2016 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions, Pro Comparisons for Elite Frontcourt Prospects

Size is always a luxury in the NBA, and the 2016 NBA draft class features a deep class of frontcourt players who should be able to help a roster in the near future.

In today's game, a big man who is mobile and able to shoot is highly valued, as top professional teams want to space out the floor. This year's class has those prospects, and with the guard crop being rather thin, frontcourt players will make up much of the lottery.

Here is a look at first-round projections for all 30 teams, along with some predictions and comparisons for some of the class' top big men. It should be noted that Ben Simmons will be included as a small forward and therefore a frontcourt player, although he plays like a guard at times.

Pick	Team	Player	Team
1	Philadelphia 76ers	Ben Simmons	LSU
2	Los Angeles Lakers	Brandon Ingram	Duke
3	Boston Celtics (from Brooklyn)	Dragan Bender	Maccabi Tel Aviv
4	Phoenix Suns	Jaylen Brown	California
5	Minnesota Timberwolves	Jamal Murray	Kentucky
6	New Orleans Pelicans	Buddy Hield	Oklahoma
7	Denver Nuggets (from New York)	Jakob Poeltl	Utah
8	Sacramento Kings	Kris Dunn	Providence
9	Toronto Raptors (from Denver)	Henry Ellenson	Marquette
10	Milwaukee Bucks	Demetrius Jackson	Notre Dame
11	Orlando Magic	Domantas Sabonis	Gonzaga
12	Utah Jazz	Denzel Valentine	Michigan State
13	Phoenix Suns (from Washington)	Deyonta Davis	Michigan State
14	Chicago Bulls	Timothe Luwawu	Mega Leks
15	Denver Nuggets (from Houston)	Furkan Korkmaz	Anadolu Efes
16	Boston Celtics (from Dallas)	Taurean Prince	Baylor
17	Memphis Grizzlies	Marquese Chriss	Washington
18	Detroit Pistons	Tyler Ulis	Kentucky
19	Denver Nuggets (from Portland)	Wade Baldwin IV	Vanderbilt
20	Indiana Pacers	Stephen Zimmerman	UNLV
21	Atlanta Hawks	Malik Beasley	Florida State
22	Charlotte Hornets	Skal Labissiere	Kentucky
23	Boston Celtics	DeAndre' Bembry	St. Joe's
24	Philadelphia 76ers (from Miami)	Cheick Diallo	Kansas
25	Los Angeles Clippers	Juan Hernangomez	Estudiantes
26	Philadelphia 76ers (from Oklahoma City)	Malachi Richardson	Syracuse
27	Toronto Raptors	Ben Bentil	Providence
28	Phoenix Suns (from Cleveland)	Dejounte Murray	Washington
29	San Antonio Spurs	Diamond Stone	Maryland
30	Golden State Warriors	A.J. Hammons	Purdue

Ben Simmons, LSU

Ben Simmons is an elite talent as a 6'10" forward who can operate as a point guard while still being able to significantly contribute on the glass. 

Simmons is a triple-double waiting to happen. His stats last season for LSU verify this, as he averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

He has a special array of skills. This seems to intrigue 76ers head coach Brett Brown, as he told Fox Sports (via ESPN.com).

"He's got a hint of Magic, and at times you can see a younger LeBron where you are not sure what position he is," Brown said. "One moment you think he is a 4 (power forward), maybe he is a 3 (small forward), he looks comfortable handling the ball."

A young James is a favorable comparison, but Simmons lacks James' explosiveness. He is also not as built.  Despite being two inches taller (compared to James' 6'8"), Simmons weighs the same as the 18-year-old James did at 240 pounds.  Still, he has time to develop his frame.

The most viable comparison would be Golden State's Draymond Green. Both are triple-double threats with guard skills. However, Simmons is not as strong as Green, but he is much more fluid and athletic.

Simmons is an ideal talent to run an offense through. He only attempted three shots from beyond the arc last season, so that part of his game must improve. However, he is too special of a player for Philadelphia to pass up with the top pick.

Dragan Bender, Maccabi Tel Aviv 

After Simmons, Dragan Bender may have the most upside of any prospect in the draft. He is also very raw, which makes him a risky pick in the top five.

Standing at 7'1," Bender is a mobile power forward who can hit shots from the outside, but he also makes his teammates better with his tremendous passing ability. 

With the success of a similar player in Kristaps Porzingis in New York last season, the comparisons between him and Bender are obvious.

Both guys move very well and can stretch the floor from inside and outside, but Porzingis was a bit more polished at this time last year. He can also contribute much more in the paint than Bender currently could in the NBA. Bender is only 225 pounds, so there is plenty of room to build some muscle.

A team like Boston would be a great fit, as the Celtics are already a playoff team that could afford to wait a year or two for Bender to develop. When he is ready, Bender could create more space for Boston's guards while becoming a monster in head coach Brad Steven's spaced offense.

Jakob Poeltl, Utah

Sticking with the mobility theme, Jakob Poeltl is another 7-footer who gets up and down the floor with ease. Unlike Bender, Poeltl is currently more NBA-ready and a greater post presence.

As a sophomore, Poeltl led the Utes in scoring (17.2 points per game), rebounding (9.1 per game) and blocks (1.6 a contest) during the 2015-16 season. Poeltl was subsequently named the Pac-12 Player of the Year.

He is a force down low, weighing in at 235 pounds, who fits in great with the current style of play in the NBA. Take a look at his strengths, courtesy of DraftExpress:

Poeltl compares very well to Oklahoma City's Steven Adams as a strong, athletic 7-footer who commands the paint while being able to catch lobs off of picks and in transition. 

Poeltl is more polished offensively than Adams, as he can create his own shots down low and consistently hit mid-range jumpers. This is not something Adams has done much in his career.

While he is not the stretch forward Bender is, Poeltl has the makings of an all-star center. There is no way he falls out of the top ten, with teams like Denver, Phoenix and Toronto needing some punch in the frontcourt. 

All statistics courtesy of ESPN.com.