after entering the transfer portal while also testing the NBA Draft waters on April 6, is expected to enroll at UNC this summer and begin his Tar Heel career—barring an unexpected surge in his draft stock over the coming weeks.
The decision timeline is now officially in view, with the NCAA’s early-entry withdrawal deadline for the NBA Draft set for May 27. That date will ultimately determine whether Able fully commits to the professional path or moves forward with his college development in Chapel Hill.
At this stage, the expectation remains that he will withdraw and join the Tar Heels, but strong performances during the pre-draft process could still influence his final decision depending on feedback from NBA teams.
