Julian Phillips opts out of 5-on-5 scrimmages at NBA Draft Combine

Julian Phillips is one of 37 players at the NBA Draft Combine that opted not to participate in five-on-five scrimmage games this week at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Phillips on the first day of the Combine had the highest running vertical leap at 43.0 inches and the highest standing vertical at 35.0 inches.

Phillips was a full inch ahead of Mojave King (42.0) in the vertical and 2.5 inches ahead of Cameron Whitmore (40.5) in third. He was a full inch ahead of the field in the standing vertical, too, with Olivier-Maxence Prosper coming in at 35.0.

Phillips is the only Tennessee player at the NBA Draft Combine this week. He measured at 6’6 3/4” without shoes on Monday, weighing 196.6 pounds. He had a wingspan of 6’11 1/2”. 

Josiah-Jordan James and Olivier Nkamhoua competed in the NBA’s G League Elite Camp over the weekend but were not among the eight players that earned an invite to the Combine based on their G League Camp performance.

NBA Draft: June 22, Barclays Center, Brooklyn

James officially measured in at 6’6 1/4” barefoot with a 6’11 1/4” wingspan and an 8’8” standing reach. He weighed 212.8 pounds with 5.6 percent body fat. Oliver Nkamhoua measured at 6’8 1/4” barefoot with a 7’0 1/4” wingspan and an 8’10 1/2” standing reach. His hands were 10 1/2 inches wide and he weighed in at 229 pounds at 5.7 percent body fat.

Nkamhoua started for Team Three on Sunday in the G League Camp’s five-on-five work, playing 20 minutes, 33 seconds. He scored 12 points on 3-for-6 shooting from the floor and 4-for-6 from the free-throw line. He added two rebounds, two assists and a pair of turnovers.

James came off the bench for Team Two in the game against Nkamhoua and Team Three Sunday, playing 18 minutes, 26 seconds. He finished with seven points on 3-for-6 shooting, including 1-for-3 from the 3-point line and 3-for-4 at the foul line. He added six rebounds and a steal but had five turnovers. 

In Game 2 on Saturday, Nkamhoua played 14:39 off the bench with five points on 2-for-5 shooting, including 1-for-2 from the 3-point line. He had two rebounds, two steals, a turnover and three fouls. In Saturday’s first game, James played 17:03 off the bench. He had six points on 2-for-4 shooting, going 2-for-3 from the 3-point line. He had three rebounds, a steal and a pair of turnovers.

Phillips on Wednesday entered his name in the NCAA Transfer Portal, a day before the portal closed. Sources have told Volquest the plan for Phillips is to play professional basketball next season, with the transfer portal entry serving as a backup plan should the feedback from the NBA Draft process not go his way.

Julian Phillips averaged 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds in 24.0 minutes per game at Tennessee

Phillips was a five-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, ranked No. 13 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the No. 4 small forward nationally and originally committed to LSU, but reopened his recruitment and committed to and signed with the Vols after LSU fired Will Wade in March 2022.

He averaged 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 24.0 minutes per game during his freshman season, starting 25 times in 32 games, missing four games due to a hip injury in February. He shot 41.1 percent from the field but just 23.9 percent from the 3-point line. He led Tennessee in free throws made (97) and attempted (150) and was fourth in rebounding (150).

Phillips scored a season-high 25 points against USC in November in the Bahamas and went for 18 points and 11 rebounds at Mississippi State in January, his two best performances with the Vols. 

“I definitely wish I could have played better,” Phillips said in March. “I know the type of player I am. I know the work I put in. I have to get back in the gym, get my game right.”