<P> The NBA Draft Combine is a multi-day showcase that takes place every May before the annual June NBA draft . At the combine, college basketball players receive measurements, participate in interviews, undergo shooting drills, take medical tests, go through five - on - five drills and perform various athletic tests in front of National Basketball Association (NBA) coaches, general managers, and scouts . Athletes attend by invitation only . An athlete's performance during the combine can affect perception, draft status, salary, and ultimately the player's career . </P> <P> The athletic tests include a standing vertical jump, maximum vertical jump, bench press, three - quarter - court sprint time, lane agility time, and modified event time . Physical measurements include height with shoes, height without shoes, wingspan, weight, standing reach, body fat, hand length, and hand width . The shooting tests include spot - up three - point field goals from various distances (high school, college, and NBA) depending upon position, shooting off the dribble, and timed jump shots on the move . Although the NBA Draft Combine is the largest pre-draft gathering for testing and drills, international players can attend a separate Eurocamp at a later date . Parts of the combine are televised on ESPNU and ESPN2 . </P>

What year did the nba draft combine start