NBA Draft 2016: Predicting rookie busts

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Jaylen Brown (California) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number three overall pick to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Thon Maker puts on a team cap after being selected as the number ten overall pick to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Thon Maker

There was no bigger unknown heading into the 2016 NBA Draft than Thon Maker. A player that was expected to play in college next season was granted a spot in the NBA Draft because of eligibility and everyone tried to guess where his draft stock would end up.

Leading up to the draft, people thought he would fall out of the first round and into a selection that matched what some scouts believed to be his actual age. Instead, the Bucks believed in his upside and decided to take him with the No. 10 overall pick in the draft.

It’s hard to blame the Bucks here for this pick, because it’s likely someone else would have taken the chance. However, if he is indeed older or not, he’s an incredibly raw talent that’s going to need a lot of work.

He has bad hands and can’t catch the basketball and is going to need work on all facets of his game. What he has going for him is his size and that’s what the Bucks are baking on again here.

However, with the No. 10 pick in the draft, this is a major risk and Maker has never gone up against the level of competition that the league provides. He can shoot a little bit, but that’s it for right now.

Next: 2. Denzel Valentine

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