“Tried sneaking Julian Newman in there”: College hoops fans react as RJ Davis, Caleb Love and more miss out on NBA draft combine invitation

RJ Davis and Caleb Love, including other players, were not invited to the combine by the NBA. The big league has stretched an offer to a total of 75 prospects, welcoming them to showcase their athleticism and skillset. However, many decorated seniors like Davis and Love were omitted from the list.

The combine is an integral event that gives decision-makers and franchise owners a chance to evaluate players up close. For the players, it gives them a hint of the competition and provides a shot at improving their overall draft stock.

However, as the big league's official 75-prospect list comes out, College Basketball Report highlighted RJ Davis and other big names that couldn't garner an invite on its X.

Fans reacted to the list in the comment section, with some poking fun at Julian Newman's inclusion:

"Wtf Julian Newman doing on this list? He shouldn’t be invited to LA Fitness," a fan wrote.

"Julian not even the 15th best on his own team. Not even the 100th best on his campus, a user added.

"Bro tried sneaking Julian Newman in there 😭😭," another fan commented.

Other fans joined in with their takes on RJ Davis and other snubs:

"No Love or Hunter just shows how ridiculous NBA scouting is. Those two are better than most of the projected 1st round players and have games that should translate to the NBA. I know the NBA hates age but it's a miss to not invite them," a user wrote.

"UNC players rarely ever do anything in the nba. Why waste a spot," a fan wrote.

"Will Richard is too skilled to not be getting an invite, single handedly won them the chip game and lost me 500 dollars," another user commented.

---

Can Caleb Love, RJ Davis and others still make it to the NBA?

The combine is not the only way to the big league. Caleb Love, RJ Davis, Will Richard and others can opt for the G League route, prepare for undrafted free-agent signings, or take their talent overseas.

Players can sign with a team's G-League teams and eventually make it to the main roster. Austin Reaves, Fred VanVleet and Alex Caruso went undrafted in the pools and briefly played in the G League before making a name in the big league.

Similarly, four-time DOP Ben Wallace and two-time All-Star Brad Miller are an inspiration for players who could go undrafted. Before becoming fan-favorites in the NBA, players like Patrick Beverley and P.J. Tucker significantly played overseas as well.