1. Philadelphia 76ers: Ben Simmons, LSU, forward

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Ben Simmons has a rare skill set for a player his size. At 6-10, he can grab a rebound, break out in transition and finish acrobatically at the rim or create an opportunity for a teammate. His jumper lacks range, and he struggled at times in the halfcourt in his one-and-done season at LSU. But a jumper can be developed, and NBA spacing should boost the effects of his creative vision. Simmons has star potential.

2. Los Angeles Lakers: Brandon Ingram, Duke, forward

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In one season at Duke, Brandon Ingram started slow but became a versatile scorer and solid defender. He’s long at 6-9 with a 7-3 wingspan, and has the ability to guard multiple positions. As he adds weight to his thin frame, he will only become more of a threat on both ends of the floor. The Lakers need a wing to replace Kobe Bryant and — if the 76ers don’t take him first — Ingram is an ideal fit.

3. Boston Celtics: Dragan Bender, Croatia, power forward

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It’s hard to call the Celtics unlucky after they received the third pick from their robbery of the Nets, but falling just outside the top two is a bit of a tease. The Celtics have a deep backcourt. They could use a forward, and Simmons or Ingram would have been no-brainer selections. Dragan Bender is a solid alternative, though. At 7-1, he is mobile and has a versatile skill set that coach Brad Stevens could certainly employ. He’s still just 18 years old, and could mature into a special NBA player.

4. Phoenix Suns: Jaylen Brown, California, small forward

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With Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker in the backcourt, the Suns will almost definitely look for a forward here. Jaylen Brown is a 6-7 forward who battled bouts of inconsistency in his one season at Cal. He shot just 29.4 percent from the 3-point line and struggled at times in the halfcourt. But he has the upside of a tough defender who can also develop into a solid offensive wing.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma, shooting guard

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Adding a shooter to create more space for Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns should be a priority for Minnesota, and nobody matched Buddy Hield‘s volume with his efficiency. The 6-5 guard converted 46.4 percent of his 8.7 three-point attempts per game, thanks to sound mechanics and a consistent stroke. Hield also would be a scintillating running mate with Wiggins, Ricky Rubio and Zach LaVine in transition. Hield may be too small to guard NBA wings and lacks the quickness to shut down athletic guards, but he is strong and his shooting ability makes him a solid pick at No. 5.

6. New Orleans Pelicans: Kris Dunn, Providence, point guard

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At 6-4 with a 6-9 wingspan and exceptional athleticism, Kris Dunn is physically elite for his position. He ranked eighth in the country last year with a 4.32 percent steal rate, according to advanced stats site KenPom.com, and has the tools to develop into a menacing NBA defender. Offensively, he’s still improving as a shooter (35.1 percent three-point in 2014-15 to 37.2 percent in 2015-16) and cutting back on turnovers (24.8 percent to 20.9), but he can refine those areas of his game while backing up Jrue Holiday, who will be a free agent after 2016-17. With a consistent jumper, Dunn, a gifted passer who ranked fifth last year with a 41.8 percent assist rate, would be an ideal pick-and-roll partner for Anthony Davis.

7. Denver Nuggets: Jamal Murray, Kentucky, shooting guard

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Like Hield, Jamal Murray is an efficient, high-volume shooter. The 6-5 guard made 40.8 percent of his 7.7 three-point attempts last season, losing defenders as he moved tirelessly without the ball and capitalizing on his fine-tuned footwork and consistent stroke. Defense is a question mark. If he can develop into a combo guard — another question mark — Murray would be even more valuable. But as a shooter alone, Murray will be at least a rotation player.

8. Sacramento Kings: Henry Ellenson, Marquette, power forward

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This is not an ideal spot for the Kings, who probably would have loved a chance to draft Dunn with Rajon Rondo entering free agency. The 6-11 Henry Ellenson at least complements DeMarcus Cousins differently than Willie Cauley-Stein. Ellenson is nowhere near Cauley-Stein defensively, but he has a well-rounded offensive game, including a jumper that will stretch the floor.

9. Toronto Raptors: Deyonta Davis, Michigan State, power forward/center

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Deyonta Davis has extremely high potential defensively. At 6-11 with a 7-2 1/2 wingspan and a quick leap, Davis posted a 10.2 percent block rate last year. His nimbleness projects favorably for guarding the pick-and-roll. Davis is also fierce on the glass, where he ranked 42nd in the country with a 13.6 offensive rebounding rate — and he was just a freshman. Davis is raw offensively, but his athleticism and receptive hands will help him survive as he develops.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Jakob Poeltl, Utah, center

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Jakob Poeltl is not a modern center. He does not have a jumper, and he scores primarily with his back to the basket. But at 7-1, he is athletic and smart. Those traits helped him average 17.2 points per game for Utah. As a defender, Poeltl is fundamentally sound. He would find a role in Milwaukee’s frontcourt rotation.

11. Orlando Magic: Skal Labissiere, Kentucky, power forward/center

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Before arriving at Kentucky, Skal Labissiere was considered a candidate for the first pick in this year’s draft. He’s athletic and quick at 7-0, with the tools to be an effective stretch four as he adds weight to his frame. His stock fell because he looked lost for most of Kentucky’s season. The potential is there, but questions about his physicality and basketball IQ still abound. In an ideal world, Orlando would be able to use him as Nikola Vucevic’s backup or as a longer, more athletic Andrew Nicholson at the four.

12. Utah Jazz: Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey, shooting guard

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Furkan Korkmaz is an 18-year-old shooter whose body and defensive game are still developing. Though Utah could also go with a point guard here in response to Trey Burke’s underwhelming 2015-16 and Dante Exum’s torn ACL, taking a shooter with Korkmaz’s upside would not be a bad move.

13. Phoenix Suns: Marquese Chriss, Washington, power forward

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Marquese Chriss measured 6-10 with a 38 ½-inch vertical at the combine. He has the stroke to stretch the floor and the athletic ability to finish as the roll man and guard multiple positions. But he’s not even 19, and he has played just a few years of competitive basketball. As he learns the game, he could become a valuable stretch four who works well alongside Tyson Chandler and opens the floor for the Suns’ guards to create.

14: Chicago Bulls: Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga, power forward/center

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Domantas Sabonis might not have typical length for his height — his wingspan was measured as 6-10 1/2 at the 2015 Nike Skills Academy — but he is a cerebral 6-10 ball of energy. In many ways, he possesses several of the intangible characteristics that endeared Joakim Noah to Bulls fans. With Noah and/or Pau Gasol possibly leaving via free agency, the Bulls would benefit from adding the tenacious rebounder.

15. Denver Nuggets: Timothe Luwawu, France, small forward

Timothe Luwawu has a ways to go offensively, but he could be another solid perimeter defender for the Nuggets behind Gary Harris. He is 6-7 and, according to those who have seen him play, can guard the one, two or three.

16. Boston Celtics: Denzel Valentine, Michigan State, guard

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Denzel Valentine became the first player to average at least 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game since the NCAA began tracking assists in 1984. The 6-6 senior is a playmaker and shooter (44.4 percent in 2015-16) who can be effective both on and off the ball. Though his defense is an obvious weakness, he can play behind Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley as he continues to improve. With the right matchups, coach Brad Stevens could slot Valentine at the three, adding depth to a position currently lacking it.

17. Memphis Grizzlies: Wade Baldwin, Vanderbilt, point guard

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Even if Mike Conley ultimately re-signs, Wade Baldwin is a solid pick here. He is 6-4 but has a 6-11 1/4 wingspan, which is abnormal even among freakishly built NBA players. That should help him fit in with Memphis’ defensive identity. As a playmaker, Baldwin can be effective in the pick-and-roll but he lacks the break-you-down handling and quickness to consistently penetrate on his own. He shot 47.2 percent from the 3-point line in two years at Vanderbilt.

18. Detroit Pistons: Tyler Ulis, Kentucky, point guard

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Steve Blake is a free agent and Detroit’s other reserve point guards — Spencer Dinwiddie and Lorenzo Brown — played in 20 games combined last year. The Pistons might as well draft Tyler Ulis, a cerebral creator whose high basketball IQ mitigates his lack of height. The 5-10 guard averaged seven assists to two turnovers per game last year. Notre Dame’s Demetrius Jackson is also an option here, but Ulis gives more of a different look from starter Reggie Jackson.

19. Denver Nuggets: Ante Zizic, Croatia, center

Ante Zizic is 6-11 but at 19 years old lacks the strength to go against NBA bigs. As a draft and stash candidate, he could develop overseas before coming to Denver.

20. Indiana Pacers: Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame, point guard

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Demetrius Jackson has the build and explosivity of a running back — two traits that could help him overcome his lack of height (6-2) and become an effective NBA playmaker. He finished 61.7 percent of his attempts at the rim last year, a mark that trails only Dunn’s among top point guard prospects. Jackson also shot 38.1 percent from the 3-point line over three years at Notre Dame.

21. Atlanta Hawks: DeAndre’ Bembry, Saint Joseph’s, small forward

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At No. 21, there is no can’t-miss center to replace Al Horford, who could leave as a free agent this summer. But DeAndre’ Bembry would be a quick fix should Kent Bazemore, Atlanta’s defensive specialist, sign elsewhere. Bembry is 6-6 with a 6-9 ½ wingspan. He guarded one through four in college, and he should be able to defend one through three in the NBA. As a small forward, he ran a lot of Saint Joseph’s offense. His only major weakness is his lack of an outside shot (31.2 percent three-point in three years at Saint Joseph’s).

22. Charlotte Hornets: Taurean Prince, Baylor, small forward

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If Taurean Prince is still available here, the Hornets would likely be ecstatic. Marvin Williams and Nicolas Batum may leave via free agency, creating an immediate need for a long, versatile scorer like Prince. The 6-8 wing with a 6-11 1/2 wingspan could fall this far because he’ll be — gasp — 22 years old by next season and lacks the upside of the other wings ahead of him. However, he is ready to contribute to an NBA team as a rookie.

23. Boston Celtics: Cheick Diallo, Kansas, center

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With their third pick in the draft, the Celtics can afford to go for high upside. The 6-9 Cheick Diallo, who played his high school ball at Our Savior New American in Centereach but hardly saw the floor at Kansas, could develop into a solid NBA power forward/center. He’s raw offensively, but his defensive potential is tremendous, thanks to his 7-4 wingspan and 35-inch vertical. The Celtics lack a rim protector, and Diallo posted an 11.9 percent block rate in his only season at Kansas. That would have ranked fifth nationally had Diallo met KenPom’s minutes minimum.

24. Philadelphia 76ers: Malik Beasley, Florida State, shooting guard

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The 76ers could use another offensive threat, and Malik Beasley is the best option here. Syracuse’s Malachi Richardson is also a possibility. Beasley (6-7 wingspan) isn’t as long as Richardson (7-0), but he is more athletic and displayed a more efficient shooting stroke (38.7 percent from the 3-point line to Richardson’s 35.3) in his only year at Florida State.

25. Los Angeles Clippers: Dejounte Murray, Washington, point guard

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At the very latest, Chris Paul will be a free agent after the 2017-18 season. Austin Rivers provided quality minutes as his backup, but Rivers is better suited as a shooting guard. Dejounte Murray has high upside as a 6-5 scoring point guard. With a year or two under Paul’s wing, Murray could develop the discipline and playmaking ability that would make him a legitimate NBA point guard.

26. Philadelphia 76ers: Juan Hernangomez, Spain, forward

Making their third pick in the draft, Philadelphia can afford to draft and stash Juan Hernangomez. The 19-year-old gained valuable experience averaging more than 20 minutes per game this year in Liga ACB, one of Europe’s most competitive leagues. He is a versatile, 6-9 scorer who would eventually give the 76ers depth in the frontcourt.

27. Toronto Raptors: Ivica Zubac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, center

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At 19 years old, Ivica Zubac probably won’t contribute immediately. But reports say he has a high basketball IQ to go with his 7-0 frame and finishing ability around the rim, indicating he could develop into a rotation big.

28. Phoenix Suns: Brice Johnson, North Carolina, power forward

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Brice Johnson is elite athletically compared to other 6-11 forwards. He can knock down mid-range jumpers and has a decent set of post moves, but he could thrive running with the Suns guards in transition and cleaning up the glass in the halfcourt.

29. San Antonio Spurs: Malachi Richardson, Syracuse, shooting guard

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Whether or not Manu Ginobili retires this summer, the Spurs have openings in the backcourt. Malachi Richardson is a long guard who projects as a solid scorer and defender. In his one season at Syracuse, he led a mediocre team to the Final Four.

30. Golden State Warriors: Petr Cornelie, France, power forward

Petr Cornelie is a 6-11 forward who can stretch the floor and guard multiple positions. According to reports, he also has a high basketball IQ. All the above would help him fit in with the Warriors.