Syracuse Basketball: Elijah Hughes can separate himself at NBA Draft Combine

Syracuse basketball star Elijah Hughes will have a chance to impress NBA teams at the league’s annual combine. Hughes has the skillset to shine.

Orange will run deep in this year’s NBA Draft, as projected draft pick Elijah Hughes will have a chance to raise his stock even more in the combine. The former Syracuse basketball stud was invited along with others of the top hoopers in college basketball, as reported by Adam Zagoria.

The 2020 NBA Draft Combine still doesn’t have an official date or place, shedding much uncertainty on if it will happen at all.

For Hughes, the combine is where he could separate himself even more. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, he has good size for the shooting guard position and could showcase his length in official measurements.

Athletically, Hughes has the potential to rank very high in multiple aspects of the combine. At Syracuse, he had a knack for rising above the rim for jaw-dropping blocks, attesting to his vertical jump. The former Orange star also has tremendous range and can show that off during live game scenarios, which could be a selling point.

Overall, the NBA Draft Combine is the place for Hughes to solidify himself as a draft pick, and possibly earn first-round potential. As a redshirt-junior, he’s one of the oldest prospects in this year’s draft class, so expect him to head to the combine with a chip on his shoulder.

Even though the combine is such a small part of who gets drafted and even where they will be selected, it can help a player like Hughes who is a sought after prospect but didn’t get the same type of exposure as some players due to a lackluster season for the ‘Cuse in 2019-20.

It would be a shame if the NBA Draft Combine does get postponed or canceled but given Hughes’ track record of beating the odds, expect him to boost his stock in one way or another.