2016 NBA Draft: Best big men

Although the skills have changed, NBA teams are always looking for big bodies. Who are the best big men in the 2016 NBA Draft?

The modern NBA big man has gone through a rapid evolution over the last handful of seasons. Now more than ever, big men are expected to be able to step out and consistently hit mid-range jumpers, and in most cases they’re asked to stretch that shot all the way to the three-point line. They need to be able to competently makes plays when called upon, which includes finding the open man with a pass or creating a shot for himself or his teammates off the dribble.

Big men are still asked to set hard screens, whether off the ball or in pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop sets, but now that’s evolved into some four-five pick-and-roll sets where you have a big as the ball handler.

With the way the position has expanded offensively, obviously, it leads to an expanded role on defense. Bigs are now frequently asked to switch everything and stay in front of smaller defenders.

With few exceptions, gone are the days when a big could simply just camp near the paint on both ends of the floor. Defenses have become too good at clogging the paint, and offenses are too reliant on floor spacing. Plus, there is only a very small group of bigs who can truly punish defenses for putting a smaller defender on him.

This has changed the way teams approach drafting big men in recent years. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five best big men in the 2016 NBA Draft.

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