clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

NBA Draft 2013: Trey Burke's athleticism affecting his Draft stock

The Michigan point guard posted middling athletic numbers at the NBA Draft Combine, but he's not sweating them. "That's testing," he said. "On the court, in my opinion, is totally different."

Trey Burke
Trey Burke
USA TODAY Sports

Trey Burke did not have an impressive showing at the 2013 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. As Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press writes, Burke ranked in the top 20 in only two of the six athletic tests at the Combine. Now, as he travels for individual, pre-Draft workouts with several NBA teams, the Michigan product hopes to address the concerns about his lack of athleticism.

More NBA Draft coverage: Orlando Pinstriped Post SB Nation

“On the court, in my opinion, is totally different," Burke said, according to Snyder. "Change of speed with the ball and things like that. That’s a natural strength of mine. If you watch back at Michigan, even though this is another level, anytime I got to the rim it was change of speed, ball handling, craftiness and things like that."

Though point guards need not be superior athletically in order to succeed at the NBA level, Burke's middling markers in that area, coupled with his slight build, have certainly hurt his Draft stock. Immediately after the NBA Draft Lottery, Chad Ford of ESPN Insider projected the Orlando Magic would take Burke with the second overall pick. However, Ford's latest mock has Burke sliding all the way to the Sacramento Kings seventh overall, with Orlando selecting Indiana shooting guard Victor Oladipo.

Burke said in May that he was hearing he would be drafted anywhere between second and sixth. Following a workout with the Kings on Friday, Burke said he would not work out for any teams picking lower than seventh.

Burke averaged 18.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in his sophomore season at Michigan, leading the Wolverines to the National Championship, where they fell to Louisville. Orlando Pinstriped Post readers ranked him fourth on the site's Community Draft Board.

Looking for Orlando Magic tickets? Orlando Pinstriped Post has you covered. We invite you to follow Orlando Pinstriped Post on Twitter and like Orlando Pinstriped Post on Facebook.