Jamal Murray goes for a lay-up against the Indiana Hoosiers. (Photo : Getty Images/Jonathan Daniel)
There are debates over who would be the better pick at the third overall in this year's draft class, with the top two spots locked at LSU's Ben Simmons and Duke's Brandon Ingram.
With Simmons and Ingram highly regarded to get selected as the first and second overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft in June, there are concerns whether the projected top three prospect would offer the same talent as what the other two have. This would probably put the team who gets to select third overall in a difficult situation, with talents outside the top two are almost at par with one another.
In previous draft projections, Dragan Bender has been touted as the potential prospect at No. 3, likening him to New York Knicks center Kristaps Porzingis, who is arguably one of the rookies to flourish in their respective roles. Bender's athleticism at 7-foot-1 makes him an intriguing option for NBA clubs in need of a big man.
"Scouts absolutely love Bender's athleticism, particularly his mobility, a relatively unique attribute for somebody 7-1. Bender has regularly defended perimeter ball handlers, both when switching on pick and rolls and as a straight-up defensive assignment," Derek Bodner of USA Today wrote.
However, according to Basketball Insiders' Joel Brigham, concerns over Bender's ability to immediately provide an impact in the NBA could make him a questionable pick at No. 3.
Brigham listed other possible prospects to go as the third pick in draft night, including Oklahoma's Buddy Hield, Kentucky's Jamal Murray and Providence's Kris Dunn. Brigham believes that among the three of his projected top three-picks, Murray deserves to take the spot.
"Murray is pure upside," Brigham wrote. "He has the ability to play both guard positions in the NBA and actually is one of the more polished shooters in the draft class. He may serve as a happy medium between the youth and potential provided by Bender and the proven pedigree and years of experience a team would get from Hield."
Murray, a 6-foot-5 who can play both guard positions, finished his first season with Kentucky averaging 20.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He was able to record such numbers, while playing 35.2 minutes under the helms of John Calipari, who has coached the likes of Derrick Rose and John Wall, now one of the elite PGs in the league.
The 19-year-old point guard had his fair share of struggles in his freshman year with Kentucky, but was able to show he is NBA-ready after improving his play throughout the past season.
CBS Sports latest mock draft also has Murray going at No. 3 to the Boston Celtics, who could use the Kentucky product to boost the C's measly 33.2 percent shooting from the three-point area this season.
NBA teams will have to wait until June to iron out their plans of who to pick in this year's draft pool. Simmons and Ingram are guaranteed to be in the top of teams' lists, but expect Murray to join the mix in that conversation.
