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The 2024 NBA draft combine was held in Chicago, Illinois on May 12-19 to record the basic measurements of draft applicants. The one-week event measured each prospect's strength and agility, anthropometric, spot-up shooting and non-stationary shooting.
One of the measurements being looked upon by NBA scouts is the vertical leap. It measures how high they can jump. Only eight players this year had a maximum vertical leap of at least 40 inches. They are Devin Carter, Trentyn Flowers, Keshad Johnson, Reed Sheppard, Trevon Brazile, Bronny James, KJ Simpson and Adem Bona.
Of the eight, seven continued to pursue their NBA dreams while Brazile decided to return to college and play for Arkansas, under new coach John Calipari. Adem Bona had a vertical leap of 40.0 inches to place seventh on the list.
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Here are the top six draft prospects who recorded the highest vertical leap during the 2024 NBA draft combine.
6 players with highest vertical leap in 2024 NBA draft
#6. (tie) KJ Simpson, Colorado Buffaloes (40.5)
KJ Simpson stepped up in his third season with the Colorado Buffaloes. Simpson started for 37 games with the Buffaloes and tallied 19.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 35.1 minutes per game. He shot 47.5% from the field, including 43.4% from 3-point land.
The 6-foot point guard recorded a 40.5-inch vertical leap in the NBA draft combine which he would likely use for jumping and shooting over fellow guards.
#6. (tie) Bronny James, USC Trojans (40.5)
The son of four-time NBA MVP and champion LeBron James had a disappointing freshman season with USC. The 6-foot-2 guard played 25 games with the Trojans, averaging 4.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.1 apg and 0.8 spg. Bronny James shot 36.6% from the field and 67.6% from the free-throw line in about 19.4 minutes of action.
James showed promise in the draft combine as he brought along his 40.5-inch vertical leap with him. He is expected to be picked in the second round of the annual draft and experts said that Bronny could be used as bait to secure the services of the LA Lakers star who can opt out of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent in the coming NBA season.
#1. (tie) Trentyn Flowers, Adelaide 36ers (42.0)
Trentyn Flowers was a former five-star Louisville commit who chose to sign up with the Australian National Basketball League team Adelaide 36ers. The 6-foot-8 guard/forward played for the 36ers as part of the league's Next Star program.
Flowers played for 18 games with the 36ers and tallied averages of 5.2 ppg and 2.9 rpg in 12.7 minutes. He had his best game on Oct. 14, 2023, scoring 23 points in Adelaide's win over the Illawarra Hawks.
In the 2024 NBA draft combine, Flowers jumped 42.0 inches, placing him in a four-way tie for first place in the vertical leap rankings.
#1. (tie) Keshad Johnson, Arizona Wildcats (42.0)
Keshad Johnson transferred to the Arizona Wildcats after four seasons at San Diego State. The 6-foot-6 forward showed promise in his fifth year, averaging 11.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.8 apg and 1.0 bpg. Johnson shot 53.0% from the field and 38.7% from the 3-point line.
His 42-inch vertical leap could be used to haul down an offensive rebound, dunk the ball in a fastbreak play and jump to get a good look from 3-point land.
#1. (tie) Reed Sheppard, Kentucky Wildcats (42.0)
Reed Sheppard is a top prospect in the 2024 NBA draft. Sheppard played 33 games for the Kentucky Wildcats and averaged 12.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 4.1 rpg and 2.5 spg in 28.9 minutes.
The freshman shot 53.6% from the field, including 52.1% from beyond the arc. Sheppard was also accurate from the free-throw line with an 83.1% clip.
Surprisingly, the second-generation cager jumped 42.0 inches during the NBA draft combine, further cementing his status as a future first-round pick. Sheppard could use this talent for 3-point shooting and scoring.
#1. (tie) Devin Carter, Providence Friars (42.0)
Devin Carter has shown his full potential when he was with Providence. The 6-foot-2 transfer from South Carolina played 33 games this past season and averaged 19.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.8 spg and 1.0 bpg.
Carter played for 35.3 minutes and shot 47.3% from the field, including 37.7% from 3-point land. His 42.0-inch vertical leap placed him tied with four other prospects and this ability helped him move to the Top 15 of most mock drafts.
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