2016 NBA Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions, Breaking Down Prospects on the Rise
With the regular season officially over, it's time for many teams to set their focus on the 2016 NBA draft.
A number of fans around the league—especially those who support losing teams—have been thinking about the draft all year long with the hope that the future will be much better. Now we are one step closer with the lottery odds and a majority of the draft order set, pending tiebreakers with some playoff teams.
Although a lot can change as we get closer to June 23, a few top prospects are already making their cases as quality options. Here is a look at early predictions for the first round and a breakdown of some players on the rise.
| 1 | Philadelphia 76ers | Brandon Ingram | SG | Duke |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | Ben Simmons | PF | LSU |
| 3 | Boston Celtics (via BKN) | Dragan Bender | PF | Croatia |
| 4 | Phoenix Suns | Jaylen Brown | SF | California |
| 5 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Henry Ellenson | PF | Marquette |
| 6 | New Orleans Pelicans | Buddy Hield | SG | Oklahoma |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets (via NYK) | Jamal Murray | SG | Kentucky |
| 8 | Toronto Raptors (via DEN) | Jakob Poeltl | C | Utah |
| 9 | Sacramento Kings | Kris Dunn | PG | Providence |
| 10 | Milwaukee Bucks | Demetrius Jackson | PG | Notre Dame |
| 11 | Orlando Magic | Ivan Rabb | PF | California |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Furkan Korkmaz | SG | Turkey |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns (via WAS) | Marquese Chriss | PF | Washington |
| 14 | Chicago Bulls | Wade Baldwin IV | PG | Vanderbilt |
| 15 | Denver Nuggets (via HOU) | Deyonta Davis | PF | Michigan State |
| 16 | Memphis Grizzlies | Timothe Luwawu | SF | France |
| 17 | Boston Celtics (via DAL) | Denzel Valentine | SF | Michigan State |
| 18 | Denver Nuggets (via POR) | Taurean Prince | SF | Baylor |
| 19 | Detroit Pistons | Domantas Sabonis | PF | Gonzaga |
| 20 | Indiana Pacers | Skal Labissiere | C | Kentucky |
| 21 | Charlotte Hornets | Diamond Stone | C | Maryland |
| 22 | Boston Celtics | Malik Beasley | SG | Florida State |
| 23 | Atlanta Hawks | Brice Johnson | PF | North Carolina |
| 24 | Philadelphia 76ers (MIA) | Tyler Ulis | PG | Kentucky |
| 25 | Los Angeles Clippers | DeAndre Bembry | SF | Saint Joseph's |
| 26 | Philadelphia 76ers (OKC) | Thon Maker | C | Australia |
| 27 | Toronto Raptors | Malcolm Brogdon | SF | Virginia |
| 28 | Phoenix Suns (via CLE) | Ante Zizic | C | Croatia |
| 29 | San Antonio Spurs | A.J. Hammons | C | Purdue |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Ben Bentil | PF | Providence |
Top Prospects on the Rise
Buddy Hield, SG
When players consider coming back to school to improve their draft stock, they dream of having a year like Buddy Hield. The Oklahoma guard might have been a first-round pick if he left after last season, but he came back for his senior year and now will likely go in the top 10.
The difference was Hield's ability to transform from a volume shooter into an efficient scorer, knocking down 46.4 percent of his shots from three-point range while averaging 25 points per game. He raised his scoring average 7.5 points per game while taking just 2.2 extra field-goal attempts.
Seth Davis of CBS Sports provided high praise for the guard:
Hield's ability to create his own look and shoot the lights out can easily translate to the NBA, even if he is undersized for the position at 6'4". While he might not fill up the box score with other numbers, every team needs someone who can score.
Jamal Murray is another player who fits this description and is three years younger, but the 19-year-old Kentucky star doesn't necessarily have more upside. Without true point guard skills and a similar height (6'5" on DraftExpress), the best-case scenario might be reaching Hield's ability, so teams might be better off grabbing the sure thing who can contribute immediately.
Marquese Chriss, PF
Players such as Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram had high expectations going into their freshman seasons, but few likely expected Marquese Chriss to be a lottery pick after just one year of college. 247Sports' composite rankings rated him the No. 60 player in the 2015 class, but he somehow turned into one of the top freshmen in the nation.
The key has been his incredible athleticism, which helped him attack the basket and finish above the rim all year long. The 6'9" forward also started to show a wider skill set as the season continued, making shots from the outside as well as creating opportunities off the bounce.
While he still has a long way to go, Chriss has already improved dramatically in one year of college, something he is hoping to showcase to NBA teams.
"I think I need to show that I’ve matured over the season," Chriss told Percy Allen of the Seattle Times. "I’ve grown up I think. I’ve developed more away from the basket and not just as a post-up player and trying to do that and make that my game. I can shoot the ball."
Not only has he shown he can make plays on the offensive end, but the improvements let teams know he is willing to work to get better. This is important because many of his issues—like defensive rebounding and overall consistency—are fixable. At this rate, he could be a star in the NBA within a few years.
There is risk involved, but at least one team in the lottery will be willing to take a chance on the young player.
Thon Maker, C
This might be the most intriguing player in the entire draft. Thon Maker surprised almost everyone by declaring out of prep school instead of choosing a college. After some internal debate, the NBA ruled the center is indeed eligible, per ESPN's Chad Ford:
Maker now creates the conundrum for NBA teams that they have avoided since high school players stopped going straight to the draft: Do you take a chance on an unknown with upside who could be either a star or a bust?
Ford broke down the possibilities for the Australian, who played his high school ball in Canada:
"If Maker comes into workouts, makes shots, plays with toughness and pick things up quickly, he'll likely rise on the draft board. If teams see enough upside, he might land in the lottery.
However, it's also possible that he's physically and emotionally overwhelmed when matched up against the elite talent he'll be competing with in workouts. Most or all of them will have the kind of college experience that could make them readier and more polished. So Maker could easily slide into the second round—or even go undrafted—if he struggles.
"
This is a common tale for those who follow the draft, but Maker might have the widest range of anyone in recent memory. The tools are impressive as a 7'0" center with a long wingspan—7'3 ½", according to DraftExpress—who can block shots as well as step out and hit a three-pointer.
However, he seems out of place when he is on the court with no smoothness to his game, likely indicating he is still a few years away from contributing at a high level. When you look deeper than the highlight videos, plenty of questions arise.
In any case, NBA front offices are always scared of passing on a potential superstar. The upside for Maker is tremendous and enough to push him into the first round.
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