Report: NBA to bring back 5-on-5 play at draft combine

The NBA will once again have 5-on-5 competition between prospects at the draft combine in 2015, according to a report from Chad Ford of ESPN.

The league's competition committee had been discussing bringing back full-squad scrimmaging, which has been out of the combine process since 2009, as general managers and scouts have complained that it's difficult to get a real feel for players without it.

in 2009, then-commissioner David Stern axed the 5-on-5 play due to low participation rates, as agents often held their players out for fear of injury or exposure, or to better manage their ultimate destination. The drills-based format used since has increased participation, but those numbers have declined in recent seasons.

Basically, since the top prospects aren't showing up for the drills anyway, the league may as well bring back 5-on-5 play for those who do. Top names probably won't play, but it will give teams a much better look at less-heralded prospects in a game setting.