Jalen Brunson among four Villanova players invited to NBA draft combine

Four players from Villanova, including consensus college basketball national player of the year Jalen Brunson, have been invited to the NBA draft combine later this month in Chicago. the league announced Monday.

Brunson, a 6-foot-2½ guard, will be joined by teammates Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman.

Brunson and Bridges, a 6-7 swingman, declared for the NBA draft and hired agents, giving up their final year of eligibility after helping lead the Wildcats to the national championship.

Meanwhile, DiVincenzo, a 6-5 guard, and Spellman, a 6-9½ forward, entered the draft process without hiring an agent, meaning they can return to Villanova if they do it by the May 30 deadline and have not hired an agent. DiVincenzo has two years of eligibility remaining for the Wildcats, and Spellman has three.

A total of 69 players are expected to attend the combine, the first step in the draft process, on May 17 and 18. The combine features five-on-five games and strength and agility drills.

Other players with Philadelphia-area ties who have been invited include former Roman Catholic and Penn State star Tony Carr; Texas center Mohamed Bamba, who played in high school at Westtown Friends; and Reading High's Lonnie Walker, who spent his freshman year at Miami. Carr, Bamba, and Walker all have hired agents.