2016 NBA Mock Draft: Drafting For Need

Dragan Bender, a professional Croatian basketball player currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Super League attends a training session at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on March 16, 2016.Bender's name is not yet well known beyond hardcore basketball fans, but that may soon change. Bender is expected to be highly sought after by US professional basketball teams in the coming months. / AFP / JACK GUEZ (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images) /

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Mar 19, 2016; Providence, RI, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Brandon Ingram (14) brings the ball up court during the first half of a second round game against the Yale Bulldogs in 2016 NCAA Tournament at Dunkin Donuts Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Philadelphia 76ers: Brandon Ingram, Duke Blue Devils

Position: Small Forward
Age: 18 (9/2/1997)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’9.5″, 196 pounds, 7’3″
Slash Line: .442/.410/.682
Season Averages: 34.6 MPG, 17.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.1 SPG

Ben Simmons is the No. 1 player on my big board, but he and Brandon Ingram aren’t separated by much. Thus, the factor of team needs brings Ingram to the No. 1 spot in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Simmons has superstar potential, but Ingram isn’t far behind with a skill set that fits Philadelphia far better than Simmons’ would—on paper.

Simmons may not be as abysmal a shooter as he seems, but he attempted a grand total of three 3-point field goals. For a 76ers team that’s attempting to build around big men Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Jahlil Okafor—or some combination of them—it’s hard to justify adding another non-shooter to the mix.

Meanwhile, the mere thought of Ingram and Dario Saric playing on the same team is enough to justify this pick.

Ingram bewilderingly struggled at the free throw line in the same season that he made 80 3-point field goals on 41.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He has an elite combination of size and length for a shooting guard at nearly 6’10” with a 7’3″ wingspan, and compares to Kevin Durant in terms of his upside as a scorer.

Simmons is the No. 1 player on my draft board, but Ingram’s skill set is a far better fit for Philadelphia in its current state.

Next: Los Angeles Lakers

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