2016 NBA Draft Prospects: Top-Rated Players Heading into Draft Lottery
The future of the NBA changes Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET when the 2016 NBA draft lottery sorts the picks for the upcoming draft.
More couldn't be at stake. Not only do a wide range of teams from the Philadelphia 76ers to Boston Celtics and beyond have a shot at the top pick, a team such as the Los Angeles Lakers could lose theirs depending on how the pingpong balls fall.
It's only fitting, then, that the 2016 class trumpets enough talent to make this all possible. In fact, some might classify this as a top-heavy class, which works out when one begins to research the top-rated players.
Below, let's take a look at a brief sampling of the top players in the class based on the latest big boards from ESPN.com's Chad Ford, CBSSports.com's Sam Vecenie and Sports' Illustrated's Jeremy Woo.
Top-Rated Players From Notable Experts
| 1. | Ben Simmons, LSU | Ben Simmons, LSU | Ben Simmons, LSU |
| 2. | Brandon Ingram, Duke | Brandon Ingram, Duke | Brandon Ingram, Duke |
| 3. | Jamal Murray, Kentucky | Dragan Bender, Croatia | Dragan Bender, Croatia |
| 4. | Kris Dunn, Providence | Kris Dunn, Providence | Jamal Murray, Kentucky |
| 5. | Dragan Bender, Croatia | Jaylen Brown, California | Kris Dunn, Providence |
The Big 3
Ben Simmons, LSU
Ben Simmons hasn't budged as the top player in the class for a long time.
For good reason, too, because Simmons is an incredible prospect, a pro-ready forward at 6'10" and 239 pounds with a ridiculous batch of upside simply because he could still work on his jumper.
Even the jumper is a small issue, too. Simmons only needed one season with LSU to impress by averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 56.0 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from deep.
Simmons is such a lock as the best player in the class that he didn't even show up at the combine. Even better—it didn't hurt him at all, according to Ford:
"That's not unheard of -- Emmanuel Mudiay stayed away last year -- and it didn't seem to have an real effect on Simmons' draft stock. I spoke to numerous NBA executives and the majority still believe he's the best player in the draft and the favorite to be picked first on draft night.
Once we see who actually wins the lottery on Tuesday night, we'll have an even better feel for his odds of going No. 1.
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It's hard to imagine the team that lands the top pick going with anyone but Simmons.
This doesn't even come down to fit. Simmons is the type of prospect a team cannot afford to pass on, not with the way his budding game continues to develop. Expect his name to get called first no matter how the balls bounce Tuesday.
Brandon Ingram, Duke
Duke's Brandon Ingram has done much to close the gap on Simmons down the stretch, but he's still behind with little time to catch up.
Not that the team drafting second will complain—at all.
Ingram comes in at 6'10" and 196 pounds. He's thin, but the negatives end there after a freshman season in which he averaged 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 44.2 percent from the floor and 41.0 percent from deep.
While one of the youngest players in the draft, Ingram is arguably the best do-it-all player. His offensive numbers speak to his ability to score at all three levels, but what goes underrated is a ridiculous wingspan and athleticism that allows him to defend multiple positions on the court.
Woo explained Ingram's current stock with context from a scout and long-term analysis:
"The case for Ingram at No. 1 has never been stronger, and he could very well wind up scoring more points than anyone in this draft. He finished out strong with Duke, puts the ball on the floor more comfortably than some thought, and should develop into a formidable threat on the perimeter. “He competes,” one scout says. “You’re going to need that kind of dog [in you] to succeed at our level.” Of course, he’s at a very early stage of physical development, and the need to get stronger and quicker adds another set of variables.
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Ingram has plenty of growing to do from a physical standpoint, but that's the easy part. Everything else already seems in place, which speaks to how special he and Simmons truly are at the top of this draft.
If someone will pull off an upset for No. 1, it's Ingram.
Dragan Bender, Croatia
After the New York Knicks hit it out of the proverbial park with Kristaps Porzingis last year, the Association seemed to slant even more toward athletic big men who can shoot from range.
Dragan Bender's arrival comes at a time when the NBA continues to evolve and ask more of its big men, which is something he can provide. Standing at 7'1" and 216 pounds, Bender can run the court like a guard and play three different spots on the floor while dishing assists like a point.
While he still needs to fill out his frame, there's a reason most experts have Bender second only to Simmons and Ingram. And even the Porzingis comparison isn't totally spot-on because Bender truly could become a one-of-a-kind player, provided his frame fills out well.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman expanded on the thought: "If he can tie the versatility together without being held back physically, we could be talking about one of the game's most unique big men. Bender will have the chance to become an All-Star role player, similar to how Draymond Green did."
Bender isn't a threat to steal one of the first two slots in the draft. However, the team that is able to land him anywhere after No. 2 does so with the understanding upside and a unique attack on both ends of the floor is the name of the game.
As far as risks go, Bender is one worth taking.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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