NBA Mock Draft 2016: Lottery Set, Who Do Lakers Get at No. 2?

May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Cupchak represents his team during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Cupchak represents his team during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
28 of 31

Height: 7-0.75
Weight: 216
Wingspan: 7-3
DOB: 02/25/1997

Thon Maker has been turning heads just leading up to the draft process and rightfully so. When you look at what the Sudanese-to-Canadian prospect is capable of on the basketball court and the size that he’s doing it at, it’s definitely eye-catching. So too, though is the fact that he’s basically exploiting a loophole in the international prospect rules to come straight out of high school into the NBA.

Regardless, Makers was wholly impressive at the NBA Draft combine. Though he measured just a tad smaller than the 7-1 he was listed at, he made up for it by posting a 7-3 wingspan and then more than adequately reconciled everything by posting a max vertical leap of over 36 inches, a ludicrous number for a guy his size.

There are obvious concerns here with Maker considering how he got into the draft, the competition that he’s faced, and whether he can be a traditional big man in any sense. Even so, the Raptors are a team that could afford the luxury of taking a big risk at the end of the first round and what Maker has shown to this point makes him more than worthy of that.

Next: No. 28 Suns

Schedule