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2016 NBA Mock Draft: Updated Upside Comparisons

By Maxwell Ogden

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 11: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers waits to rebound the ball during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers during the quarterfinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 11, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 11: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers waits to rebound the ball during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers during the quarterfinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 11, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Who are the safe and ultimate upside comparisons for the top prospects in the 2016 NBA Draft?

NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 11: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers waits to rebound the ball during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers during the quarterfinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 11, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 11: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers waits to rebound the ball during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers during the quarterfinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 11, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

For as fascinating as the developments may be in the world of advanced metrics and analytics, evaluating NBA Draft prospects remains an overwhelmingly difficult task. The one-and-done generation has complicated the process, often providing roughly 30 games as a sample size for evaluation.

The most difficult aspect of that endeavor is determining just how good a player can become.

Gone are the days of players spending two-to-four years in college, competing against the nation’s elite, and entering the NBA with definitive scouting reports. Upon us are the days of one-and-done prospects who tend to enter the draft with more question marks than answers.

Welcome to the new reality.

In 2016, the rush of one-and-done prospects is met by an influx of international players with Round 1 grades. Thus, the question of the hour becomes the focus of this mock draft: how good can the Top 30 prospects in the 2016 NBA Draft be?

To properly answer that question, history will play a factor in defining the future.

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