One player that was part of the NBA Draft Green Room was not selected tonight: Deyonta Davis. This is because of a number of players being selected from overseas. There were a lot of surprises tonight, with the only two givens being the first two picks. This draft was full of good trades and shocking picks, and we may have got a couple of future stars entering the league in tonight’s draft.
2016 NBA Draft 1st Round:
With the 1st pick in the 2016 #NBADraft the Philadelphia 76ers select Ben Simmons!#SixersNation pic.twitter.com/U17TwznBub
— NBA On Def Pen (@NBAOnDefPen) June 23, 2016
1) Philadelphia 76ers- Ben Simmons (LSU) SF/PF
Ben Simmons was obviously going to be drafted 1st overall. At LSU, Simmons was a solid player. He averaged 19.2 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 4.8 APG, and 2.0 SPG in his one year in college. Simmons has the potential to be one of the best players in the league, but he doesn’t have much of an outside shot. If Simmons is going to be a great player, he will need to develop his outside shot.
With the 2nd pick in the 2016 #NBADraft the Los Angeles Lakers select Brandon Ingram#LakersNation pic.twitter.com/vMvoiMnDNU
— NBA On Def Pen (@NBAOnDefPen) June 23, 2016
2) Los Angeles Lakers- Brandon Ingram (Duke) SF/PF
Ben Simmons was the obvious pick for first overall, and Brandon Ingram is the obvious second pick. Ingram averaged 17.3 PPG in his one season at Duke, and he grabbed 6 boards while shooting 44% from the field and 41% from three. He will fit in very well with the Lakers offense. They are in need of a small forward, and he will fill in well. Look for Ingram to be a top scorer in the league eventually.
With the 3rd pick in the 2016 #NBADraft the Boston Celtics select Jaylen Brown #BleedGreen #CelticsNation pic.twitter.com/JGQR2VGWtm
— NBA On Def Pen (@NBAOnDefPen) June 23, 2016
3) Boston Celtics- Jaylen Brown (Cal) SG/SF
Jaylen Brown is a surprising pick for the Celtics here, but he is a solid player. He averaged 14.6 PPG and 5 boards. He isn’t a great shooter, but he is a solid defender and his body is NBA ready. Brown turned the ball over quite a bit, but he will be fine with Boston’s young core.
With the 4th pick in the 2016 #NBADraft the Phoenix Suns select Dragan Bender#SunsDraft pic.twitter.com/4w6OqzH5dK
— NBA On Def Pen (@NBAOnDefPen) June 24, 2016
4) Phoenix Suns- Dragan Bender (Croatia) PF/C
Dragan Bender isn’t quite the player that international star Kristaps Porzingis is, but he is very similar. Phoenix needs a big man, so Bender is a solid pick. He was an Israeli League All-Star at 18 years old last year, and he is huge. At 7″1′ Bender has a huge upside for the Suns.
With the 5th pick in the 2016 #NBADraft the Minnesota Timberwolves select Kris Dunn pic.twitter.com/QbmxEYcnQl
— NBA On Def Pen (@NBAOnDefPen) June 24, 2016
5) Minnesota Timberwolves- Kris Dunn (Providence) PG
Kris Dunn is the best point guard in this draft for good reason. He has the potential to be an elite point guard, and could potentially be an All-Defensive team kind of guy. He was Tom Thibodeau’s first option, and the Wolves gave Thibs his guy. Dunn was phenomenal at Providence, averaging 16.4 PPG in his senior year, 5.3 RPG, and 6.2 APG. He also was great on defense, stealing the ball 2.5 times a game.
With the 6th pick in the 2016 #NBADraft the New Orleans Pelicans select Buddy Hield pic.twitter.com/yvQvMoVLh3
— NBA On Def Pen (@NBAOnDefPen) June 24, 2016
6) New Orleans Pelicans- Buddy Hield (Oklahoma) SG
Buddy Hield is a scorer to all senses of the word. He improved greatly every year in college, and in his senior season, he averaged 25 PPG on 46% from three and 50% from the field. He will spread the floor well for the Pelicans, and he will be a great player along side Anthony Davis.
7) Denver Nuggets- Jamal Murray (Kentucky) SG/SF
In Jamal Murray’s only season at Kentucky, he was a great scorer. He averaged 20 PPG, and he shot well from the field. He shot 40% from three, and 50% from the field. He is a great addition to the young Nuggets team, and he will fit in well at small forward.
8) Sacramento Kings (pick goes to Phoenix Suns via trade)- Marquese Chriss (Washington) PF/C
Marquese Chriss has the potential to be one of the best players in this draft. He is a tall athletic forward, and he can help spread the floor. The Suns now have their big men of the future in Chriss and Bender, and they will both work in well with their young core.
9) Toronto Raptors- Jacob Poeltl (Utah) C
The Raptors aren’t necessarily in need of a big man (they have Bismack Biyombo and Jonas Valanciunas), but they select this one here. Poeltl is a big 7 footer who can defend the rim well and he can also score well from the block. He averaged 17 PPG in his sophomore year with nearly 10 boards and 1.6 BPG.
10) Milwaukee Bucks- Thon Maker (Australia) C
Thon Maker is a huge risk, especially this early. He can dribble, shoot, and pass, and he is 7 feet tall. The thing is, we don’t know how old he is, and we don’t know how he plays in 5-on-5 basketball. The Bucks are probably hoping that he ends up like Giannis Antetokounmpo for them.
11) Orlando Magic- Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga) C
Sabonis won’t ever be a superstar, but he will be an excellent pro. He can grab rebounds with ease, and he will come and do what he is expected to do for the Magic.
TRADE: Orlando will receive Serge Ibaka, and they send Victor Oladipo, Sabonis, and Ersan Illyasova to Oklahoma City.
12) Utah Jazz (pick goes to Atlanta Hawks via trade)- Taurean Prince (Baylor) SF
Taurean Prince averaged 16 PPG, 6 boards, and he can play great defense. He will fit well into Atlanta’s system, and he is a great pick for Atlanta. He will play a very similar role to DeMarre Carroll when Carroll was on the Hawks two years ago.
13) Phoenix Suns (pick goes to Sacramento Kings via trade)- Georgios Papagiannis (Greece) PF/C
This is an odd pick (he averaged 4.8 PPG last year in the Greek league last year), but he is 7″1′ and should be fine in the NBA. He will take a lot of time developing, but the Kings don’t need a big right now anyways.
14) Chicago Bulls- Denzel Valentine (Michigan State) PG/SG
Valentine is one of the best players in this draft, and he can do a lot of great things. He is an exceptional passer, he can rebound, and score with ease. With Derrick Rose gone, he will make for an exceptional new point guard for this team.
15) Denver Nuggets- Juan Hernangomez (Spain) SG/SF
The forward out of Spain is an average three point shooter, and averaged 9.6 PPG in the ACB last year. He will take time to develop, but Denver has time to wait.
16) Boston Celtics- Guerschon Yabusele (France)
Guerschon averaged 11 points in the French league, and he will be a solid player for the Celtics down the line. A draft and stash kind of guy.
17) Memphis Grizzlies- Wade Baldwin (Vanderbilt) PG
With Mike Conley likely leaving, Wade Baldwin may end up being Memphis’ point guard of the future. In his sophomore year, he averaged 14 PPG and shot well, hitting 40% of his three’s.
18) Detroit Pistons- Henry Ellenson (Marquette) PF/C
Ellenson had a solid freshman year, averaging 17 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 1.5 BPG. He was a solid big man, and he will be a good power forward next to Andre Drummond for the Pistons.
19) Denver Nuggets- Malik Beasley (Florida State) SF
Malik Beasley is a solid small forward. The Nuggets will be able to use him as a solid backup. He scored 15 PPG and shot 39% from three. His smooth stroke will work well for a fast-paced Nuggets team.
20) Brooklyn Nets (via Indiana Pacers)- Caris LeVert (Michigan) SF
The senior improved his game throughout his four years, averaging 16.5 PPG in his senior season, but it is odd that he is picked here. He suffered a torn ACL this year, and was expected to be drafted later.
21) Atlanta Hawks- DeAndre Bembry (Florida State) SG/SF
A lot would say Atlanta should’ve chose a big man here (especially with the possibility of Al Horford leaving), but Bembry is a solid pick up. He had a shakey junior year, but he looks to be a solid backup on Atlanta. He didn’t get better his junior year, but under coach Budenholzer, he may do well.
22) Sacramento Kings (via Charlotte Hornets)- Malachi Richardson (Syracuse) SG/SF
Malachi Richardson was a smooth shooter in his freshman year at Syracuse. He averaged 13.4 PPG, and I think that he has a nice upside to him. He will start off the bench, but he could be very good one day.
23) Boston Celtics- Ante Zizic (Croatia) PF/C
Zizic played all over Europe this past year, but now he will play for the Boston Celtics. He will likely be another draft and stash guy because the Celtics need to win now.
24) Philadelphia 76ers- Timothe Luwawu (France) SG/SF
The 76ers have picked overseas guys before, and that is what they will do here. Luwawu is a solid player, and averaged 14 PPG in France and was a solid player.
25) Los Angeles Clippers- Brice Johnson (North Carolina) PF/C
The senior from UNC had a solid last year, averaging 17 points per game. He is a solid big, and he can score with ease. He will be a solid backup to Blake Griffin for the Clippers.
26) Philadelphia 76ers- Furkan Korkmaz (Turkey)
The 76ers take another European guy, hoping to add to that young core to build around Ben Simmons.
27) Toronto Raptors- Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) PF/C
The Raptors take another center out of Africa. They are probably looking for a backup just in case Bismack Biyombo leaves.
28) Phoenix Suns (pick goes to Sacramento Kings via trade)- Skal Labissiere (Kentucky) PF/C
Skal played limited minutes in his one year at Kentucky, but the former top 5 prospect will be a good pick up for the Kings. Maybe they don’t want DeMarcus Cousins anymore, and they could deal him.
29) San Antonio Spurs- Dejounte Murray (Washington) SG
Murray is a solid pick this far in the draft. I didn’t see him falling this far, and he is a nice grab for the Spurs this late. He averaged 16.1 PPG in his one year at Washington. He has all-star potential, and he could be great for the Spurs.
30) Golden State Warriors- Damian Jones (Vanderbilt) C
Damian Jones may be the best pick from 20-30, and he will just help the Warriors win another championship. He can shoot mid range jumpers, and rebounds well. He won’t play much to start, but down the line could be a key player.
