College hoops stars and their NBA equivalents

When looking at prospects in each of the four major North American sports, the one thing many do simply as a way to get a feel for a player is to draw a comparison between him and someone at the professional level.

There are two different ways to do this. People once called Harold Miner the next Michael Jordan. That was an unfair comparison to both guys. It was also a comparison that suggested Miner would somehow have a Jordan-like career. That obviously didn't happen.

The other way to draw a comparison is to strictly look at a prospect's game and who it might match up to the best in the NBA. We aren't talking about the quality of player. Instead, simply the type of player he's going to be. What he will provide to the team, not necessarily the level he will provide it.

In this, let's check in on 10 of the best college basketball players and what we view their equivalents to be in the NBA.

In no way does this suggest Ben Simmons is the next LeBron James or Kris Dunn is the next John Wall. It's all about giving you an understanding of the type of players that will represent the new breed in the Association.

1. Ben Simmons, forward, Louisiana State

NBA comparison: LeBron James

Simmons is the closest thing we have seen to a can't-miss entering the NBA draft since Anthony Davis. Yes, that includes Andrew Wiggins back in 2014. What Simmons has done for the Tigers as a freshman is nothing less than extraordinary.

He's averaging 19.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game while shooting a ridiculous 57 percent from the field.

At 6-foot-10 and 239 pounds, this 19-year-old forward has everything it takes to be a NBA star from the get go. Even more so than his shot-creating ability, Simmons' best asset is his passing. This has drawn a ton of comparisons to LeBron James.

And while that's definitely a premature comparison, there are a lot of similarities. Remember, we aren't sitting here saying that Simmons is going to be the next King James. It's all about who his skill-set and on-court abilities compare best to.

Even for this comp to come close, Simmons is going to have to extend his range to the three-point line. Having attempted just three shots from beyond the arc, that simply hasn't happened. Though, it's important to note that James himself shot just 29 percent from three-point range as a rookie.

More than this, Simmons needs to create a mid-range game. Most of his damage is done in the low-post, something that's going to have to change at the NBA level.

But due to his ball-handling and pass distribution abilities, Simmons' best pro comparison has to be James. It's just going to take a whole heck of a lot of time for that comparison to take hold, if it ever does.

2. Brandon Ingram, forward, Duke

NBA comparison: Kevin Durant 

At 6-foot-9, Ingram's best attribute is his range. He's shooting 41 percent from three-point range as a freshman and has a solid mid-range jumper. That's going to be hard for wings to defend at the next level, especially considering his length. If a strong shooter can actually shoot over the top of the defender, it's nearly impossible to defend.

While shorter in nature, Klay Thompson represents this to a T from the shooting guard position.

That's definitely not the comparison we are going to draw here. Instead, we have to look at Kevin Durant.

The comparisons are real here. In terms of athleticism, size and shooting ability, there isn't much of a difference between Ingram and what we saw from Durant at Texas. The one aspect that a young Durant had over Ingram was rebounding averages. Though, it must be noted that Ingram himself does have that ability. The larger issue here is frame (190 pounds) and an unwillingness to go after every rebound. That's something Durant did with the Longhorns. It's also something Ingram needs to improve on.

In a normal draft year, Ingram would be the unquestioned top pick in the draft. In fact, he might fit some lottery teams better than Simmons. This is how good the Duke player is, even if his ceiling isn't what we are currently seeing from Durant in Oklahoma City.

3. Jamal Murray, guard, Kentucky

NBA comparison: Bradley Beal

A combo guard with an ability to play both positions at the next level, Murray is going to be highly sought after in June's draft. Murray won't get up and down the court at the level of a Russell Westbrook. He's not going to run a team like Rajon Rondo. And he most definitely isn't going to shoot the ball at the level of a Stephen Curry (who does?)

What Murray does bring to the court is a refined all-around skill-set that will make him an early contributor in the NBA. At 6-foot-5 and 207 pounds, Murray has a thick frame that will hold up against more physical players at the next level. Shooting at 45 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range, shooting ability is also at a plus-level clip here. With an ability to create his own shot as well, Murray could fit in well as a two-guard at the next level.

In terms of frame, Rodney Stuckey is the best equivalent to Murray in the NBA. Though, the latter boasts better shooting ability and a vastly superior all-around game. Instead, we should look at bit further up in the totem pole in order to find a comparison here.

That will come in the form of a certain Washington Wizards guard, Bradley Beal. While Beal hasn't ever really been asked to run an offense, that's the role we project Murray to be in when he does enter the NBA.

It's all about creating for yourself. Yes, Beal has John Wall in Washington. That's obviously a huge advantage for him. But he's able to create off the dribble, much like we have seen from Murray at Kentucky this season. That's what seems to make Murray an ideal off-guard at the next level instead of a shoot-first point.

4. Jaylen Brown, guard/forward, California

NBA comparison: Nicolas Batum

A wing player that often finds himself isolated in the block, Brown has continued to do a stellar job creating his own shot. Pegged an athlete that overpowers weaker competition, that's a narrative that has been thrown out the window during his first (and only) season at Berkeley.

The 6-foot-7, 227-pound forward doesn't have the range you look for in someone at the small forward position. He's careless with the basketball. And in reality, his game needs a lot of refinement.

What we do like about Brown his his ability to get up and down the court while showing a plus-level ability in transition.

In terms of ceiling, some have pointed to Kawhi Leonard. That makes some sense, especially considering Leonard himself was seen as a project coming out of San Diego State. However, it's nearly impossible to project the same rapid growth we have seen from Leonard in any other player coming out of college.

It really is a hard comp to draw simply because Brown's game is nowhere near refined enough to even get a glimpse of what his ceiling might be.

It's not going to be Brown's ceiling at the next level, but a nice equivalent might be current Charlotte Hornets wing Nicolas Batum when he was a youngster with the Portland Trail Blazers back in 2008-09. Batum relied on plus-level athleticism early in his career. Since, he's been able to turn into a darn good two-way player while consistently hitting from the outside. That's a range Brown needs to find.

5. Kris Dunn, guard, Providence

NBA comparison: John Wall

Returning for his senior season with Providence, Dunn has improved in every aspect of his game. A true point guard that does a tremendous job running the offense with exceptional passing ability, there's a darn good chance Dunn will find himself among the top guards selected come June.

While Dunn did struggle shooting earlier in his career (40 percent as a freshman), he has improved enough to be considered a perimeter threat. This is huge for his draft stock, as defenses now have to worry about his shot. Couple that with speed and agility, and there's not a lot to dislike here.

The primary issues for Dunn has been carelessness and an inability to hit the three. Too often, he finds himself forcing the issue on the offensive end. This has led to an alarmingly high turnover rate.

Averaging 16.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game, Dunn definitely fills up the stat sheet. The best comparison here has to be John Wall, as Dunn's game is nearly identical to how the Wizards guard played coming out of Kentucky. Remember, Wall is not a good three-point shooter (32 percent) and has led the league in turnovers two times.

6. Buddy Hield, guard, Oklahoma

NBA comparison: James Harden 

Blessed with unquestionably the best outside shot of any draft prospect this season, Hield will find himself selected in the top 10 when June's draft comes calling. He has a deadly three-point shot (46 percent), can create off the dribble, shoot over defenders and explode past them in a manner reminding us of a younger Chris Paul.

At 6-foot-4, many will call the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year a combo guard. That's a bit too simplistic. Based on his uncanny ability to score, you are going to want Hield playing off the ball more often than actually running an offense and distributing to others.

This is only magnified by a mid-range game that enables the senior to come off picks and nail that shot inside the three-point line.

Potentially the best pure shooter to come the NBA's way since Stephen Curry (no, I don't count R.J. Hunter), Hield doesn't have anywhere near the range or quick release the defending MVP boasts. Instead, we should be looking a bit further south in the form of Houston Rockets guard James Harden.

Hield doesn't yet boast the passing prowess we see from Harden, but he can hit the boards as hard as the current Houston Rockets guard. He also boasts that ability to step up and hit over defenders from the outside while displaying a threat to take the ball to the rim. In reality, it's all about being able to score in different ways. That's where the comparison has to be drawn.

7. Denzel Valentine, guard, Michigan State

NBA comparison: Andre Iguodala

A four-year college player that has improved in every category since his freshman season, Valentine has now moved himself into top-10 consideration. He's coming off a 2015-16 regular season that saw him average 19.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game en route to earning the Big 10 Player of the Year award.

Statistically speaking, Valentine had one of the best college seasons in recent history. So why isn't he mentioned with some of the top prospects in the draft? One word: Athleticism.

Teams like their guards and wings to be athletic. Considering he's not quick with the ball in his hands and won't consistently beat defenders off the dribble, that is somewhat of a concern for scouts.

Though, Valentine's improvement and production with the Spartans cannot be denied. When you perform against that level of competition, you are doing something right.

A 45 percent three-point shooter with solid ball distribution skills, the best NBA equivalent we can come up with here is Andre Iguodala. The position flexibility isn't here with Valentine, but his ability to defend both on and off ball is huge, and really does compare well to the reigning NBA Finals MVP.

The lack of athleticism and inability to create off the dribble is also something that scouts worried about with Iguodala heading into the 2005 NBA draft.  

8. Ivan Rabb, forward, California

NBA comparison: Zach Randolph

At 6-foot-11 and with a strong mid-range game, this freshman stud has already made his mark on NBA scouts less than three dozen games into his college career. Likely to go pro after CAL's season concludes, there's a strong chance Rabb will find himself as a lottery pick.

More so than Rabb's ability to hit that mid-range from the wing, he's about as good as any other forward prospect in terms of finishing at the rim. That's going to be huge when scouts really delve into the tape.

Shooting at a ridiculous 62 percent clip from the field while 8.4 rebounds per game, Rabb has been an absolute beast for the soon-to-be dancing Bears. Though, he's going to have to do a better job maintaining control when his back is to the rim.

The best NBA equivalent we can come up with here is a bigger Zach Randolph. Strong inside games with an ability to finish at the hoop while extending their shots outside of the post. Rebound prowess is also comparable in a good way.

9. Skal Labissiere, center, Kentucky

NBA comparison: Meyers Leonard

Here's one of those 7-foot big men that will be drafted high solely based on his untapped potential and elite-level frame. The Haitian did very little to prove he can produce at a high level as a Freshman with Kentucky, averaging just 6.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. He's a project in every sense of the word.

We have seen similar players enter the NBA in recent seasons, primarily Bismack Biyombo and Robert Swift. It's called drafting solely on projection, not previous production.

With that said, we aren't going to sit here and project Labissiere to be a bust. That would be utterly foolish. With a pretty bad low-post game, the issue here has been a lack of real experience. The freshman is good with his back to the basket, but he's going to need to find some moves in order to be a potent scorer down low.

A decent jump-shooting game with the athleticism to make a major impact in transition, the best comparison here is a more athletic Meyers Leonard. Both can extend the court on the offensive side while bodying up on defense. Though, the Kentucky big is already a much better interior defender with shot-blocking capabilities.

10. Brice Johnson, forward, North Carolina

NBA comparison: Jordan Hill

A 6-foot-9 senior forward, Johnson has seen all of his major statistical categories improve over the course of his four years with the Tar Heels. He's averaging 16.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while shooting a whopping 61 percent from the field this season. Those are some absurd numbers right there.

A very good low-post player with a ton of moves, Johnson is darn good with his back to the basket. Add in advanced level hands and elite athleticism, and there's not much to dislike here.

As experienced as any player entering the upcoming NBA draft, Johnson will be an immediate contributor as a four.

I have read Taj Gibson bandied about as a possible pro comparison to Johnson. While there are a lot of similarities there, Gibson is a much more physical presence with a willingness to get down and dirty. His offensive game also doesn't match up all that well in comparison to Johnson.

Instead, the best possible comparison we can draw here is Indiana Pacers big man Jordan Hill, who entered the Association with the same question marks as Johnson back in 2009. Hill has worked himself into a pretty good all-around player, but his ceiling has leveled off. In Johnson, a team would be getting someone with Hill's ceiling being the forward's floor, if that makes any sense at all.