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2016 NBA Mock Draft: Brown Rises to Top-5, Murray Falls Out

By Jay Siskin

Feb 6, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears forward Jaylen Brown (0) tries to get around Stanford Cardinal guard Dorian Pickens (11) in the first half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports.
Feb 6, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears forward Jaylen Brown (0) tries to get around Stanford Cardinal guard Dorian Pickens (11) in the first half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports. /
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86. . PF. Croatia. Dragan Bender. 5. player

Dragan Bender is the Kristaps Porzingis of this year’s draft class. Although Bender is coming over to the NBA one year earlier than Porzingis did, the question is, which team is going to end up passing on him and regretting it three or four seasons from now?

He is without a doubt the best draft-eligible prospect in this draft who didn’t play college basketball. In my opinion, I highly doubt he’ll be selected outside the top five. Bender is an 18-year-old forward will be a nice stretch-four for a team at the NBA level. Bender has the ability to switch on defense and hit from the perimeter, both of which would make him an excellent fit on any NBA team.

Bender’s potential gives coach Thibs and the T-wolves a solid player with high upside in the frontcourt, and he would fit excellently along side Karl-Anthony Towns. Boston could take him third overall. But if the Celtics end up passing on him, the Suns most likely won’t.

Along side Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine and Towns, the Timberwolves are team that is athletic and fast. Bender should fit in perfectly on the roster.

A team with Rubio-Wiggins-Towns-Bender would make a run for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

Next: New Orleans Pelicans No. 6