2016 NBA Draft Big Board v5.0
By Chris Stone
With the NBA draft combine behind us, the draft order settled, and only a few weeks until the actual draft, it’s time for a new Upside & Motor big board looking at the top prospects available for 2016. This list is the result of deliberations between fellow writer Trevor Magnotti and myself and represents our ordering of prospects based on a combination of upside, risk, and skill level. It is not a prediction of how the June 23rd draft will actually go down.
1. A point guard in a power forward’s body, he’ll need to develop a jumper to hit his ceiling. <a href=. PF. LSU. BEN SIMMONS
2. A lengthy wing with excellent two-way potential if he can fill out his lanky frame. <a href=. SF. Duke. BRANDON INGRAM
3. An impressively versatile big man who can guard multiple positions and hit outside shots. <a href=. PF. Maccabi Tel Aviv. DRAGAN BENDER
Providence. KRIS DUNN. 4. The best passer and perimeter defender in this class. He’s 22 years old, but can contribute right away. <a href=. PG
5. An excellent shooter who can work as a secondary ball-handler, but needs to find his place defensively. <a href=. SG. Kentucky. JAMAL MURRAY
The Wooden Award winner is a fantastic shot creator and has decent defensive potential. <a href=. SG. Oklahoma. BUDDY HIELD. 6
An efficient, mobile big man on offense who can protect the rim on the other end. <a href=. PF/C. Utah. JAKOB POELTL. 7
8. Luwawu exploded for Mega Leks this year, and projects as a solid 3 & D wing if his efficiency improves. <a href=. SG. Mega Leks. TIMOTHE LUWAWU
9. A bouncy point guard who improved as a distributor and will make his biggest impact on offense. <a href=. PG. Notre Dame. DEMETRIUS JACKSON
10. Has all of the athleticism and length in the world, but can he overcome woeful shooting inconsistency? <a href=. SF. California. JAYLEN BROWN
PF. Kentucky. SKAL LABISSIERE. 11. An immensely talented big man with a smooth jumper looking to recover from a disappointing freshman season. <a href=
12. The hottest name in the draft. A potential stretch four that can protect the rim, although he’s still incredibly raw. <a href=. PF. Washington. MARQUESE CHRISS
13. A rangy front court player who can step out beyond the three-point line and clean up the defensive glass. <a href=. PF/C. Marquette. HENRY ELLENSON
14. An impressive physical specimen who’s point guard skills are raw, but promising. <a href=. PG. Vanderbilt. WADE BALDWIN IV
DEYONTA DAVIS. 15. An athletic, 6-11 big with high upside who shines as a rim protector and mobile defender. <a href=. PF/C. Michigan State
Michigan State. DENZEL VALENTINE. 16. Valentine, an average athlete, but stuffs the stat sheet and can play all three perimeter spots. <a href=. SG/SF
17. A very young shooting guard prospect who can fill it up from deep, but will need a few years of seasoning. <a href=. SG. Anadolu Efes. FURKAN KORKMAZ
18. Would be a lottery pick were he 6-2. A cagey defender who manages an offense well. <a href=. PG. Kentucky. TYLER ULIS
DOMANTAS SABONIS. 19. The son of a Hall of Famer, he can crash the glass with the best of them, but needs to round out his offensive game. <a href=. PF. Gonzaga
20. An efficient volume scorer, Beasley projects as a nice addition to any bench. <a href=. SG. Florida State. MALIK BEASLEY
21. A potential draft-and-stash option who can protect the rim and projects as a pick-and-roll threat. <a href=. C. Mega Leks. IVICA ZUBAC
An energy big who’s efficiency has been unmatched among European prospects in recent years. <a href=. C. KK Cibona. ANTE ZIZIC. 22
23. One of the best playmaking wings available in the draft, but he lacks the outside shot necessary to shore up his offensive game <a href=. SF. St. Joseph's. DEANDRE' BEMBRY
24. A total enigma. Physical tools of a lottery pick, but the production and basketball IQ of a bench warmer. <a href=. PF/C. Kansas. CHEICK DIALLO
25. A high upside guard with a great physical profile who is still developing the necessary feel for the game. <a href=. PG/SG. Washington. DEJOUNTE MURRAY
SG/SF. UNLV. PATRICK MCCAW. 26. He struggled at UNLV, but McCaw has good 3 & D potential on the wing. <a href=
After delivering a highly productive year in Spain, he enters the draft as an intriguing stretch power forward prospect and stash option. <a href=. PF. Estudiantes. JUAN HERNANGOMEZ. 27
SF. Baylor. TAUREAN PRINCE. 28. Prototypical size and a much-improved outside shot, but can he defend at an NBA level? <a href=
Xinjiang. ZHOU QI. 29. A bit of an unknown quantity who has a unique skill set for the center position. <a href=. C
MALCOLM BROGDON. 30. A low-upside, high floor bench wing with excellent defensive IQ and improved scoring ability. <a href=. SG. Virginia
31. An offensively versatile power forward who projects to be a draft-and-stash candidate. <a href=. PF. Rouen. GUERSCHON YABUSELE
32. Offensively limited, but agile 250-pound centers with good defensive acumen don’t grow on trees. <a href=. C. Louisville. CHINANU ONUAKU
C. UNLV. STEPHEN ZIMMERMAN. 33. Underused at UNLV, he could be a nice late first round steal as a mobile big man. <a href=
PAUL ZIPSER. 34. A tweener forward with great intangibles who does nothing elite, but everything well. <a style=. SF. Bayern Munich
35. He has an NBA body and rim protector potential, but never lived up to the hype in three years at Vanderbilt. <a style=. C. Vanderbilt. DAMIAN JONES
36. An energetic and bouncy power forward who will hopefully develop a mid-range game in the NBA. <a style=. PF. North Carolina. BRICE JOHNSON
37. Rebounding and defense are questions, but Bentil can get buckets from all over the floor. <a style=. PF. Providence. BEN BENTIL
PF. Le Mans. PETR CORNELIE. 38. A potential role player on offense with plenty of defensive upside. <a href=
39. Athletic big with a high motor who needs at least two years before he’ll see an NBA floor. <a style=. PF/C. Orangeville Prep. THON MAKER
ISAIA CORDINIER. 40. He’s not ready to compete in the NBA yet, but the tools are there for him to develop into an offensive threat. <a style=. SG. Denain
41. Scouts love his ability to create shots, but he’s the least efficient shooter in the draft. <a style=. SG/SF. Syracuse. MALACHI RICHARDSON
Oregon State. GARY PAYTON II. 42. An excellent defensive point guard can jump out of the gym, but lacks a perimeter jumper. <a style=. PG
A draft and stash option who scores well in isolation and can distribute, but might not have NBA athleticism. <a style=. SF. Mega Leks. RADE ZAGORAC. 43
Michigan. CARIS LEVERT. 44. A first round talent who’s stock has fallen because of his injury history. <a style=. SG/SF
Maryland. DIAMOND STONE. 45. A big his size is enticing, but he has major effort and motor questions. <a href=. C
A.J. HAMMONS. 46. An elder statesman in terms of the NBA draft, he posted gaudy numbers as a senior and can protect the rim. <a href=. C. Purdue
39.9 percent three-point shooter. Can he do anything else? <a href=. SF. Maryland. JAKE LAYMAN. 47
WAYNE SELDEN. 48. His body is NBA ready, but it’s not clear that he can overcome the inconsistencies he showed at Kansas. <a href=. SG. Kansas
49. A good athlete and shot-maker for the second round. Also, 24 with significant defensive questions.. SF. Syracuse. MICHAEL GBINIJE
ROBERT CARTER. 50. The pieces didn’t fit for him at Maryland, but he has intriguing potential as a stretch four or small ball five. <a href=. PF. Maryland
PF. New Mexico State. PASCAL SIAKAM. 51. A high-energy power forward with good length, solid athleticism, and minimal polish. <a href=
An undersized point guard who excelled in all areas offensively in college. <a href=. PG. Oakland. KAY FELDER. 52
SHELDON MCCLELLAN. 53. A good three-point shooter with solid athleticism who struggles on defense. <a style=. SG. Miami
He’s already 23-years old, but the tools are there for him to be a solid 3-and-D wing.. SF. Florida. DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH. 54
ISAIAH WHITEHEAD. 55. Good scorer with excellent size who has significant question marks on the court and in the locker room. <a href=. PG/SG. Seton Hall
Texas. PRINCE IBEH. 56. A four-year college player who will be at his best as a rim protector and pick-and-roll big.. C
JOEL BOLOMBOY. 57. Raw power rebounder who has more potential than polish on both ends. <a style=. PF. Weber State
PG. Oklahoma. ISAIAH COUSINS. 58. An older prospect who has great size for the point guard spot and made 40 percent of his threes the past two seasons.
59. Impressive size, but he’s a point guard who struggles to run an offense and score. <a style=. PG. LSU. TIM QUARTERMAN
ALEKSANDAR VEZENKOV. 60. He’ll find ways to score, but there are plenty of questions regarding how his defense will translate.. SF/PF. Barcelona