The 2022 NBA Draft is just around the corner. While the Celtics and Warriors battle for a Championship ring, the front offices of franchises whose seasons ended a long time ago are buzzing with anticipation, with June 23rd circled in big red marker pen on their calendars.
To help you prepare for the big day, our own analysts have prepared this handy guide, using NCAA LiveStats and Second Spectrum data.
Here’s how the Draft Order currently stacks up:
The 2022 #NBADraftLottery presented by State Farm is complete. pic.twitter.com/NUlGiluyAN
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Our Top 10 NBA Draft Prospects
Jabari Smith, Auburn University – USA
Age: 19 | Height: 6-10 | Weight: 220
Smith, the 2022 NABC and USBWAS National Freshman of the Year at Auburn, is a popular pick to go first overall in the draft. At 6-10 with plus athleticism and long-range shooting ability, Smith’s game translates well to the league. He averaged 16.9 points and 7.4 rebounds while grabbing a long list of honors as the best player on a really good Auburn team. It could be an upset if he’s available at 2 for Oklahoma City.
Potential Destinations: Orlando, Oklahoma City
Paolo Banchero, Duke University – USA
Age: 19 | Height: 6-10 | Weight: 250
Banchero was a top story in college basketball all year and his stock only rose when he led Duke to the Final Four. A second team All-American pick and the ACC Freshman of the Year, Banchero showed the versatile, smooth game to go along with size and savvy to be a star NBA player. Serviceable from 3-point range at 34% and a 73% foul shooter, Banchero can still improve there and the sky is the limit. It’s hard to believe he won’t be in the top 3 picks.
Potential Destinations: Oklahoma City, Houston, Sacramento
Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga University – USA
Age: 20 | Height: 7-0 | Weight: 195
A “unicorn”, as they say, Holmgren is a young 7-footer with guard skills who is still developing. He captured a long list of awards during his one season at Gonzaga and was voted to most All-American teams. He also was tournament MVP for the Team USA U19 team in 2021, which shows that his experience in the international game can translate to the pros.
Potential Destinations: Oklahoma City, Houston, Sacramento
Jaden Ivey, Purdue University – USA
Age: 20 | Height: 6-4 | Weight: 195
A carbon copy of Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant, Ivey has the pedigree and explosiveness to be a high pick and productive pro. His mother was a basketball star and current women’s coach at Notre Dame and his father was an NFL draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens. Ivey averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game for a Purdue team at one point ranked #1 and is possibly the most explosive athlete in the draft.
Potential Destinations: Sacramento, Detroit, Indiana
AJ Griffin, Duke University – USA
Age: 18 | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 220
Griffin is big, can shoot the 3 and he’s not even 19 years old yet. The Duke star should go early after a freshman year that saw him rank among the national leaders in 3FG%, eFG% and turnover percentage. He’s an upside pick with a high future ceiling.
Potential Destinations: Detroit, Indiana, Portland, New Orleans
Jalen Duren, University of Memphis – USA
Age: 18 | Height: 6-11 | Weight: 250
After a solid freshman season on an uber-talented Memphis team, Duren scored many points with draft scouts by showing improvement and helping the Tigers peak at the right time during March Madness. He’s one of the biggest prospects in the draft and still 18 years old, meaning the sky is the limit for the 2022 American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year. A team with strong guards and some veteran bigs to bring him along would be the perfect fit.
Potential Destinations: Detroit, Portland, New Orleans, Washington
Ben Mathurin, University of Arizona – Canada
Age: 19 | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 210
One of the top NCAA players this season and the Pac-12 Player of the Year, Mathurin was the best player on a highly-ranked Arizona team and also was Canada’s best player in the U19 World Cup last summer. He shot 37% from long range and had 14 games with 20 or more points. His game is tailor-made for the NBA and he’ll only get better. Could the Wizards see him as the heir apparent to free agent star Bradley Beal or become a 1-2 punch if Washington resigns him?
Potential Destinations: Indiana, Portland, San Antonio, Washington
Shaedon Sharpe, University of Kentucky – Canada
Age: 19 | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 200
Sharpe enrolled in Kentucky after an outstanding youth and international career in Canada but didn’t play in any games in college. He has outrageous leaping ability and overall athleticism, but hasn’t played many games against top experienced players. He projects as a plus shooter and having just turned 19, he’ll have a long runway to develop.
Potential Destinations: Portland, New Orleans, Washington
Kendall Brown, Baylor University – USA
Age: 19 | Height: 6-8 | Weight: 205
Brown was a defensive standout with plus athletic ability for Baylor, one of the best defensive teams in all of college basketball the last few years. Offensively, he’s a slasher who was among the national leaders in FG attempts at the rim. He shot nearly 64% from 2-point range but can also make an occasional 3-pointer. NBA ready on defense now, with some work on his midrange game he’ll be an impact NBA player.
Potential Destinations: New Orleans, San Antonio, New York, Oklahoma City
Johnny Davis, University of Wisconsin – USA
Age: 20 | Height: 6-5 | Weight: 195
Davis burst on the scene this season with some monster games on big stages: 30 points vs. Houston, 37 at Purdue, 25 at Michigan State, 30 at Indiana. The All-American guard was a volume shooter at Wisconsin with the ability to hit from all over the court, but didn’t shoot for great percentages in college. He also played on a gold medal U19 Team USA team in addition to winning a conference title at UW, so he knows his way around winning cultures.
Potential Destinations: New York, Oklahoma City, Charlotte, Cleveland
Five Player Snapshots NCAA LiveStats Data
Five International Prospects
Nikola Jovic, Forward – Serbia
Age: 18 | Height: 6-10 | Weight 210
Team: Mega Mozzart
Not to be confused with two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Jovic is a long offensive creator who can get his own shot from anywhere on the court. He has a great feel for the game and thrived in the Adriatic Basketball Association, a top tier league in Europe. Once he adds strength and can prove he can defend at an NBA level, Jovic will have plenty of chances to stick.
ABA Stats 2021/22:
- PPG – 11.7
- 2P% – 50
- 3P% – 35.6
- FT% – 75.4
- REB – 4.4
- AST – 3.4
Draft Outlook: Back half of 1st round
Ousmane Dieng, Guard – France
Age: 19 | Height: 6-10 | Weight: 215
Team: New Zealand Breakers
At 6-10 and having just turned 19 years old, Dieng will be high among international prospects in this draft. He has point guard skills – good with the ball in his hands and also owns the ability to create for others while being able to get to the rim himself. He didn’t shoot the 3 very well playing for the New Zealand Breakers, but is projected to improve in that area.
NBL Stats 2021/22:
- PPG – 8.87
- 2P% – 40
- 3P% – 27
- FT% – 67
- REB – 3.17
- AST – 1.09
Draft Outlook: Back half of 1st round
Ismael Kamagate, Center – France
Age: 21 | Height: 6-11 | Weight: 220
Team: Paris Basketball
One of the top rim protectors in the draft pool, Kamagate is a little older than most international prospects and has the physical presence where he can be more easily projected. A team looking for an athletic big off the bench would be a great fit for the Frenchman, who shot 64 percent from the floor in Paris this past season.
LNB Stats 2021/22:
- PPG – 11.3
- 2P% – 64.4
- FT% – 65.4
- REB – 6.3
- AST – 0.7
Draft Outlook: Late 1st to early 2nd round
Jean Montero, Guard – Dominican Republic
Age: 18 | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 180
Team: Overtime Elite
Montero entered the draft out of the upstart Overtime Elite league and has been a fixture on mock draft boards for a while. He spurned college and pro ball in Spain to take a chance at Overtime. He’s athletic and has plus offensive skills. A team that can afford to stash a guard and let him develop would be a good fit, and that may help Montero sneak into the first round.
Overtime Stats 2021/22:
- PPG – 17.3
- 2P% – 50.3
- 3P% – 27.5
- FT% – 77.7
- REB – 7.3
- AST – 4.7
Draft Outlook: 2nd round
Yannick Nzosa, Center – Congo
Age: 18 | Height: 6-10 | Weight: 200
Team: Unicaja
Nzosa’s draft candidacy took a wild turn when he was not permitted by his club team to compete in the draft combine. That may have hurt or helped his stock, we’ll have to wait and see. He is an athletic rim protector with a monster wingspan, but not quite ready to contribute offensively. His physical nature, high motor and the fact that he played in the top league in Spain will have teams thinking hard about him when they’re on the clock.
ACB Stats 2021/22:
- PPG – 2.3
- 2P% – 40.8
- FT% – 69.2
- REB – 2.0
- AST – 0.2
