John Blackwell came into the combine with arguably the most buzz around his name in comparison to any other person tied to Wisconsin Badger athletics. Blackwell is fresh off a stellar junior campaign at Wisconsin, in which he averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists, dominating the Big 10 alongside fellow Badger and NBA Draft Combine participant Nick Boyd.
However, the narrative around his name began to take a turn for the worse following his decision to enter his name into the NBA draft, along with tossing his name into the transfer portal, in which he eventually committed to Duke. Wisconsin fans all around felt betrayed by Blackwell's decision, believing that he gave up on the school that gave him everything. Nonetheless, the 6-foot-4 guard had only one group to appease this week at the combine, NBA scouts, and the results were mixed.
Rough Start, Strong Finish
Blackwell kicked off his week at the combine with a pretty rocky first day. Although it's completely out of his control, Blackwell’s stock undoubtedly went down after he measured in with just a 6-foot-2 and a quarter wingspan, which was the lowest mark at the entire event. Along with that, he was the only player there to have a negative height-to-wingspan ratio, leaving many skeptical about what his future in the NBA would hold.
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
Blackwell didn't have the greatest day two either, as his athletic testing came back as fairly run of the mill, standing out in no particular area. As a result, he had his work cut out for him in the latter half of the combine, specifically the scrimmages, if he wanted to redeem what once seemed like a lost week.
Although Blackwell didn't have the strongest set of games, he showed what he is capable of and stood out with his on-court play. In his first scrimmage, Blackwell logged 16 points and 5 rebounds, showcasing the scoring arsenal that made him so successful over his Wisconsin tenure. In game two, his shot wasn't falling, forcing him to rely on his other traits, pulling down 7 rebounds, three of which were offensive. In totality, Blackwell showed what he could do on the court, proving that his poor measurements aren't very indicative of the player he is.
Stock Watch
Overall, it's tough to say if Blackwell gained or lost stock with his performance this week. On one hand, he had a very subpar round of measurements and testing that suggest he may not be able to hang with the physicality that the NBA presents. On the other hand, he showed what he can do on the court and proved himself to be one of the better basketball players at the combine.
Luckily for Blackwell, he has the ultimate safety net to fall back on with the option of returning to school and competing for a national championship at Duke always looming in the shadows. Either way it's cut, Blackwell seems destined for a very hectic next month as he makes his decision about his future in the sport.
Add us as a preferred source on Google