Kahlil Felder ascended off the floor to a 44-inch max vertical mark at the 2016 NBA Combine, the second-highest vertical in the event’s history.

When asked how he felt immediately after learning the number, the 5’10”, 180-pound point guard confidently responded, “I know what my leaping ability is so I wasn’t shocked about it. I know what I can do as far as leaping.”

Confidence, as well as the willingness to continuously improve his game, has Kahlil “Kay” Felder on the cusp of becoming the second Oakland University player selected in the NBA draft.

The Bears have had a history of prolific point guards, as Johnathon Jones previously led the nation in assists (8.0 APG in 2008-09 season) and Reggie Hamilton led the country in scoring (26.9 PPG) in the 2011-12 season. Additionally, Felder, who declared for the 2016 NBA draft and hired an agent in April, was a dynamo on the court for Oakland.

"He was an unbelievable talent,” head coach Greg Kampe said. “He brought excitement and fans were just enamored with him. He really helped filled the arena and we’ll miss that the most.”

Felder committed to Oakland during his senior year at Detroit Pershing High School, with Kampe fighting off Southern Illinois and Akron, among others.

As a freshman, Kampe immediately inserted Felder into the rotation and the point guard played within his role as distributor.

“He [Kampe] wanted me to wait my turn because I wasn’t going to score as many points as a freshman as much as a junior,” Felder said. 

Instead of playing outside of the Oakland system, which requires the point guard be a scorer and facilitator, Felder averaged 9.5 PPG on 7.7 FGA per game, and flashed the ability to be a proficient passer as a freshman. 

His 6.4 APG was good for seventh in the nation, but Felder embodied the role as an offensive catalyst, who could dish and score at a high clip, later in his career.

“I tried to do both at a high level, because the Oakland system is set for a point guard that can score and pass,” Felder said. 

Felder improved every facet of his game from his freshman to sophomore season, asked to carry a hefty load as the lead playmaker for an offensively driven team. He boosted his scoring (18.1 PPG), assists (7.6 APG), rebounding, (4.8 RPG) and steal totals (2.0 SPG) in his sophomore campaign, but his game elevated considerably as a junior. 

Felder didn’t flinch with the added pressure and expectations placed on him. The 21-year-old Felder increased his efficiency on the floor and developed into one of the nation’s premier guards. 

Despite playing as a mid-major in the Horizon League, Oakland’s lead guard thrived playing against Power-5 conference foes. Felder averaged 32.0 points, 6.5 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game in the 2015-16 season against P-5 teams. Displaying the ability to dissect formidable teams offensively fuels Felder.

“Being from a smaller school, I just want to show that I can come out and play against anybody on any given night,” Felder said.

Felder responded to heightened competition, but he also looked like a star playing against Horizon League teams as a junior. Felder talked about wanting to focus on elevating his game consistently; the 2015-16 season put him on the NBA’s radar. 

Felder finished third in the nation in scoring (24.4 PPG) and shot a career-high 44.0 percent from the floor, despite operating as a voluminous shooter in Oakland’s high-octane offense. To Kampe, a scoring point guard holds value in any league.

“I think the NBA is a 'what’s working now' league,” Kampe said. “A point guard that can score is a commodity; you see a couple of these little guys that can really score. Tyler Ulis is a little guy too but he’s not the dynamic scorer Felder is. He’s a little more of a pure point guard, while Kay has got a little bit of both in him.

Felder wasn’t just an average distributor, in comparison to his scoring capabilities. He led the nation in assists (9.4) last year and shattered the Horizon League record by finishing with 788 career assists. Even with a diminutive stature compared to his peers, Felder has sharp vision and was given freedom to run the offense and make decisions on the court.

Whether it was drawing in a double and kicking out to a three-point specialist or using the pick-and-roll to set up a big, Felder has skills dishing the ball that can translate to the next level. He thought about declaring for the 2016 NBA Draft all throughout last season, but made his decision after the conclusion of the Vegas 16 Tournament in late March.

While his NBA ceiling is predominantly predicated on his offensive capabilities, Felder was primed to showcase his defense and ability to handle other draft prospects at the NBA Combine.

“I wanted to make sure that my defense was 100 percent,” Felder said. “I had to make sure that I kept that up, because that was a question mark on me and I think it still is. I just have to keep proving that I can play defense against anybody.”

Going up against North Carolina State’s Anthony “Cat” Barber and Maryland’s Melo Trimble, who Felder faced in his sophomore year, Felder showed that he could rotate fluidly on the defensive end and contain bigger guards by “being aggressive.”

Even though he participated in two glorified showcase games, Felder evidently showed as much poise on the defensive end as he displayed running the show. Offensively, he tried to exhibit the different ways he could score on the court by attempting pull-up jumpers and taking it to the basket against substantially bigger talents. Felder acknowledged that he worked on pull-up attempts before the Combine.

While Felder evidently stood out against other prospects clamoring to be drafted as well, he tested tremendously as well in workouts. Along with wowing GMs and scouts with his max vertical jump, he finished tied for third in the Three Quarter Sprint (3.15 seconds) and fifth in the Standing Vertical Leap (35.0 inches).

Felder was lauded on ESPN as a player who stood out at the event and teams took notice.

Multiple organizations scheduled workouts with Felder, who hopes that one team is enticed enough to select him in next month’s draft. He credits his progression and drive to grow as a player to Oakland.

“The school helped me out a lot,” Felder said. “They felt like they know what to do to get me better each year. They definitely helped me be the best player I can be. As far as getting better each and every day, I think I did that.”

Felder’s impact to the university was immense, but Kampe also feels that his program helped the future pro develop a regimen that fosters success.

“That’s what you want,” Kampe said. “It shows that he’s a hard work and it shows that he’s willing to look at what’s wrong with his game and trying to make it better. I can’t speak for the NBA, but if I was in those positions, that’s what I’d be looking for.”

Felder’s ability to diagnose what’s negatively affecting his game and fine-tune that area is essential, as he’s a self-critic that is always willing to improve as a player. At 21 years old, there aren’t red flags attached to Felder. Teams can look at tape and see how his skills might translate without worrying about the Oakland product slacking in the offseason.

The Isaiah Thomas comparison will follow him throughout his professional career, as both are diminutive lefties with exceptional burst and quickness, but it’s something that Felder accepts.

“I embrace that comparison; everybody talks about it,” Felder said. “We got some similarities, but I’m more athletic than him. Other than that, we’re pretty much the same thing.”

Felder’s athleticism and offensive upside attracted teams to evaluate how he could fit their system, but continuing to show that he can grow to be a competent defender in the NBA is essential in his development. He has the will to improve and confidence that won’t deter his frame of mind on and off the court.