The 2016 NBA Draft is less than three weeks away, and thus far, there has been very little mystery in regards to who the top two picks in the draft will be … until now, maybe.
The Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly been leaning heavily towards LSU forward Ben Simmons since they landed the top overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, leaving Brandon Ingram available for the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 2.
The two freshman have stood tall amongst the rest of the draft class, earning them the consensus top two spots in virtually every NBA mock draft.
While many believe the draft really starts with the third pick, perhaps we are in for a draft day shocker. Sixers vice president of player personnel Marc Eversley told the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey not to count on Kentucky guard Jamal Murray being selected No. 1 overall on June 23.
“Jamal Murray, we certainly got a chance to see him a couple of weeks ago. He’s certainly going to be one of those kids who’s going to be in contention for the No. 1 pick.
“We like him a lot. He’s going to bring a lot to wherever he goes in the NBA, certainly a talent.”
This might be the worst attempt at a smokescreen that I have seen in quite some time, but hey, it doesn’t hurt to try, I suppose.
If anyone not named Simmons or Ingram goes No. 1, it would be up there for one of the most shocking draft choices in NBA history. Not to mention how the Sixers fan base would react after finally netting the top overall selection after multiple years of tanking.
Crazy things always happen on draft night, but this would truly be stunning. We will all hear various rumors about both Philadelphia and Los Angeles in these final 19 days leading up to the draft, but if Simmons and Ingram, in that order, are not the top two picks, it would be jaw-dropping.
The smoke will clear, and we will still likely see Simmons and Ingram come off the board first in the 2016 NBA Draft.
