2016 NBA Mock Draft: Pro Comparisons and Predictions for Elite Guard Prospects

In this year’s NBA draft, the top tier of guards consists of Kentucky Wildcats combo guard Jamal Murray, Providence Friars floor general Kris Dunn and Oklahoma Sooners sniper Buddy Hield.

After that, there’s a significant drop-off.

With those classifications in mind, here’s a look at an updated first-round mock draft, which is followed by a brief overview of each player in that esteemed trio and how they all figure to fare upon arrival in the NBA after June 23’s draft.

Elite Guard Breakdowns and Player Comparisons Jamal Murray, Kentucky

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Murray was overshadowed a bit by point guard Tyler Ulis during his lone season with the Wildcats, but he was objectively one of the nation’s most consistent and potent scorers.

To wit: Murray led Kentucky in scoring at an even 20 points per game, and he did so while shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from beyond the three-point line.

Compare those numbers to the ones Portland Trail Blazers combo guard C.J. McCollum posted during his freshman season with the Lehigh Mountain Hawks, and there are some striking similarities:

What’s even more impressive is Murray flashed pro-ready catch-and-shoot chops all year long. According to Hoop-Math.com, 89.4 percent of the 19-year-old’s buckets from beyond the arc were set up by assists.

Plus, Murray has on-ball skills that he wasn’t able to flash at Kentucky since Ulis was always orchestrating the offense, as he told ESPN.com’s Chad Ford:

I did what I had to do at Kentucky. I’ve played point guard my whole life. But we had Tyler [Ulis] there. I wasn’t focused on scoring 20 points a game. I was just doing whatever we need to win. Sometimes that was scoring 26 …

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