2016 NBA Mock Draft: Sixers win the lottery, land Ben Simmons

Michigan State. Denzel Valentine . 15. player. 73. <p>Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine is fresh off of one of the best statistical seasons in college basketball history. During his senior year, the 22-year old averaged 23.3 points, 9.4 assists, and 9.1 rebounds per 40 minutes. His combination of ball handling, passing, and shooting make him one of the most versatile offensive players in the draft. Valentine frequently played point guard for the Spartans and was capable of pulling up from outside off the dribble. At worst, he should be a high quality catch-and-shoot three-point shooter at the next level, having made 40.8 percent of his 605 three-point attempts during his time in East Lansing.</p> <p>The questions for Valentine surround his lack of explosive speed and elite athleticism. At 6-6 with a 6-11 wingspan, he has great size to play the shooting guard spot, but there are uncertainties about his ability to keep up with the NBA-types who play that position like James Harden or even shooters like Kyle Korver who regularly sprint through several screens. The good news is that Valentine ran one of the fastest lane agility drill times (10.51 seconds) at the combine, which suggests he may be a bit quicker on his feet than expected despite lacking an above average leaping ability.</p> <p>This selection allows Denver to grab an immediate impact wing who can also spend a few minutes per game as a backup point guard if necessary. Valentine should also help the Nuggets put points on the board as one of the draft’s smoothest shooters.</p> <p><em>To read more about Denzel Valentine, <a href=. SG