Inside the Pre-Draft Grind with UPB Coaches
By: Andrea Aruino
In an NCAA study conducted in 2020, only 3.5% of male high school basketball players go on to play at the collegiate level. The number shrinks even more from the collegiate level to the NBA which is 1.2%. With odds this slim, the pressure to succeed begins the moment a player first steps onto the court at such a young age. Those dreams of making it to the NBA become even more real as the 2025 NBA draft is coming up and players are preparing their mind, body, and skills in order to perform their best with hundreds of eyes watching.
Before the NBA draft being held in New York on June 25 and 26, comes an extensive process full of prospects who have the opportunity to work out with teams, play in the G-League Elite Camp, and participate in the combine. A lot of the preparation follows a tight schedule that begins right after the end of their collegiate careers. Each player’s schedule varies leading up to the draft due to things like playing in March Madness or recovering from their long season.
Coach Packie Turner who is responsible for leading WME player workouts was joined by other UPB coaches in helping NBA prospects prepare in Santa Barbara for everything that comes before the draft. This entire workout process began during the first week of April and just wrapped up on May 9. Players were working out at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. With the end of these workouts, Coach Packie will be heading to Chicago for the NBA Combine in order to continue his training. These workouts were designed to mirror game-like intensity, featuring challenging drills that not only pushed players outside their comfort zones but also reinforced and refined the skills they brought coming into these workouts. Coach Packie and other coaches, Brady Morningstar and Aaron Winshall, were working closely with various standout players such as Tre Johnson, Dylan Harper, Tahaad Pettiford, Thomas Sorber and Derik Queen. The UPB coaches that joined Coach Packie in Santa Barbara were first timers in working in the pre-draft process which allowed them to observe and learn from players and coaches who have worked at some of the highest levels in basketball.
“It was a fantastic experience to be around that level of basketball, how those guys prepare for the draft was really cool. I’ve been around basketball my whole life but what was the most fascinating part of these workouts was the fact that the things we teach kids are the same things we’re doing in these workouts but obviously at a different level,” Coach Corey said.
Along with Coach Corey, other coaches like Coach Veronica, Dylan, and Wes joined in assisting these workouts where they got to see first hand the work that each individual player puts into their game and how seasoned coaches help to assist these up and coming stars. Each of them were reminded of the many fundamentals that are required to succeed at such a high level of basketball, many of these things are parts that they hope to take back to the UPB gym for their clients and students.
“Drills were made to be more intense and game-like. One of them was a shot series where you shoot a shot at one designated spot on the court and then another at another spot whether that be the corner three or the elbow. As I was watching I realized that this was something I want to start applying when I get back to the bay. Middle schoolers and high schoolers are at the age where you want to start introducing these things to them,” Coach Dylan said.
It was reiterated time and time again that these workouts served as a huge learning opportunity for these coaches to bring back for their younger students at UPB. Outside of the drills, just having stories to share to the kids back home is enough to inspire these kids to work harder.
“When you tell kids, ‘Oh this is a drill that the pros do,’ they love hearing that and being able to complete a drill is something they’re always proud of,” Coach Veronica said.
This pre-draft process was a chance for coaches to develop their ability to strategize workouts that benefit each player’s individual strengths at the highest level. Aside from being there to assist these athletes in any way possible, it was also evident that Coach Packie, Morningstar and Winshall care about not only their growth as a player but also for their well being as an individual. The majority of these athletes are 18 or 19 years old who have been in school and surrounded by basketball their whole lives. Now they’re entering the professional level at such a young age that entails more than just basketball.
“It's nice to see how much they care about these athletes. To the players they're just playing basketball but they need guidance, they’re just kids who are highly touted and about to accomplish their biggest dream at the highest level. I never knew how impacted the two months between their draft and end of college is and these coaches have been great mentors for them,” Coach Wes said.
There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes of the pre-draft process. It includes intense work on and off the court especially when working out with teams and getting to know the people within every organization. It’s tough work but it’s valuable work when the outcome is having the opportunity to play at the highest level that most don’t get. Congratulations to the class of 2025 NBA draft prospects and we’re wishing all of them luck within these upcoming months leading to the big day!
