2016 NBA draft results: Philadelphia takes Simmons No. 1 on busy night
The Philadelphia 76ers chose LSU forward Ben Simmons with the first pick of the 2016 NBA draft, grabbing the 6-foot-10 freshman in hopes of turning around a team that suffered through one of the worst seasons in NBA history in 2015-16.
The draft is being held in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Simmons, who average 19.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per game for the Tigers, takes his powerful game to a 76ers team that won 10 games and lost 72, the third-worst record in NBA history.
Associated Press reporter Brian Mahoney wrote on Wednesday: (Simmons) has been considered the (top) choice for months, and there are plenty of reasons why. The 6-foot-10 forward's versatility is perfect for the modern NBA, and he has been getting advice about how to make himself even better from his favorite player, a certain champion named LeBron James.
No.2 - Los Angeles Lakers
With the second overall pick, the Los Angeles Lakers picked Brandon Ingram, a guard/forward from Duke.
Ingram, at 6-9, is considered a versatile player who will fill out from his current 190 pounds. He averaged 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his only year with the Blue Devils. As he reminded an interviewer after being drafted, “I’m only 18.”
No. 3 - Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics picked Cal’s Jaylen Brown with the third overall pick.
The 6-6 Brown can play several positions who averaged 14.6 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Golden Bears.
No. 4 - Phoenix Suns
Dragan Bender, a power forward from Croatia, was taken with the fourth pick by the Phoenix Suns, a team that had its worst season ever in 2015-16 and missed the playoffs for the sixth straight year.
No. 5 - Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves chose Kris Dunn from Providence, a strong junior guard who is considered an elite defense.
He excelled in all facets of the game as an effective scorer, passer and defender.
No. 6 - New Orleans Pelicans
Oklahoma senior guard Buddy Hield was the No. 6 overall pick, taken by the New Orleans Pelicans.
Hield helped lead the Sooners to the 2016 Final Four. A four-year player for Oklahoma, he average 25.4 points and 5.7 rebounds as a senior and is considered one of the best shooters in the draft.
No. 7 - Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets took Jamal Murray out of Kentucky with the seventh overall pick.
The Wildcats freshman guard, at 6-4, is a natural scorer with a smooth outside shot. He averaged 20 points a game in his sole season at Kentucky.
No. 8 - Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings took Pleasant Grove High School graduate and Washington star Marquese Chriss, with the eighth overall pick, then traded him to the Phoenix Suns.
In exchange, the Kings acquired the Suns’ No. 13 and No. 28 picks and the rights to Serbian guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who was selected by the Suns with the 27th pick in 2014 but didn’t sign with the Suns.
Chriss, a 6-foot-9 forward, averaged 13.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots in his only season with the Huskies.
No. 9 - Toronto Raptors
Jakob Poeltl, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, was taken by the Toronto Raptors with the ninth overall pick.
At 7 foot and 235 pounds, Poeltl is one of the few true big men in the draft. He averaged 17.1 points and 9.2 rebounds for Utah. He is thought to be capable of having an immediate impact for the Raptors.
A sophomore, Poeltl originally is from Vienna, Austria.
No. 10 - Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks selected Thon Maker, a power forward from Australia, with the 10th overall pick.
Maker, a slim 7-footer, is considered a great athlete with a smooth offensive game, even though observers say he needs to gain heft. He has no college experience.
No. 11 - Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic chose Domantas Sabonis, a power forward out of Gonzaga, before trading him and two other players to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Serge Ibaka. Sabonis’ father is Arvydas Sabonis, the Hall of Fame center who played for Portland after coming out of Lithuania.
Domantas Sabonis, a bruising forward, scored 17.6 points and grabbed 11.8 rebounds per game during his sophomore and final season at Gonzaga.
No. 12 - Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz chose Baylor small forward Taurean Prince with the 12th pick.
The senior, 6-8 and 220 pounds, averaged about 15 points and six rebounds per game for Baylor.
No. 13 - Phoenix Suns (picking for the Kings)
The Suns, picking for the Kings as a result of the night’s earlier deal, chose Georgios Papagiannis, a center known for his physical style.
No. 14 - Chicago Bulls
Denzel Valentine, a senior guard from Michigan State, was taken by the Chicago Bulls with thge No. 14 pick.
Valentine, considered a fine all-around player at 6-5, 220 pounds, averaged 19.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.8 assists in his final year for the Spartans.
No. 15 - Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets took Juan Hernangomez, a power forward out of Spain with the 15th overall pick.
No. 16 - Boston Celtics
The Celtics, making their second choice of the first round, picked Guerschon Yabusele, a muscular power forward from France. Yabusele is 20 years old, stands 6-8 and weighs 260 pounds.
No. 17 - Memphis Grizzlies
Wade Baldwin, a point guard out of Vanderbilt, was chosen by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 17 overall pick in the first round.
Baldwin, a long-limbed 6-3 sophomore, averaged more than 14 points and five assists his last year, and earned distinction for playing strong defense.
No. 18 - Detroit Pistons
Henry Ellenson, a power forward from Marquette, was the Pistons’ first-round pick, taken at No. 18.
The 6-11 Ellenson was the Big East Freshman of the Year, averaging 17 points and 9.7 rebounds in his one year at Marquette.
No. 19 - Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets went back to the first-round well a third time, getting Malik Beasley, a shooting guard from Florida State, with the 19th overall pick.
Beasley, 6-5 and 195 pounds, averaged 15.6 points and 5.3 rebounds during his one season as a Seminole. He is considered an excellent outside shooter.
No. 20 - Indiana Pacers (picking for the Brooklyn Nets)
The Pacers and Nets worked a deal in which Indiana chose shooting guard Caris LeVert from Michigan with the intention of sending him to Brooklyn in exchange for forward Thaddeus Young.
A senior, LeVert has plenty of skills but has been hampered by multiple injuries. He averaged 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists during his final season as a Wolverine.
No. 21 - Atlanta Hawks
DeAndre Bembry, a small forward from St. Joseph’s, was the Atlanta Hawks’ first-round choice, going at No. 21.
Bembry, a 6-6, 210-pound junior, averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists his final year for The Hawk.
No. 22 - Charlotte Hornets (picking for Sacramento Kings)
The Kings got Malachi Richardson, picked by the Hornets then sent to Sacramento as a result of the Marco Belinelli trade.
Richardson, a skilled shooting guard being drafted after his freshman season at Syracuse, averaged 13.3 points and 4.3 rebounds.
No. 23 - Boston Celtics
The Celtics, also making a third first-round selection, chose 19-year-old center Ante Zizic from Croatia with the 23rd overall pick.
A member of the 2016 Croatian National Team, the 6-11, 251-pound Zizic averaged 16 points and 9.8 rebounds in European competition.
No. 24 - Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers chose small forward Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot from France with their second first-round pick.
At 6-6 and 220 pounds, the 21-year-old Luwawu-Cabarrot is considered an excellent athlete who can bring effective defense to the court as well as good offensive potential.
No. 25 - Los Angeles Clippers
Brice Johnson from North Carolina, a first-team All-American, became the Clippers’ first pick of the draft.
A 6-9, 228-pound power forward whose combination of rebounding prowess and deft shooting made him one of the best overall college players last season, averaged 17.1 points and 10.5 rebounds as a senior.
No. 26 - Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers picked Furkan Korkmaz, a 6-8 shooting guard from Turkey, with the 26th overall selection.
No. 27 - Toronto Raptors
The Raptors, who also had the No. 9 pick, took Pascal Siakam from New Mexico State with their second first-round selection.
Siakam, a power forward who averaged nearly 12 rebounds a game, scored 20.9 a game as a sophomore.
No. 28 - Phoenix Suns (picking for Sacramento Kings)
The Suns took power forward Skal Labissiere from Kentucky with the 28th overall pick. He will go to the Kings as part of the Marquese Chriss trade.
Labissiere, a 6-11, 228-pound freshman, was not much of a scorer but is known as an athletic defender whose overall game is expected to develop.
No. 29 - San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs chose Dejounte Murray, a freshman point guard from Washington, with their first-round selection.
Murray averaged 16.1 points and 6.0 rebounds while posting 4.4 assists.
No. 30 - Golden State Warriors
The Warriors, defeated in the NBA Finals this season after winning the championship the previous year, used their first-round pick, the final choice of the first round, to take Damian Jones, a center from Vanderbilt.
Jones, a 7-0 and 245-pound junior, averaged 13.9 points and 6.9 rebounds his final season for the Commodores.
This story was originally published June 23, 2016 at 4:37 PM with the headline "2016 NBA draft results: Philadelphia takes Simmons No. 1 on busy night."