NBA Draft: Ben Gregg Says Playing for Blazers Would be ‘Dream Come True’

Basketball prospects continue to descend upon the Rose City for workouts with the Portland Trail Blazers, all in preparation for the NBA Draft on June 25-26.

Among the procession, six more players came by Tuesday for a pre-draft workout with the franchise. The group consisted of second-round hopefuls and candidates for Summer League or G League rosters. While the workout didn’t feature the bevy of first-round talent present at last Thursday’s workout, it did feature a local twist: Gonzaga senior forward Ben Gregg.

Before his five-year collegiate run in Spokane, Gregg played his high school ball in the Portland Metro Area. He spent his first two years at Portland’s Columbia Christian High School, winning the Oregon Class 2A title in 2018. Then he transferred to Clackamas High School, where he was named the Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year after his junior season and ranked No. 29 in ESPN’s top 100 rankings of his high school class.

Following his junior year, Gregg graduated early to make the jump to Gonzaga where he made multiple deep NCAA Tournament runs with the WCC powerhouse. Over 35 games during his final college season, the 6-foot-10 Gregg averaged 9.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He shot 57.1% from the field, 27.1% from the 3-point line (down from 37.7% the season before) and 79.1% from the free throw line.

Tuesday’s workout in Tualatin was Gregg’s fifth workout of the pre-draft process. He’ll be working out with the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. According to various mock draft boards and prospect rankings, Gregg isn’t expected to be selected in this June’s draft. So his best bet of making it in the NBA will likely start by signing with a team in post-draft free agency or working his way up from the G League.

Following Tuesday’s workout, Gregg spoke with reporters about how the day went, his skillset and what it was like to work out for his hometown team. Given Gregg’s hometown fandom and his age (22 years old), the interview naturally included talk of Trail Blazers legend Brandon Roy. Quotes from the interview are below.

Gregg on what the experience was like working out for the Blazers:

“Definitely surreal. Growing up going to all these Blazers games, all of this stuff, being a big fan — Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, all the older guys that everybody might’ve forgot about, I was such a big fan of. So it was very surreal for me. I’m trying to make the most of it.”

On what his goals were today and what he was trying to show about his game:

“Just the way I can shoot the ball. I struggled last year. My 3-point numbers were a little down last year, so just wanting to prove that I can still shoot the ball and it was just kind of an off-year for me. And I did a good job of that today.”

On what it would mean for him to play for the Blazers:

“It would be a dream come true. Being from here like I said, going to all the games as a kid, going to the Moda Center all the time. It would be more than a dream come true. Going to Gonzaga was a dream for me, and if I was able to play here, it would be a crazy life I was able to live.”

On what feedback he’s received from NBA teams throughout the pre-draft process:

“My ability to stretch the floor as a big man — that’s been a strength of mine throughout these workouts.”

On if he thought being a part of the NBA Draft process was possible when he started at Columbia Christian High:

“I definitely had dreams of it, but I didn’t know how realistic those dreams were. … I kinda got pinch myself sometimes that I’m being able to see all these facilities and work out in front of all these legends. Chauncey Billups was here, Brian Grant, there’s a lot of legends in the building, so it’s just cool to be able to play in front of them.”

On if he’s looked at success stories of NBA players who went deep in the draft as examples he’s trying to follow:

“I’m kinda running my own race right now. I’m not really focused on numbers getting drafted, where I get drafted to, if I get picked up as a free agent after the draft. I’m just running my own race and whatever happens, happens. Everything happens for a reason. It’s God’s plan, so I’m just taking it day by day and enjoying the process.”

On where he lands on the Brandon Roy jersey retirement debate:

“You gotta retire it. He’s a legend. I was talking to somebody the other day about who my favorite player was watching growing up, and I was like ‘Brandon Roy.’ … He’s a legend, especially around here.”

The rest of Tuesday’s workout group included Wake Forest senior 6-foot-4 guard Cameron Hildreth; Creighton senior 6-foot-5 guard Jamiya Neal; 6-foot-9 forward Mohamed Diawara from the French professional club Cholet; University of Texas at San Antonio senior 6-foot-6 guard Damari Monsanto; and Missouri 6-foot-3 senior guard Caleb Grill.

Among the group, only Grill and Diawara appeared on ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony’s top 100 rankings of 2025 draft prospects, placing at No. 74 and No. 86, respectively.