Durant suggests top prospects should skip combine

Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant has a simple piece of advice for the potential top picks in the upcoming NBA draft when it comes to the combine: skip it.

"Stay your ass home, work out, and get better on your own time," Durant told ESPN's Chris Haynes.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 draft spoke about his experience at the combine leading up to his selection, and how he was shamed during the process for his strength.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," Durant said. "All the strength coaches were laughing at me and s---. They were giggling with each other that I couldn't lift 185 pounds and I was like, 'All right, keep laughing. Keep laughing.' It was a funny thing because I was the only one that couldn't lift it and I was struggling to lift it. I was embarrassed at that point, but I'm like, 'Give me a basketball, please. Give me a ball.'"

While potential first overall pick Markelle Futz will be at the combine and interview with lottery teams, many of the others expected to go in the top 10 - including Lonzo Ball, Malik Monk, Dennis Smith, Jonathan Isaac, Jayson Tatum, and Lauri Markkanen - will all skip this week's event. It's the move Durant encourages all players of their caliber to make.

"It's good for guys who are trying to fight their way into the first round, fight their way into the draft ... go to play," Durant said. "But if you're like a top pick and you know you're going to be a top pick, just work out. Just work on your game and then they'll see you in the individual workouts, and they've been watching you all year, so your whole body of work is more important than just going there for a couple of days."