First Impressions of Top 2016 NBA Draft Prospects at Champions Classic

The State Farm Champions Classic featured a whole bunch of quality NBA Draft prospects, many of whom were freshmen looking to make strong first impressions. 

The Kentucky Wildcats handled the Duke Blue Devils in the first game that saw mixed results from the young guys and sharp play from the veterans. There was ultimately more excitement in the matchup between the Kansas Jayhawks and Michigan State Spartans, as well as a performance for the ages that could have potentially moved the draft-stock needle for one rising senior. 

Scouts likely learned they'll need to be patient with many of the projected one-and-done candidates, but they may have also discovered these teams have older players with something to offer.

Skal Labissiere (Kentucky, PF/C)

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Key Stats vs. Duke: Seven points, four rebounds, one block, five fouls

Skal Labissiere couldn't get into the flow against Duke, having fouled out in 13 quiet minutes after collecting seven points, four boards and a block. 

He struggled in the first half, with his lack of strength being exposed a few times under the boards, where he was easily moved and beat for rebounds. 

Coach John Calipari even kept Labissiere on the bench to start the second half. He'd soon enter the game and throw down a putback dunk and easy finish, but he missed his only jump-shot opportunity and finished with just five total field-goal attempts.

Realistically, scouts won't hold tonight's performance against Labissiere five months down the road. To his credit, he was called for a few questionable fouls that ultimately shortened his night. Still, he didn't do anything to strengthen his case as a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick.

If there was a takeaway from tonight, it's that he's still a project—at least compared to LSU's Ben Simmons, who he'll be competing with for the title of top prospect in the land. 

I'd imagine Labissiere will look a lot more comfortable—and top-pick worthy—by February and March, just like Karl-Anthony Towns did in 2014-15.

Brandon Ingram (Duke, SF)

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Key Stats vs. Kentucky: Four points, one rebound, one assist, one block, four turnovers

Brandon Ingram finished with four points and four turnovers in what was ultimately a performance to shake off and forget. 

Not playing with an experienced point guard didn't help against Kentucky. Ingram saw very few scoring opportunities come his way, having taken just six shots and two free throws all game. 

On the bright side, he showcased some of his versatility with a drive that beat ultra-quick Tyler Ulis for a score. And he created a few other quality looks, including a step-back, some nifty takes and an easy layup for Amile Jefferson.

However, Ingram had trouble converting himself, missing most of his shots in the paint and the lone jumper he attempted.

Ingram also got beat twice defensively on lazy closeouts, while he made a few careless decisions as an inbounder and dribbler.

It was easy to get the impression he lost both focus and confidence as the game progressed. 

On one hand, Ingram's talent and upside is obvious, from his mismatch-creating physical tools to his skill set. But we're still taking about a work in progress who'll likely be vulnerable to disappearing.

Jamal Murray (Kentucky, PG/SG)

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Key Stats vs. Duke: 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, four steals, three turnovers

Jamal Murray played 38 minutes against Duke and unsurprisingly led Kentucky with 17 field-goal attempts. He took a handful that were a bit reckless, something he'll have to work on moving forward, but they didn't cloud his 16-point, five-rebound, five-assist, four-steal evening.

He opened the game with a timely drive to beat the shot clock and a follow-up three-pointer off a screen—he also made a second one in the second half in the same manner. From there, Murray continued to stay aggressive and put pressure on the rim by attacking and getting out on the break. 

We also saw a number of crafty drive-and-kick dimes that highlighted Murray's terrific ball-handling skills and vision.

His five rebounds weren't luck, either. Murray did a nice job of throwing his body around and skying for loose balls at the basket.

Coach John Calipari almost yanked him at one point, following a forced long-range three at the top of the arc. He'll have to tone down the shot-hunting, but shaky shot selection won't diminish the allure tied to his exceptionally advanced offensive game.

Don't expect questions over his true position to hurt his stock come June, either. He's a scoring playmaker with the size, athleticism and versatility to play on or off the ball, just as he's done so far at Kentucky.

Isaiah Briscoe (Kentucky, PG)

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Key Stats vs. Duke: 12 points, one assist, two steals

Isaiah Briscoe was effective in the first half by simply staying active and aggressive. He picked up a layup off a cut, another bucket off a timely drive and a third in transition. Briscoe also demonstrated his ability to knock down tough shots by making an off-balance runner to his right.

A bank-shot three-pointer was just a cherry on top of his night. 

Unfortunately, calf issues limited Briscoe in the second half, as he spent most of the final 20 minutes getting worked on by trainers.

With Tyler Ulis playing well and Jamal Murray firing away, Briscoe didn't have much of a chance to create. Still, he did a nice job of making plays without needing dribbles or playmaking opportunities. 

Carlton Bragg Jr. (Kansas, PF)

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Key Stats vs. Michigan State: Four points, zero rebounds

Carlton Bragg Jr. didn't play much of a role (11 total minutes) in Kansas' loss to Michigan State. Even when he was on the floor, his touches were limited. 

Bragg is clearly still trying to figure out his place in the Jayhawks' offense and where his shots will ultimately come from.

He did, however, knock down two pretty 20-foot jumpers, highlighting his pick-and-pop potential. Bragg has a really good-looking jumper that should eventually become a part of his offensive arsenal. 

However, having only played 11 minutes, it's becoming harder to picture Bragg being ready to declare after just one season. I'd expect inconsistent playing time and production throughout the year, especially if freshman Cheick Diallo gets cleared.

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (Kansas, SG)

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Key Stats vs. Michigan State: Four points, two assists

Those who were expecting a bigger role for Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk are probably disappointed. He played just 12 minutes against Michigan State after logging 16 in Kansas' opener. 

For what it's worth, Mykhailiuk did create a beautiful highlight off a coast-to-coast take and finish. And he racked up two assists that emphasized his underrated ball-handling and passing ability.

But we also saw Mykhailiuk settle for tougher shots, including a leaner that resulted in an air ball and a rushed pull-up just inside the arc. 

It's tough to be overly critical when he isn't given a chance to build rhythm and confidence—especially considering he's an 18-year-old perimeter player. But unless he starts cracking the 20-minute mark on a regular basis, it just wouldn't make much sense for Mykhailiuk to declare in 2016.

Grayson Allen (Duke, SG)

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Key Stats vs. Kentucky: Two-of-11 shooting, six points, one assist, four turnovers

Grayson Allen's showing against Kentucky was a reminder not to put much stock into his first two scoring outbursts of the season, when he scored 26 points against Siena and 28 against Bryant. 

He had trouble all night with the Wildcats' length down low and defensive quickness around the perimeter.

Allen couldn't buy a bucket in the first half, having gone 0-of-9, and he struggled with decision-making and shot selection. He continued to drive right and force up difficult runners among Kentucky's trees, which are much taller and longer than the ones he faced when Duke played Siena and Bryant. 

As the team's primary ball-handler, he also did a poor job of getting teammates involved as a setup man, often looking to hunt for shots as opposed to making an effort to move the ball and facilitate.

It's always tough to say a prospect's stock could be affected by just one game, but anyone who previously pegged Allen as sure-thing first-rounder might want to start thinking twice. Developing a left hand and countermoves should ultimately be atop his priority list moving forward.

Marcus Lee (Kentucky, PF)

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Key Stats vs. Duke: 10 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, five fouls

Marcus Lee's night ended early after he picked up a silly fifth foul with just under six minutes left. But throughout the game, his well-documented athleticism and energy translated to a double-double and pair of blocked shots.

Lee ultimately stuck to his strengths, scrapping together buckets off drive-and-dump passes, offensive rebounds and transition opportunities. A few times, he simply just beat Duke down the floor.

He lost a few rebounding opportunities early to 7'1" Marshall Plumlee, but Lee bounced back for what was a signature performance highlighting off-ball activity.

To jump up draft boards, he'll need to become a bigger threat with the ball in his hands, but as long as he continues to crash the glass, get out on the break and finish around the basket, NBA teams could still view Lee as a spark plug worth late-round consideration. 

Tyler Ulis (Kentucky, PG)

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Key Stats vs. Duke: 18 points, six assists, four rebounds, zero turnovers, two steals

Tyler Ulis, who was arguably the best player on the floor all night, did a terrific job running Kentucky's offense and controlling the pace.

More than anything, it was his masterful decision-making that stood out. He finished with six assists and zero turnovers, showing strong recognition of when to use his quickness and dribble versus when to move the ball.

Despite his 5'9" size, he managed to shoot six of nine inside the arc, showing touch on a baseline jumper and fundamentals on a pull-up bank shot. He even flashed impressive strength on a drive that saw him absorb contact and finish at the basket. 

As he usually is, Ulis was also a pest on defense, where he did his best to keep Duke's guards from gaining a step and getting into the lane.

Ulis missed all four of his threes, and is now just two of 11 from deep on the year, but it only seems like a matter of time before he finds a rhythm.

With obvious physical limitations, Ulis' draft ceiling is only so high. But it's games like these that should allow him to draw NBA interest and create the perception he can manage a second unit.

Denzel Valentine (Michigan State, SG)

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Key Stats vs. Kansas: 29 points, 12 assists, 12 rebounds, one turnover 

Referring to Denzel Valentine's performance against Kansas as legendary wouldn't be a stretch. Since 2009, we haven't seen any college player record at least 25 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in a game, according to Sports-Reference.com. 

Valentine carried the Spartans to victory, having had a hand—either as the scorer or assist man—on 57 of Michigan State's 79 points. 

The triple-double obviously highlighted his versatility. He showed terrific vision and made some strong reads as a facilitator in the pick-and-roll game. 

And while he nailed three triples, Valentine also finished a handful of crafty shots inside the arc that called for improvisation.

Scouts go to see his point-guard instincts come to life, as well as his ability to spread the floor and score on the move.

At 22 years old without great quickness or athleticism, it's tough to envision Valentine attracting first-round interest, regardless of how many triple-doubles he puts up. But a performance like this should certainly help strengthen his image as a potential second-round steal and NBA role player.