Wisconsin Badger fans got one last look at their star-studded backcourt of old at this year's NBA Draft Combine, as John Blackwell and Nick Boyd took the court together once again — except this time, they were competing against one another. Both Blackwell and Boyd are currently in the midst of the pre-draft process, trying to prove themselves as NBA talents, resulting in their paths crossing at the combine.
Both were sensational in their first scrimmage, with Boyd logging 23 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists, while Blackwell finished with 16 points and 5 rebounds. But now they were faced with a new challenge: competing against each other for the first time outside of practice, along with the added pressure of dozens of NBA scouts evaluating their every move. How did they fare? Well, it's safe to say they were a bit underwhelming.
Shot Wasn't There
Although both Boyd and Blackwell are known for many things, without a doubt the thing they do best is put the ball in the basket. However, in their matchup today, things didn't quite go to plan as both men struggled to get things going in that department. Blackwell finished with just 3 points on 1-of-7 shooting, while Boyd scored only one basket on four attempts, finishing the matchup with two points.
Box score from Game 4 of the NBA Draft Combine.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 14, 2026
Another strong outing from UConn's Tarris Reed, showing his feel, skill and two-way versatility.
Cincinnati's Baba Miller's talent and upside really popped again.
Purdue's Braden Smith showed his table-setting ability.… pic.twitter.com/tOABX2wBRG
Blackwell remained aggressive throughout the course of the game, consistently finding clean looks on the perimeter, but just couldn't quite convert. The 6-foot-4 guard had multiple clean looks rim out and didn't take a single shot that felt forced. Boyd, on the other hand, never really found his groove as a scorer in this one. Team Adams did a nice job of picking him up high in transition and cutting him off when he was operating out of ball screens, a luxury they had with a group of three extremely athletic big men. As a result, Boyd was forced to operate more as a playmaker, and he did a solid job at just that.
Standout Secondary Skills
Strong opening Combine performance for Duke-commit John Blackwell, playing through contact, making shots from all over and bringing toughness defensively. pic.twitter.com/h7I7qXSUSG
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 14, 2026
Despite not being able to get rolling as scorers, both Blackwell and Boyd were still able to impact the game in different ways. As previously mentioned, Boyd did a great job table setting for his big men, finishing with 5 assists and just 2 turnovers, showcasing how dynamic he can be as a playmaker. Blackwell, on the other hand, killed it on the glass, finishing with 7 rebounds, three of which came on the offensive end.
Although it isn't eye-popping, games like this are what scouts want to see from players like Boyd and Blackwell, who don't project as go-to guys at the next level. Both men showcasing how they can impact games even when their shot isn't falling proves to teams that they are more than just bucket getters — something the league already has an abundance of. Both players' futures in the NBA remain uncertain, but at the very least, they each built themselves some momentum moving forward.
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