I still remember the excitement surrounding the 2016 NBA Draft like it was yesterday. As someone who's followed basketball prospects since their teenage years, there's something special about watching players grow from high school phenoms to draft night stars. What fascinates me most is how many of these top prospects had intertwined journeys long before they ever stepped onto an NBA court. Not only have they known each other at a very young age, but their paths to basketball stardom have been rather identical in many ways, creating these incredible parallel narratives that make the draft so compelling.
Take Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, for example. These two had been on collision courses since their AAU days, constantly compared and contrasted throughout their development. I recall watching Simmons at Montverde Academy and thinking he was the most complete prospect since LeBron – his court vision at 6'10" was just unreal. Meanwhile, Ingram was developing into this lanky scoring machine at Duke, though honestly, I had my doubts about his slender frame holding up in the NBA. Both were number one picks in waiting, both had dominated the college scene, and both carried that unique pressure that comes with being the consensus top prospects.
The draft night itself was pure theater. Philadelphia selecting Simmons first overall felt inevitable, but what many casual fans might not realize is how deep the connections ran throughout that first round. Jaylen Brown and Jamal Murray had crossed paths numerous times in prep school tournaments, while Buddy Hield and Kris Dunn had developed this respectful rivalry through four years of college battles. I remember sitting there watching the draft, thinking about how these players' stories were permanently intertwining on that June night in Brooklyn.
Looking back now, it's remarkable how many of these pre-draft relationships translated into NBA dynamics. Simmons and Ingram will forever be linked as the top two picks, their careers constantly measured against each other. Domantas Sabonis and Jakob Poeltl had faced off in college and now find themselves as starting centers in the same conference. The draft isn't just about individual talent – it's about placing these interconnected stories into the larger narrative of the NBA.
What really blows my mind is how some of the later picks have outperformed their draft positions. Malcolm Brogdon going 36th overall still baffles me – I watched him at Virginia and thought he had all the tools to succeed. Meanwhile, Pascal Siakam at 27th has become arguably the biggest steal of the draft, winning a championship and making an All-NBA team. These are players who might not have been in that inner circle of top prospects growing up, but they've carved their own paths to success.
The 2016 class has given us some incredible moments and surprising career arcs. Simmons looked like a future MVP his rookie year before his shooting struggles became more pronounced. Ingram took a few seasons to find his footing but has developed into an All-Star. Meanwhile, players like Brown and Siakam have won championships, while Jamal Murray has proven himself as one of the league's most clutch performers. It's this mix of expected development and complete surprises that makes revisiting this draft so fascinating.
What stands out to me most is how these players continue to cross paths throughout their careers. Simmons and Brown facing each other in playoff series, Ingram and Murray developing into franchise cornerstones for their respective teams, Hield becoming one of the league's premier shooters after four years in college. Their shared history adds layers to every matchup, every playoff series, every All-Star selection.
If there's one thing I've learned from following this draft class, it's that the connections formed long before draft night continue to matter throughout these players' careers. The rivalries, the friendships, the shared experiences – they all contribute to the rich tapestry of the NBA. Watching Simmons and Ingram face off today still carries echoes of their draft night positioning, while seeing Siakam outperform his draft slot reminds us that player development is anything but predictable.
The 2016 draft class serves as this beautiful reminder that basketball is as much about relationships and shared histories as it is about individual talent. These players who grew up competing against each other, who followed similar paths to stardom, now form the backbone of today's NBA. And as someone who's followed their journeys from the beginning, there's something deeply satisfying about watching their stories continue to unfold.