As the Ohio State basketball team prepares for life without Jon Diebler and David Lighty, they are both are preparing for success at the next level.
Both players competed at the NBA Combine, which was broadcast live on ESPN U, Thursday in Chicago.
ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford said it’s possible both Buckeyes will be selected in the second round of the NBA draft but he also sees situations in which neither player will be selected.
The NBA draft consists of only two rounds.
One thing Ford was certain of was which draft hopeful has the best shooting ability.
“When you watch Jon Diebler, his misses look good. … I do think he’s the best shooter in this draft,” Ford said on the ESPN U broadcast. “You need shooters; you’ve got to spread the floor in the NBA.”
Ford compared Diebler to Chicago Bulls guard Kyle Korver, who led the NBA this season in 3-point shots made during the fourth quarter.
While Diebler was praised for his shooting ability, Lighty was acknowledged mostly for his defense.
Len Elmore, an ESPN analyst and former NBA first-round, called Lighty “one of the best defenders in the Big Ten” last season.
Lighty was referred to also as a player who doesn’t have just one elite quality, but who “does all the little things” and has “always played his role.”
The 2011 NBA draft will be held June 23 in Newark, N.J.
Diebler did not immediately return phone calls for comment.
