2016 NBA Mock Draft: Breakdown of Top Center Prospects and 1st-Round Predictions
Today’s NBA is not an easy place for big men.
After all, small-ball lineups, three-point shooting, stretch 4s and uptempo attacks dictated the tone throughout much of the league in 2015-16.
The Golden State Warriors set an NBA record with 73 wins as league MVP Stephen Curry drilled an unheard of 402 shots from three-point range and the 6’7” Draymond Green served as a center in critical moments. The Cleveland Cavaliers unleashed Kevin Love and Channing Frye as long-range shooting power forwards, while LeBron James played nearly every position on the court on the way to the Finals.
However, there is still enough room in the NBA for low-post presences. Just ask DeMarcus Cousins, DeAndre Jordan, Hassan Whiteside and Andre Drummond. Or the Oklahoma City Thunder after they used Steven Adams and Enes Kanter to wreak havoc on the Warriors’ small-ball lineups in the first four games of the Western Conference Finals.
The next wave of impact big men is on the way via the 2016 NBA draft on June 23. With that in mind, here is a look at a mock first round and some of the top center prospects available this year.
A player was considered a center if DraftExpress' mock draft listed him as such. The order of the picks is from the DraftExpress mock that was updated on May 27.
| 1 | Philadelphia 76ers | Ben Simmons, SF/PF, LSU |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | Brandon Ingram, SF, Duke |
| 3 | Boston Celtics | Buddy Hield, SG, Oklahoma |
| 4 | Phoenix Suns | Jamal Murray, PG/SG, Kentucky |
| 5 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Kris Dunn, PG, Providence |
| 6 | New Orleans Pelicans | Jaylen Brown, SF, California |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | Denzel Valentine, SG, Michigan State |
| 8 | Sacramento Kings | Dragan Bender, PF, Israel |
| 9 | Toronto Raptors | Skal Labissiere, PF/C, Kentucky |
| 10 | Milwaukee Bucks | Jakob Poeltl, C, Utah |
| 11 | Orlando Magic | Henry Ellenson, PF, Marquette |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Timothe Luwawu, SG/SF, France |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Deyonta Davis, PF/C, Michigan State |
| 14 | Chicago Bulls | Wade Baldwin IV, PG, Vanderbilt |
| 15 | Denver Nuggets | Marquese Chriss, PF, Washington |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Domantas Sabonis, PF/C, Gonzaga |
| 17 | Memphis Grizzlies | Tyler Ulis, PG, Kentucky |
| 18 | Detroit Pistons | Demetrius Jackson, PG, Notre Dame |
| 19 | Denver Nuggets | Taurean Prince, SF, Baylor |
| 20 | Indiana Pacers | Furkan Korkmaz, SG, Turkey |
| 21 | Atlanta Hawks | Brice Johnson, PF, North Carolina |
| 22 | Charlotte Hornets | Malik Beasley, SG, Florida State |
| 23 | Boston Celtics | Cheick Diallo, PF/C, Kansas |
| 24 | Philadelphia 76ers | Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt |
| 25 | Los Angeles Clippers | Malachi Richardson, SG/SF, Syracuse |
| 26 | Philadelphia 76ers | DeAndre Bembry, SF, Saint Joseph's |
| 27 | Toronto Raptors | Malcolm Brogdon, SG, Virginia |
| 28 | Phoenix Suns | Patrick McCaw, SG, UNLV |
| 29 | San Antonio Spurs | Stephen Zimmerman, C, UNLV |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Ben Bentil, PF, Providence |
Top Center Prospects Available
Skal Labissiere, Kentucky
Labissiere arrived at Kentucky as a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports’ composite rankings, and the No. 1 center and No. 2 overall player in the class of 2015. The Anthony Davis comparisons were almost too easy since he, too, was a Wildcat, but Labissiere didn’t live up to those expectations from a statistical perspective.
He scored 6.6 points and grabbed 3.1 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. He did tally 1.6 blocks a night in those limited minutes, which is a testament to his potential as a rim protector at the next level.
The numbers don’t jump off the page, but it is all about upside with Labissiere. Gary Parrish of CBS Sports suggested as much:
"Labissiere held a workout in Chicago during the week of the combine and moved and shot well enough to remind scouts why they fell in love with him in the first place. That doesn't mean his disappointing season at UK should be disregarded. It's a concern. But his talent and potential remain intriguing. He'll be a lottery pick.
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Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress stressed the fact Labissiere has played little organized basketball in his life. He missed his junior year of high school with a stress fracture in his vertebrae and was ruled ineligible as a senior. He hasn’t had much opportunity to hone his skill set in competitive environments, but he will receive just that chance in the NBA.
Labissiere’s best trait is his overall athleticism compared to other centers. He gets out in transition like a guard, outleaps defenders to finish lobs and blows past opponents on cuts to the lane. Givony said the Kentucky product can also effectively work in pick-and-pop scenarios because of his ability to hit from mid-range.
Labissiere will likely be more athletic than most big men who defend him at the NBA level, and he will use that advantage to contribute right away as he continues to improve his game with more experience.
Jakob Poeltl, Utah
Labissiere doesn’t have much statistical production to go with his upside, but Poeltl does after he won the Pac-12 Player of the Year award in 2015-16.
There was a notable improvement in his points and his rebounds from his first to second year at the collegiate level, which suggests he will continue to bolster his play with more experience, especially since he is only 20 years old. His field-goal percentage and rim-protection numbers are also impressive, and he is a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor:
| 2014-15 | 23.3 | 9.1 | 6.8 | 68.1 | 1.9 |
| 2015-16 | 30.4 | 17.2 | 9.1 | 64.6 | 1.6 |
Matt Kamalsky of DraftExpress said the “intrigue at the NBA level starts with his impressive combination of size and athleticism” when discussing Poeltl. Kamalsky said the Utah product “measured at 7’1” in shoes” but is still “a fluid athlete with better mobility than most players his size.”
In addition to the athleticism, Poeltl is difficult to stop on the low block. He can score with his back to the basket, drop soft hook shots over defenders and use that athleticism to sneak past opponents in the paint with a quick jab step or two.
Look for him to use that low-post arsenal to earn significant minutes in his rookie season.
Deyonta Davis, Michigan State
Like Labissiere, it is all about potential with Davis rather than the numbers he put up in his one collegiate season.
He played 18.6 minutes per night at Michigan State and averaged 7.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in that time. While the scoring isn’t eye-popping, his rebounding and block totals in limited action signify his ability to make a difference in the NBA on the defensive side.
His overall athleticism and quickness in the paint help him cover along the baseline and provide help defense when guards penetrate the lane. Davis can also stay in front of ball-handling forwards and compete with bigger centers on the boards when given enough minutes.
Davis’ defensive upside will appeal to NBA teams, but he said he didn’t get the chance to show off his entire offensive repertoire at Michigan State, per Kyle Austin of MLive.com: “I can hit the [three], but they didn't give me a chance to show it. … It's more than just the post I play. I'm a shooter, I can handle the ball. I'm versatile.”
If that is the case, Davis will be the type of all-around contributor in the NBA who is worth a lottery pick.
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