A Bleacher Report mock draft back in September had Buddy Hield drafted in the 22nd spot in the 2016 NBA Draft to the Chicago Bulls. His stock has risen significantly since then, as ESPN's Chad Ford has him going 6th to the Pelicans in his 5th mock draft released on April 1st.
The five players listed before him, in order, are: Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, Dragan Bender, Jamal Murray, and Henry Ellenson. All of these players have problems that lower their appeal and make Buddy Hield the best bet for a team looking for an NBA superstar.
First, however, Hield's appeal needs to be discussed. He's averaged 25.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and two assists a game, along with a 46.5 three-point range percentage this season. Up until the Final Four in the 2016 NCAA tournament, he averaged 29.2 points and a 71 percent field goal percentage. He's an excellent athlete and an incredible scorer with an impeccable stroke from deep range and a great ability to get to the basket.
He is relatively weak on the defensive end, but his offensive prowess more than compensates for this aspect of his game. He is the two-time consecutive Big 12 Player of the Year, should have won the 2016 AP Player of the Year (over Denzel Valentine), and will most likely be the 2016 Wooden Award Winner.
After winning the Big 12 Player of the Year last year, he was expected to enter the 2015 NBA Draft. However, most draft experts had him going in the second round, which Buddy didn't like. So, he decided to stay for his senior season to improve his skills -- mainly ball-handling and passing.
Not many juniors who stay for their senior year see increase in their draft stock, but Buddy has made a name for himself through his determination to get better, which I'm sure will only continue at the next level. I see Buddy Hield's "Superstar Potential" being similar to that of Kobe Bryant - that's how good he can be.
The players drafted before Hield all have the potential to be good NBA players, but there are some weaknesses in them that I believe are what propel Hield above them. Dragan Bender, a 7-foot-tall player from Croatia, may have the potential to be like Kristaps Porzingis (or maybe even better than him!), but he is only 18 years old. He is extremely skinny, weighing only 216 pounds, and he will need to mature his game and bulk up before he can truly be a successful NBA player.
Ben Simmons is the player that is hyped up by most experts to be the number-one pick in the draft. He has all of the skills to do so, as he put up 19.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per game this season. However, one glaring weakness about him this year was that he was declared academically ineligible to win the Wooden Player of the Year Award. That lack of discipline concerns me about his off the court discipline in the NBA.
Brandon Ingram is yet another name at the top of most draft boards. He averaged 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season for Duke, which are, admittedly, worthy stats of a top pick. However, what deters me from his NBA transition is his lack of body build, as he is 6'9" but only weighs in at 196 pounds. He needs to put on some muscle to be able to play competitively at the highest level.
Both Jamal Murray and Henry Ellenson have the same problem, if you ask me. Even though they put up respectable numbers this year, they lack the superstar potential I see in Hield and could see more in some of these other players.
In my opinion, Buddy Hield's remarkable basketball ability, combined with the weaknesses of the other players before him in the draft, lifts him to the position of the best player in the 2016 NBA Draft.
