For LSU, the possibility of adding a piece like Allen Graves is worth the wait. The Tigers have been linked to the Santa Clara forward ever since he announced his intention to not only enter the NBA Draft but the transfer portal as well.
The deadline for Graves and all prospects on the fence about staying in the draft or going back to school is on the horizon with a firm decision date of May 27.
The No. 30 overall draft prospect according to CBS Sports, Graves has begun the testing and interview process this week at the NBA Combine but still has several steps to take this week to see where he could possibly fit into the draft equation. He went No. 22 and No. 24 in various mocks following the NBA draft lottery held over the weekend so Graves is standing pat when it comes to how some draft experts view him currently.
He measured in at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds and started the drill work process of his combine week. Some of the shooting numbers have already been released on Graves. He shot 12-of-30 (40%) off the dribble, 14-of-25 (56%) on 3-point star drill, 12-of-27 (44.4%) on the side-mid-side and 14-of-25 (56%) on spot up shooting.
Graves is also not listed on any of the 5-on-5 teams at the combine, with only two of the top 40 players electing to participate in those scrimmages. Not participating in those scrimmages could very well mean Graves and his camp have heard some positive outlooks from NBA teams on his draft stock.
Here's what the team at CBS Sports had to say about Graves' draft prospects entering the week:
"Graves was an analytic darling this season at Santa Clara. He didn't post eye-popping numbers, but his advanced numbers told a different story. Notably, Graves is also in the transfer portal, so if he does withdraw from the draft, his options are a return to Santa Clara or transferring to a new school. One school that could make sense for Graves is LSU. Graves is a Louisiana native, and Will Wade's roster at LSU isn't exactly complete at the moment. Still, if Graves tests well this week, he might lock himself into being a first-round pick. The idea of Graves is tantalizing, which is always useful in the pre-draft process. Will his stock ever be this high if he struggles a little bit at the high-major ranks next year? That's a question that his representatives are trying to weigh this week."
LSU went on a hot streak last week adding to the 2026-27 roster with the additions of Marcio Santos, Abdi Bashir and Divine Ugochukwu. With four total players on board, including the first commitment of Mouhamed Dioubate, the Tigers have some interesting mix of wing players but still would like to fill out its front court. Adding a player of Graves' talent would certainly add a potential star to the SEC.
He's as efficient a player as the Tigers could hope for out of the transfer portal and while he spent last season at Santa Clara, there shouldn't be much of an adjustment to this level of high intensity basketball. The question will be how much does he raise his draft stock this week at the combine and then, how much would a return to school boost his draft stock for next year?
The 2027 and 2028 draft classes are not expected to be as deep as this year's haul. This 2026 draft has a lot of depth even outside of the top four or five players. Could Graves come back to school, be a star at a place like LSU and maybe get into that lottery conversation?
Those are the talks he no doubt is having with NBA teams, his advisors and of course the college programs that have shown interest in him. This would be a seismic addition for the purple and gold if they get it over the finish line.
While maybe not the elite jumper that you'll find across the conference, Graves is a smart player on both ends of the floor, plays under control and has the potential to be one of the more versatile players for a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
There's still a process that must play out this week but Graves will be under a microscope as NBA teams get a real close look at what he can do in front of the rest of this highly touted draft class.