2016 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Where Top Prospects Will Land in 1st Round

Are you excited for the 2016 NBA draft? The class may not seem particularly strong or deep, but there will still be plenty of quality players working hard in the coming weeks to prove their worth to scouts.

Of course, players and classes frequently prove projections wrong. The 2016 draft could end up being stronger than anticipated thanks to player development and teams drafting prospects who are good fits for their rosters and approaches.

We’ll look at a first-round mock draft, then project the landing spots for the three best backcourt prospects in this year’s crop of players.

Projections for Top Backcourt Players

No. 5, Minnesota Timberwolves: SG Buddy Hield, Oklahoma

By most statistical measures, the Timberwolves’ four best players last season were Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio and Gorgui Dieng. That’s a great young core of players to build around, but the foursome doesn’t have much long-distance shooting. As a team, the Timberwolves ranked second-worst in three-pointers made and 25th in three-point percentage during the 2015-16 season.

And that’s where Buddy Hield comes in.

The best shooter in college basketball last season, the Oklahoma shooting guard is especially dangerous from behind the arc. He made an astounding 147 three-pointers during the campaign, 22 more than anyone else in Division I despite playing in the rough-and-tumble Big 12.

He could immediately start on the perimeter with Rubio …

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