NBA Draft Combine quotes: Russell high on Russell; Winslow meets with Carmelo

While Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor battle to be the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft while in absentia from the 2015 NBA Draft Combine, several top prospects have been meeting with teams to see how they physically measure up in hopes of improving their draft stock.

It's important to remember when reading the rumor mill or scouring the anthropometric data or athletic testing results that everything is not necessarily relevant to evaluating prospects. There's a lot that goes in to making a quality NBA player, and this week's combine is about gathering more information to pile on top of game tape, independent scouting and much more.

Jerome Moiso could grab a quarter off the top of the backboard, but not a rebound off the front of it, for instance.

Despite Towns, Okafor, two top Euros and Emmanuel Mudiay skipping the combine, there was no shortage of buzz-worthy prospects for teams to interview this week. Teams can interview up to 18 players, and several - including some of the top prospects in the class - were made available to assembled media.

Players understandably high on themselves

D'Angelo Russell hasn't always believed himself to be on the path to the NBA, at least not this early. Russell admitted Friday that he didn't think his body would develop the way it has, and that he thought he'd spend four years at Ohio State rather than one.

But his body did pan out, emphatically, and he put together one of the most impressive freshman seasons in the country. Now certain to hear his name called within the first five picks on June 25, Russell's confidence is through the roof.

That's not an entirely unfair assessment, even if he's probably not No. 1 on many draft boards just yet. He's right there with Mudiay as the top guard in the class, and his floor is appreciably high. He measures similarly to Victor Oladipo, but thanks to one of the best shots in the class, Russell likens himself more to the MVP.

Russell's talents are obvious enough that New York Knicks president Phil Jackson took a fine for raving about him publicly. That doesn't mean Russell is destined for the Knicks, as the NBA Draft Lottery still has to play out on Tuesday, and Russell himself couldn't get a read on Jackson.

It's not like Russell's the only player peddling their own talents at the combine. Stanley Johnson likewise called himself the best player in the draft, and Devin Booker dubbed himself the draft's best shooter. Selling yourself is just a part of these proceedings.

Willie Trill Cauley-Stein not "artsy"

Willie Cauley-Stein probably could have been a top-10 pick a year ago, but he opted to return to school. The book on Stein, perhaps unfairly, said that he wasn't necessarily in love with basketball and that there could be concerns about his dedication when he made the jump to the next level.

An incredibly interesting person and a great quote, Cauley-Stein turned in a terrific season and clearly put in the work to improve, likely allaying some concerns about his motivation - not that teammates think those concerns were warranted in the first place.

For his part, Cauley-Stein thinks his earlier reputation was unfounded, and from his answers on Friday, it seems teams may have mistaken an interesting and thoughtful person for an aloof one.

Too many Urkels on the Knicks, so 'Melo met Winslow

With Russell and Towns believed to be high on their board, the Knicks continue to evaluate all options, including NCAA tournament standout Justise Winslow. Winslow was not only spotted with superstar Carmelo Anthony at a recent New York Yankees game but also interviewed with the team at the combine.

Basketball wasn't a focal point of either meeting, but the organization is clearly trying to get to know the likely top-10 pick.

Winslow may seem an odd fit with Anthony at first blush since each is a small forward, but Winslow actually measured closer to shooting guard size and Anthony's capable of playing power forward. If Winslow can knock down the NBA triple, as he believes he can, Gotham could be a good landing spot.