The NBA announced yesterday that 75 players are invited to the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, which will take place from May 11-18 in preparation for the NBA draft that will be held at the end of June. The 75 players are about 15 more players than will be selected, thus allowing plenty to showcase their skills. There's a notable absence on that list that should excite Wisconsin fans. The name John Blackwell doesn't appear, and it's one more sign that the NBA can wait for another year.
John Blackwell was not one of the players invited to the 2025 NBA Combine
After the season, John Blackwell decided to put his name in the NBA Draft but with all indications that he would return if the news was not amazing. He would get the feedback he needed from the NBA scouts, set to work on those growth areas, ball out at Wisconsin, and then head into the 2026 NBA Draft. That plan seems to be more and more likely as the NBA Draft draws nearer.
He's not seeing his name on Mock Drafts, and now he's not being invited to the NBA Combine, which is actually a very important metric. It's rare for a player to be drafted but not invited to the NBA Combine. The combine invite list is also compiled from NBA personnel, the same type of people who will be providing feedback to Blackwell.
This may be a bit of a bittersweet thing for Blackwell himself, as he dreams of playing in the NBA. However, one more year would do both Wisconsin wonders and John Blackwell wonders, as he has another year to rise up the draft boards and potentially get selected in the first round of next year's NBA Draft.
There is a player listed that will make Wisconsin fans proud, John Tonje. He's going to be participating on behalf of the Badgers at the NBA Combine.