The 2022 NBA Draft is coming up on Thursday, June 23rd and it’s time to take a look at how the 30 first-round picks could shake out. The Orlando Magic hold the No. 1 overall pick after winning the NBA Draft Lottery this year. Will it be Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, or Paolo Banchero hearing his name called first? Which other college basketball prospects could become NBA lottery picks? How early will Jaden Ivey go among the top NBA Draft prospects? Could Shaedon Sharpe or Ousmane Dieng end up being the steal of this class? We’ll answer all those questions and more with this 2022 NBA Moc k Draft.
Since the 2022 NBA Finals just wrapped up, it’s important to remember where some of the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics drafted their best players. Whether it’s Jayson Tatum at No. 3 overall, Stephen Curry at No. 7 overall, or even Draymond Green as a second-round pick, NBA stars and quality role players can be found at any number pick. On the flip side, even some of the best college basketball prospects could end up being NBA Draft busts when its all said and done. Either way, many of these first-round selections will appear on the fantasy baseball rankings next season in some form or fashion. Check out my breakdowns of the NBA Draft top 10 prospects for more in-depth coverage.
For the purposes of this mock draft, no trades are predicted or projected, though we’ll inevitably get multiple trades on draft night. Now let’s take a look at how the 2022 NBA Draft First Round could shake up.'
It's between Jabari Smith and Chet Holmgren for the first overall pick, but all indications and betting markets have the Magic going with the Auburn freshman. Orlando needs a building block in the frontcourt with Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony, and Jalen Suggs in place as the ball-handlers. Though Holmgren has the bigger upside, Smith is a slightly safer pick for Orlando at No. 1 overall with a higher floor to develop into either a star or quality role player in the NBA. He already has a polished jump shot on the offensive end and shot 43.6% from three-point range last year in college. Smith also boasts defensive versatility with the size/quickness combo to guard multiple positions .'
There's a decent chance the Thunder trade down if another team is willing to move up and grab Chet Holmgren or Paolo Banchero. Assuming they stay put, Holmgren is the ideal high-upside pick that GM Sam Presti has shown a liking to over the years. The Gonzaga freshman not only possesses elite shot-blocking skills with his 7-foot frame, but he's also a unicorn on offense with three-point shooting ability and ball-handling you don't often see from players at his size. The lanky frame holding up to the physicality of the NBA is a legit concern, but the sky is the limit for this unique prospect. The Thunder need a young piece in the frontcourt with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey as the guards to already build around.'
After recently trading away Christian Wood to Dallas, the Rockets have cleared up minutes for Paolo Banchero (or whoever is left among the big three) in the frontcourt. The Duke freshman has an NBA-ready offensive skillset as a post-scorer with perimeter range while also being able to handle the ball and pass well for a big man. Banchero anchored Duke's Final Four run in the 2022 NCAA Tournament and he can compliment Jalen Green's playmaking ability as Houston's building blocks of the future.
It appears pretty likely the Kings trade this pick away as they look to add win-now veterans to compete for a playoff spot this season. If they hold, though, Jaden Ivey is the best available player as the top guard in this draft class. Even though Sacramento has De'Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell in the backcourt, taking Ivey and possibly working a trade for one of those guards may be too good to pass up for a franchise desperate for national relevance. Ivey has the ability to be the next great playmaking guard and he's drawn appropriate comparisons to Ja Morant for his fearless ability to drive to the rim and finish. The Purdue sophomore also improved his three-point shooting last year, draining 36% from deep.'
First off, it seems likely that the Pistons will be trading away Jerami Grant this summer at some point. That would open up a ton of minutes at the small/power forward spot and allow Keegan Murray to step right into a starting role as a rookie. With Cade Cunningham already in place for Detroit as the distributor and a young core piece in the backcourt, Murray can be a 3-and-D type on the wing. Murray took a big leap this past season as he became Iowa's No. 1 scoring option as a sophomore. His three-point shooting, in particular, improved to nearly 40% from under 30% a year ago.'
The Pacers are expected to target a shooting guard here with Shaedon Sharpe and Johnny Davis as possibilities. Bennedict Mathurin, though, brings a bit more roster flexibility to Indiana's roster as a wing scorer who can play either the two or three at the next level. The Arizona sophomore improved his NBA draft stock a ton this past collegiate season after showing flashes as a freshman. He shot 38% from three-point range and brings some physicality to the defensive end as well. Mathurin would give the Pacers a solid wing presence with Tyrese Haliburton manning the point and Myles Turner down low.'
Portland has been in the NBA trade buzz and could either trade this pick away, look to move up into the top five, or stay put. Building around Damian Lillard is the clear objective, but it remains to be seen how the Blazers go about doing it. Shaedon Sharpe is a notable boom-or-bust prospect in this draft with NBA teams apparently split on how his talent will translate into the pros. He has the perimeter shooting chops, ball-handling ability, and athleticism around the rim to be a quality shooting guard. Still, that skillset is a bit unproven against tough competition since he didn't log any minutes for Kentucky after reclassifying into the 2021 freshman class. The ceiling is there, however, for Sharpe to emerge as the steal of this NBA Draft.
The Pelicans are another team who could go in a number of different directions with this pick and may very well trade it away for a win-now veteran. If they stick at No. 8, though, Daniels is a great fit next to CJ McCollum in the New Orleans backcourt. The 19-year-old out of the G League Ignite program has the unique passing and playmaking ability as a taller guard who can realistically play positions 1-4 at the next level. He would compliment McCollum nicely while also giving the Pelicans another high-upside offensive talent next to Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson for the future. Daniels has risen quickly up NBA Draft boards this summer and there's a chance he's gone before this pick as well.'
Since the Spurs have three first-round picks, they could be looking to hit a home run with this lottery selection. Enter Ousmane Dieng, a French prospect who played last year in the New Zealand pro league and has received a ton of pre-draft hype. Dieng possesses a ton of untapped potential with raw shooting and offensive skills at a 6-foot-10 size. San Antonio has been known to develop underrated prospects in the past (most recently Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell) and could bring Dieng along slowly as he gets comfortable with NBA competition. We could look back in 5-10 years at the 19-year-old being one of the steals of this draft.
Any conversation surrounding the Wizards has to start with the Bradley Beal situation. Washington may look to trade their star away or hope to build around him with a supermax contract offer. If the Wiz hold onto Beal, giving him a backcourt mate should be a priority. Johnny Davis has the defensive ability and the offensive shot creation to take pressure off of Beal on both ends. Davis took a big leap this past season as a sophomore at Wisconsin and is arguably the best two-way guard of this draft class.
The Knicks have been linked to trading up into the top five to grab Jaden Ivey, but many other teams are in the same boat. Assuming New York holds onto this No. 11 pick, a big man is the way to go. Julius Randle could be on the move soon, Mitchell Robinson is a free agent, and Nerlens Noel isn't the long-term answer at center. It's either Jalen Duren or Mark Williams for the Knicks as they add a big man to complement the emerging talents of R.J. Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley. As for Duren, the Memphis freshman is an elite shot-blocker with the de fensive ability that would fit right in with Tom Thibodeau's identity in New York. Though he doesn't stretch the floor much with basically no perimeter threat, Duren is a ferocious dunker and physical interior scorer.'
After going Chet Holmgren and frontcourt at No. 2 overall, the Thunder should be looking to address a different position with this selection. A.J. Griffin is one of the best wing prospects of this draft class and would be a nice 3-and-D talent for OKC. Last year at Duke, the freshman was lights-out from three – shooting 44.7% from deep – and possesses an offensive skillset that's a bit underrated after playing in the shadow of Paolo Banchero. The only question is his defensive ability, which was lacking in his lone collegiate season.'
Outside of the Knicks, the Hornets are the other lottery team most in need of a pure center. Mark Williams can fit in right away as a pick-and-roll partner and lob finisher for LaMelo Ball on the offensive end. Plus, the Duke sophomore is a top-tier rim-protector and defensive presence in the paint. Though his offensive game is a bit limited outside of scoring inside, Williams showed a surprisingly soft touch on jumpers this past season. He's very unproven as a three-point shooter, however, only attempting one from deep in his two years at Duke.
The Cavaliers are looking to take the next step as an Eastern Conference playoff contender after getting a taste of the Play-In Tournament this past season. With that in mind, adding the 2022 Final Four Most Outstanding Player and national champ makes a ton of sense. Though Ochai Agbaji is on the older end of NBA prospects at 22 years old, he brings in plenty of big-game experience and a veteran attitude after spending four years at college and leading Kansas to the title. It's encouraging that Agbaji improved statistically each year from his freshman to senior seasons and shot 40.9% from three-point range as an efficient scorer last year. He has the defensive versatility to guard multiple positions and will bring 3-and-D vet experience to Cleveland right away as a rookie.
With their second selection in the span of three picks, the Hornets could easily trade back to acquire other assets or future draft capital. They can also package both picks to move up. If Charlotte holds here, though, the target should be adding another complementary piece to build around LaMelo Ball's playmaking. Jeremy Sochan is arguably the best defensive prospect in this draft with the size, athleticism, and versatility to guard all five positions in the NBA. The Baylor freshman's shooting and post-up game are unproven after not showing much in his one college season, but the upside is there for him to get better offensively.
Jalen Williams was a hot name at the NBA Draft Combine and he's quickly risen up big boards and mock drafts this summer. The Santa Clara product was understandably overlooked in college after playing in a mid-major conference, but he's now earned the admiration of plenty of NBA teams. Though Williams is a late-bloomer after just completing his junior season, the talent is still very much there. He drained nearly 40% of three-pointers last year, showed off playmaking and ball-handling skills as a point-forward type, and is a high-effort defender with the versatility to guard multiple positions. The Hawks should be looking to add more offensive talent to surround Trae Young and Williams provides an alternative scoring skillset on the wing than Kevin Huerter, De'Andre Hunter, or Bogan Bo gdanovic.
The Rockets can go in a number of different directions with this pick after going Paolo Banchero at No. 3 overall (according to this mock). Recently acquiring the No. 26 overall selection from Dallas in the Christian Wood trade could allow Houston to pair both picks together and move back into the lottery. If they stay, the Rockets should continue to add young building block talent around emerging star Jalen Green. Bringing in Malaki Branham would add another combo guard to the backcourt and take ball-handling and playmaking pressure off of Green. The Ohio State freshman was one of the better defenders in the Big Ten last season and brings plenty of two-way upside.'
The Bulls should be targeting defensive-minded depth at the forward position and Tari Eason would be a welcome addition. The LSU sophomore is an active, willing, and versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and even play the small-ball five as he did in college. He improved as a shooter from his freshman to sophomore seasons, making 37% of his threes last year. Chicago already has their offensive playmakers in place, but Eason can provide the 3-and-D ability for a playoff-ready roster.
The Timberwolves should look at guard with this pick to find a backcourt-mate of the future to pair alongside Anthony Edwards – especially since Patrick Beverly is getting up there in age and hitting free agency next season. Blake Wesley can allow the Minnesota offense to have two competent ball-handling combo guards who can both create for themselves off the dribble. He flashed that playmaking talent as a freshman at Notre Dame even though the talent around him was lacking.'
There's a decent chance that TyTy Washington gets drafted much earlier than this, but NBA teams have reportedly soured on him recently because of his refusal to scrimmage at the Draft Combine and an underwhelming season in college. At Kentucky last year, the freshman dealt with an ankle injury, shot just 33% from three, and took a backseat to Oscar Tshiebwe and Sahvir Wheeler in the offensive pecking order. Still, the talent is there for a 19-year-old who can create his own shot and is lethal in the mid-range and float game. The Spurs can take a chance on him with one of their three first-round selections if he falls this far.'
