With the 2016 NBA Draft less than a month away the focus for the majority of teams has shifted to the future with an eye towards the players set to make the biggest impact coming out of college. Teams will use workouts and interviews to further assess this year’s class but based on the college tape and their NBA combine performances we already have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Here is a look at the four biggest potential risers in the 2016 NBA Draft class.
PG/SG: Dejounte Murray, Washington Huskies
Freshman
Murray is a projected late lottery pick whose stock could rise significantly based on his size and athleticism. He doesn’t have a ton of flash but at 6’5’’, the athletic scoring playmaker fits the mold of a combo guard similar to Jordan Clarkson of the Los Angeles Lakers. Inconsistent shooting numbers and a high turnover rate has hurt Murray’s profile to this point and he will have worked hard on his shooting mechanics by the time that the individual workouts take place. The size and athleticism combined with the fact that there is room for improvement when it comes to his jump shot means Murray could improve his stock dramatically over the next couple of weeks.
PG: Wade Baldwin IV, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sophomore
The slow and methodical pace that Vanderbilt played at didn’t help Baldwin’s stock but he will have every opportunity to show NBA teams what he is capable of doing for them over the next couple of weeks. A t 6’4’’ and 201 pounds with a 6’11 ¼’’ wingspan, Baldwin certainly has the elite measurable to thrive at the next level and his smooth stroke will allow him to show that his 40-percent field goal average this past year wasn’t a fluke. Baldwin is expected to fall just outside of the lottery but if he can deliver strong performances at individual workouts and in the interview room his stock could certainly rise enough to push him in to that conversation.
PF/C: Chuck Diallo, Kansas Jayhawks
Freshman
Diallo’s standout performance at the NBA combine really helped his stock after a poor freshman season in which he averaged just 3.0 points in 7.5 minutes per game at Kansas. Diallo’s athleticism was on full display during the five-on-five drills and it might have been enough to bring him back in to the conversation as a potential first round pick. Diallo is an athletic freak at 6’9’’ with a 7’4 ½’’ wingspan and his physical tools are expected to translate well to the NBA. The question is whether or not NBA coaching staffs feel they can develop his stock enough to make him an eventual first round pick and Diallo will have the opportunity to convince them that is possible over the next couple of weeks.
SG: Malachi Richardson, Syracuse Orange
Freshman
Richardson likely wouldn’t have declared for the NBA Draft if he didn’t receive enough positive feedback that teams were convinced he would be a mid-first round pick and he will have the opportunity to improve his stock over the next couple of weeks. Richardson has textbook two-guard size at 6’6 ¼’’ with a convincing shooting stroke and enough athleticism to succeed at the next level. Plenty of teams will look at Richardson as a capable shooter with high upside that they can bring off the bench from the outset and if his individual workouts and interviews are on point, he could be another player whose stock rises dramatically over the next couple of weeks.
Remember, this is a player that many people overlooked throughout the regular season but he’s hoping to piggy back off an outstanding NCAA Tournament performance to propel him into the NBA Draft. He was the one that vaulted the Orange to the Final Four with an incredible second half against No. 1 Virginia. He had 23 points and seven rebounds as the Orange unexpectedly ousted the No. 1 seed. He also had 17 and five against North Carolina in the Final Four. His performance during March Madness is a big reason as to why he’s coming out.
