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LSU's Ben Simmons and Duke's Brandon Ingram are almost certain to be selected first and second respectively in the 2016 NBA Draft on Thursday night at the Barclays Center, but after that things are going to get very interesting.

And that's where Kris Dunn comes in.

The 6-foot-4 point guard is clearly the best two-way player in the 2016 NBA Draft and could transcend a position that is clearly becoming more and more paramount at the professional level.

With guys like Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, and Stephen Curry all excelling in the role of lead guard, Dunn would give a team an instant starter at the most important position on the floor.

Another thing to remember: with all due respect to Providence, Dunn didn't play at a traditional blue-blood program and I have said since the beginning of last season that if you switched Dunn and Tyler Ulis off their respective college teams, then people would regularly compare Dunn to John Wall.

The long-armed floor general had five games last season with five or more steals and averaged 22.5 points in two NCAA Tournament tilts last March.

Sources have told CBS Sports that he's unlikely to slide past the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 6.

Kris Dunn Providence
Point guard Kris Dunn is an intriguing prospect. USATSI

SEC continues to try to improve

This league made national headlines in spring 2015 when Tennessee hired Rick Barnes and Mississippi State hired Ben Howland, but the on-court product of SEC basketball continued to struggle last season.

The conference only had three teams in last year's NCAA Tournament and the last team that made the field -- Vanderbilt -- was beaten decisively by Wichita State in the First Four.

The SEC widely tabbed former Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese as a consultant for men's basketball in March and then this past week hired former Temple assistant and hartford coach Dan Leibovitz to serve as the league's associate commissioner.

Both Tranghese and Leibovitz are guys who cut their basketball teeth in the Northeast and know the fabric of the sport.

The question now is can this league have a second or third team emerge as a perennial basketball power alongside Kentucky?

With Billy Donovan no longer at Florida, the SEC is seriously missing a second marquee program to help elevate its overall brand from a national perspective.

As long as John Calipari is still coaching in Lexington, Kentucky will anchor this conference. But the Wildcats also need some other teams to emerge to help improve the SEC's overall product.

There's a better chance of that happening now with guys like Tranghese and Leibovitz in tow, but they can't help some of the SEC's programs coach or recruit.

It will be interesting to see how these two personnel moves at the conference office affect a league that's been consistently struggling for respect in college basketball.

Gonzaga is on the verge of becoming a top-10 team

Mark Few's squad was in my top-15 where I re-ranked the top 25 for 2016-17 in May, but that could change over the next few days.

Cal transfer Jordan Mathews told CBS Sports last week that he cancelled his visit to NC State and will now only be visiting Gonzaga, which will occur during the upcoming weekend. The 6-3 Mathews averaged 13.5 points last season and is immediately eligible to play next season.

Sources have told CBS Sports that Mathews is "essentially a lock" to play for the Bulldogs and his decision to cancel his visit to NC State reiterates that very sentiment.

With Mathews in the fold, Few would have a potentially loaded perimeter with he, Josh Perkins, Silas Melson, and Washington transfer Nigel Williams-Goss (15.6 points, 5.9 assists, 4.7 rebounds).

Big man Przemek Karnowski is back to anchor the middle and the Bulldogs' staff is also very high on Missouri transfer John Williams (11.9 points, 7.1 rebounds in 2014-15), who should be this team's starting power forward at 6-9.

Four-star big man Zach Collins is also expected to play a significant role as a freshman.

There's no telling how this team's chemistry is going to work itself out, but Few always has a way of putting things together and making them fit.

If Matthews commits this weekend as expected, there's not a team in college basketball that Gonzaga shouldn't feel like it can compete against next season.

This and That

  • Boston, Phoenix, and Minnesota have done the most extensive research on Cal's Jaylen Brown, sources told CBS Sports. Those three teams are slated to pick third, fourth, and fifth in Thursday's NBA Draft.

  • I'm hearing Kansas big man Cheick Diallo has worked his way into the 15-20 range. Despite a limited role during his freshman season with the Jayhawks, all the NBA people keep saying the same thing about this kid: "motor, motor, motor."

  • Duke transfer Derryck Thornton committed to USC on Friday. The 6-2 point guard averaged 7.1 points and 2.8 assists last season and must sit out next year per NCAA rules. Thornton will be eligible to play during the 2017-18 season.

  • The first thing that stood out from the Atlantic 10's conference pairings: Dayton and Rhode Island will play each other twice during the regular season. Both teams are top 25 caliber.

  • Saint Louis is the fourth team in the 2017 Men Who Speak Up Event in Las Vegas, sources told CBS Sports. Alabama, BYU, and VALPO are also in the field. Matchups are still TBD.