I still remember sitting in the Barclays Center on that humid June night in 2016, feeling the electric anticipation crackle through the arena. As someone who's covered basketball prospects for over a decade, I've learned that draft classes often follow predictable patterns - but this one felt different from the start. What struck me most about the 2016 class was how many of these players had intertwined journeys long before they became household names. Much like those UAAP stars who grew up together in the Philippine basketball system, several top prospects in this draft had been competing against and learning from each other since their early teens. This created fascinating dynamics that would play out throughout their NBA careers.
When I look back at my big board from that year, Ben Simmons sat comfortably at number one, and honestly, I never doubted that placement. The LSU product stood at 6'10" with guard skills that reminded me of a young Magic Johnson - though I'll admit I thought his jump shot would develop faster than it actually did. What many casual fans didn't realize was that Simmons and Brandon Ingram had been on collision courses since their high school days, their narratives constantly compared much like those UAAP stars with their parallel paths to stardom. Ingram at Duke was my clear number two, though I had him closer to Simmons than most analysts did - his 7'3" wingspan at 6'9" was just too special to ignore. Watching them develop their games in tandem, pushing each other indirectly through their performances, created a narrative tension that made this draft particularly compelling to cover.
The real intrigue began at number three, where I had Kris Dunn from Providence, though I'll confess I was higher on him than most. His defensive tenacity reminded me of Gary Payton, and I believed his offensive game would catch up quickly. Looking back, I was probably too optimistic - his career 29.4% three-point shooting in the NBA suggests I overvalued his shooting development. Meanwhile, Dragan Bender at four was my biggest gamble - the 7'1" Croatian seemed like the perfect modern big man, but I underestimated how long it would take him to adjust to NBA physicality. What fascinated me about these international prospects was how their paths mirrored that UAAP concept - many European players grow up in interconnected basketball ecosystems, facing each other repeatedly throughout their development years.
As we moved into the middle of the first round, this draft revealed its true depth. I had Jamal Murray at six, which in hindsight was too low, but I was concerned about his ability to create his own shot against NBA athletes. How wrong I was - his 48% shooting from deep in his third season silenced critics like me. Domantas Sabonis at twelve was another player I underrated, failing to see how his high basketball IQ would translate despite average athleticism. The beauty of these mid-first round picks was how many of them had faced each other in college or even high school, creating rivalries and familiarity that would continue in the NBA, much like those UAAP stars who maintain lifelong connections through their shared journey.
What made the 2016 class particularly memorable was the number of steals found later in the draft. I had Pascal Siakam at 28 on my board, which felt risky at the time given his raw offensive game at New Mexico State. But his motor was undeniable, and sometimes you just have to trust what you see rather than overanalyzing stats. Malcolm Brogdon at 36 was my favorite second-round pick - a four-year college player with tremendous poise and efficiency. I remember arguing with colleagues that his 50.8% shooting at Virginia would translate better than many assumed, and his Rookie of the Year season proved that sometimes the mature, polished players get overlooked in favor of flashier prospects.
The 2016 draft class has produced 7 All-Stars to date, which places it among the stronger classes of the past decade, though it lacks the top-tier superstar power of drafts like 2003 or 2018. What stands out to me years later is how many of these players continue to be connected throughout their careers - facing each other in playoffs, teaming up for Team USA, or even being traded for one another. These interconnected paths remind me of that UAAP concept I mentioned earlier - when players grow up competing against each other, it creates bonds and rivalries that fuel their development for years. Simmons and Ingram will always be linked, much like Murray and Siakam have become central figures in their teams' success stories.
Reflecting on this draft eight years later, what strikes me is how the narratives we build around prospects often overlook these deeper connections. The 2016 class wasn't just a collection of individual talents - it was a web of relationships and shared histories that began long before draft night. As I continue to evaluate new prospects each year, I've learned to pay more attention to these interconnected journeys. Because just like those UAAP stars who followed identical paths to stardom, today's NBA prospects are often writing their stories together long before we ever see them on the big stage.