Ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, several pro squads are interviewing or intend to interview Northwestern University Wildcats basketball legend Nick Martinelli.

Per Charlie Perlman of The Daily Northwestern, the 6-foot-7 Glenview native revealed at the NBA Draft Combine that he had already spoken with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and at that point was slated to chat to a "decent amount" of other NBA clubs, including the Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets. When Martinelli tested the draft waters after his junior season last summer, he also chatted with multiple interested parties.

“I never knew that I was going to have the opportunity, or even thought or fathomed that I would have the opportunity to work out for NBA teams, let alone make it to the NBA Combine,” Martinelli said. “If you’re disciplined and you just stay the course every single day, you get out there and roll the balls out, and it’s just like you’ve done it so many times, it just comes to you naturally.” 

Fascinatingly, one of the most prolific scorers in Wildcat history seems to have been given some fairly pessimistic feedback when it comes to his NBA prospects — not necessarily from teams, but certainly from somewhere.

“Everyone’s always told me, ‘It doesn’t look good’ or ‘You don’t pass the eye test.’ I hear it all the time,” Martinelli said. “Obviously, it gets to me a little bit, but at the end of the day, I’ve truly been blessed with gifts from God like the touch and the way that I move. I see it as a blessing; other people might see it as a curse.”

Martinelli is keenly aware that, if he goes anywhere, he'll likely be selected late into the second round of this year's draft. There's a decent chance he instead will have to prove his way onto a roster in training camp, or (more likely) will ink a two-way contract, to be toggled between the G League and an NBA team proper.

“As a second-round guy, you want to have somebody that’s super confident as a leader,” Martinelli said. “It doesn’t matter what type of opportunity this is for me, I just want to play the right way and respect the game every time and work my butt off.” 

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