Trail Blazers’ pre-draft workouts resume with 6 prospects, led by Arizona’s Caleb Love

The

Portland Trail Blazers

resumed predraft workouts Tuesday, hosting six players, though none are expected to be selected in the first round of the 2025

NBA

draft.

On hand were Arizona guard Caleb Love, Texas A&M point guard Wade Taylor IV, Penn State forward Zach Hicks, Vanderbilt point guard Chris Manon, Pittsburgh forward Zack Austin and Montana guard Money Williams.

The Blazers don’t have a second-round pick but hold the No. 11 pick in the first round of the June 25-26 draft.

Thursday’s workout is expected to include first-round prospects.

Love played three seasons with North Carolina before transferring to Arizona for his final two years.

“I think it went really well,” Love said of his workout. “I feel like I showed pretty much everything. My defense, my shot-making ability, my playmaking. I feel like I did well.”

Love said he has been working on his defense because he’s repeatedly been told that performing well at that end of the court could pave the way for him to the NBA. However, he also must improve as a shooter.

Love shot just 38% from the field over five seasons, including 39.8% last season. He also shot just 32.6% from three-point range for his career while averaging 15.9 points.

Taylor must also improve his shooting to have a chance to stick. He ended his Aggies career as the program’s all-time leading scorer (2,058) but achieved that distinction while shooting just 36.6% from the field over four seasons, and 32.3% from long distance.

Taylor said he has been working hard to improve in this area.

Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV (4) cheers after a defensive stop against Yale during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

AP

“I’m trying to make sure I become the best shooter, so when I get the ball, I can knock it down,” Taylor said.

The 6-foot Taylor said being a leader is a must at his size.

“I’m just making sure I’m being a vocal leader,” he said. “Being the smallest guy on the court, you’ve got to have this tenacity about yourself to make sure that all dudes are on the same page and all dudes listen.”

He left the Blazers’ facility feeling good about his workout.

“It went great,” Taylor said. “My first one. I’m excited to be here with a very talented group. We competed today. We worked hard. Just being able to live out a dream that you had as a kid is a blessing.”

Montana’s Williams is testing out the draft waters. So far, they’ve been choppy.

Williams, who had previously worked out for the Houston Rockets, called the experience a “wake-up call.”

“I’ve got to get back in the lab and work if I want to be at the next level,” he said, sharing his plans to return to Montana for his junior season to improve his skills.

Williams has added motivation to fuel him. His mother, Latoya Bailey, died in her sleep last October. His father, Money Williams Sr., died in November 2023. Williams and his older sister, Mo’Ney, are helping to raise their younger siblings, Joanna, Jermaine, and Jeremiah Benson.

A strong support system is behind him.

“One word: community,” he said. “Family, friends, just staying in my ear, supporting me through thick and thin. That’s keeping me going.”

Williams attended Oakland High School, which produced former Blazers superstar Damian Lillard, now with the Milwaukee Bucks.

“I’ve always looked up to Dame,” Williams said. “Just going to the gym, I see his jersey on the wall just playing in P.E. I’ve always looked up to him. He came from Oakland, made it out, and I want to do the same.”

Here is a look at the six players who worked out for the Blazers on Tuesday:

Caleb Love


| Arizona | Guard | 6-5 | 23

Bio:

The fifth-year senior who played his first three seasons at North Carolina was a finalist for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award and became the 13th player in NCAA men’s basketball history to score 1,000 career points for two different programs.

Love averaged 17.2 points last season with 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

He was a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy following the 2023-24 season, when he averaged 18 points and 3.4 assists.

Love could go late in the second round.

• • •

Wade Taylor IV


| Texas A&M | Guard | 6-0 | 22

Bio:

The senior averaged 15.7 points and 4.3 assists while becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer. He also became the first Aggies player to be named All-SEC three times in 40 years.

He could go late in the second round.

• • •

Pitt Panthers forward Zack Austin (55) during the ACC Men’s basketball tournament between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Pitt Panthers on March 11, 2025 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Zach Hicks


| Penn State | Forward| 6-8 | 22

Bio:

The senior averaged 11.6 points on 47.1% shooting from the field and connected on 41.3 % from long distance on 5.8 attempts per game. He also added 4.9 rebounds and 2 assists.

Hicks could go late in the second round.

• • •

Zack Austin


| Pittsburgh | Forward | 6-7 | 23

Bio:

Austin averaged 9.2 points and 4.7 rebounds as a senior for the Panthers. He shot 42.4% from the field and 38.1% from three-point range. He also added 1.6 blocked shots per game.

He finished his college career with 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, 200 three-point field goals made, and 200 career blocks, joining two others in NCAA men’s basketball history to do so, including former Duke star Shane Battier.

He is not expected to be drafted.

• • •

Money Williams


| Montana | Guard | 6-4 | 20

Bio:

Williams averaged 13.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, shooting 39.9% from the field and 43.1% from three-point range. His shooting was down from his freshman season, when he shot 46.5% from the field.

He plans to return to Montana.

• • •

Chris Manon


| Vanderbilt | Forward | 6-5 | 23

Bio:

Manon averaged 6.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, while racking up 56 steals and 33 blocked shots. The transfer from Cornell shot 53.3% from the field on 4.1 attempts per game, and 23.5% from three-point range for the season (8 of 34).

He is not expected to be drafted.

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