The day has finally arrived.
This is the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Your dreams will come true. There is a mistake. There are unexpected choices, overkill players, ridiculous outfits, and heartfelt moments.
After weeks of plots, rumors, and smoke screens, it's time to make a choice. But before that, Post's Zack Brasilla finally sees everything unfolding on Thursday night.
1. Orlando Magic
Jabari Smith, Auburn (Forward)
This has basically been chosen for weeks since Magic won the draft lottery. Smith is a typical New Age NBA big man, a sharp step forward that can be defended with surroundings and paint, added to the core of Orlando's impressive young talent, including Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. increase.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga (Forward)
Holmgren, the most discussed player in this draft, comes with a fair amount of money on his thin rails. The number of questions about the frame, he also brings an appetizing two-way talent. It's easy to see that this is going in either direction. Minnesota can be a three-pointer that protects the rim, but if you can't put the weight you need, it can also fight the strength and physical characteristics of the league. An absolutely fascinating outlook under the microscope of the league from day one.
3. Houston Rockets
Paolo Banchero, Duke (Forward)
Rockets were sold at Banchero Almost immediately after Banchero visited Houston, picks and power forwards in the second half of the first round Replaced Christian Wood. There are questions about his motors and defensive chops, but Banchero has been an aggressive weapon from the start, creating a powerful 1-2 punch with last year's second-placed Jalen Green.
4. Sacramento Kings
Keegan Murray, Iowa (Guards / Forward)
After a few weeks of trade negotiations, Kings finally chooses and passes Jaden Ivey from Purdue University, Talent I will go as needed rather than. Murrayfits much better into their roster— Sacramento already has ivy-like players on the rosters of De'Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell — shots that can play multiple forward spots As a big wing to make.
5. Detroit Pistons
Jaden Ivey, Purdue (Guard)
Some have compared Ivey to Russell Westbrook. Others see similarities between Ja Morant and Donovan Mitchell. The Pistons scored big here, complementing Cade Cunningham, who was ranked number one a year ago. Cade Cunningham will speed up reconstruction and provide an elite backcoat for the next few years.
6. Indiana Pacers
Dyson Daniels, G League Ignite (Guard)
Defensively distressed Pacers, one of the worst teams of the year, the best defense in this draft Land a long guard from Australia that complements one of the players, Tyrese Haliburton. Daniels is a worker. G-League Ignite sources praised his leadership and determination to improve as a shooter and ball handler. "I didn't have to ask him to come to the gym," sources said.
7. Portland Trail Blazers
Benedict Maturin, Arizona (Guards)
Pac-12 Player of the Year Helps Damian Lillard and Trail Blazers Now and in the future. Initially, he serves as a defensive and explosive finisher in transition. But Canadians have the potential to be all-stars.
8. New Orleans Pelican
Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky (security guard)
Draft mysterious man, Sharpe, is basically making a leap in January after enrolling in the NBA from high school. I'm Kentucky, but I haven't played any games. He is a very talented and talented shooting guard who participated in agent-run training, but hasn't played competitive basketball for a year. The pelican is rolling the dice. There is no way to know what you are getting with Sharpe.
9. San Antonio Spurs
Memphis, Jalen Duren (center)
Experts see one big man, Bam Adebayo, 18 years old, much more than he showed in Memphis An old rim protector with the ability. The Spurs, in need of help from the front court, go to Durene, a super-exercise, aiming at him instead of Jakob Poeltl.
10. Washington Wizards
Jonathan Davis, Wisconsin (Security Guard)
Wizards feels close to a fight as long as they maintain the All-Star Bradley Beal. They are a direct contributor to the Big Ten Player of the Year. Forget Davis's low 3 point percentage as a sophomore — as a result of his high utilization — he's an underrated defender and a seasoned shotmakerwho can immediately contribute from the bench.
11. New York Knicks
AJ Griffin, Duke (Guard)
There are similarities with the sharp Griffin Cole Anthony. He comes from the NBA pedigree, he's a large rookie, and after an overwhelming year in college, he's now in doubt. But while he's a big guard capable of stretching the floor and fears of injury, Griffin is one of the youngest players in the draft — he won't be 19 until late August —And it has a fairly high ceiling
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
Jeremy Sochan, Baylor (Forward)
Thunder tries to trade some spots, but when the board falls on them, the player they wanted in the first place Will be with. The Big 12 Sixman of the Year fits well with young rosters and adds another quality, versatile defender to Oklahoma City's defensive core.
13. Charlotte Hornets
Mark Williams, Duke (Center)
Great for rising Hornets that fill the main gaps in the rim-Protection for going with LaMelo Ball, Rob Catch Finisher. The wasp is very familiar with his 7'8 wingspan from his time at 20-year-old Williams and Duke, where he grew up to be one of the best tycoons in the country as a sophomore. ..
14. Cleveland Cavaliers
Jaylen Williams, Santa Clara (Guards)
Williams plays to the end of the lottery to conclude the story of shabby wealth. The 7-2 wingspan Langie Wing will be Santa Clara's first draft topic since Steve Nash in 1996, and combined with a breakout performance in the draft, will lead to this unlikely rise. He is worth it to the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers have a rugged 3D outlook that allows them to grow even further.
15. Charlotte Hornets
Malakai, Ohio Brannam (Guards)
After making the ball a new lob partner, Hornets found him in Brannam's coat spacer. Aggressively efficient, the former Ohio State University star is a knockdown shooter with tools to become a powerful defender, giving your creative ball more control.
16. Atlanta Hawks
Ochaibaji, Kansas (security guard)
In the recent NBA, experience and maturity are underestimated and downplayed compared to upwards and possibilities. As a result, Avaji dropped out of the lottery. He is already 22 years old. However, he can quickly step in and produce at both ends of the Hawks floor as a shotmaking wing and a leading defender. He improves Atlanta's bench, but other teams have to wait years in return for their first round of investment.
17. Houston Rockets
Tally Son, LSU (Forward)
Banchero and Green are not known for defense, so rockets find grinders to complement them. gift. He brings a lunch tub to protect many talented border scorers in the league.
18. Chicago Bulls
E. J. Liddell, Ohio (Forward)
This may be described as reach by some, but this is what a wise organization does — produced at both ends of the floor and done by Liddell. Ohio finds improved winners throughout the university as well. Age can be overestimated. As one scout said, "Take me the man who influences the victory." Liddell does that.
19.Minnesota Timberwolves
Walker Kessler, Auburn (center)
His defense alone makes sense for Timberwolves to gain elite trim protection. Kessler. In Auburn last year, he blocked an astonishing 4.6 shots per game in 25.6 minutes, helping to remedy Minnesota's major weaknesses in painting.
20. San Antonio Spurs
Ousmane Dieng, New Zealand Breakers (Forward)
With three first round picks, Spurs is a project like Dien. As the Australian NBL season progresses, the positive outlook that has improved has significant benefits. However, it requires patience and a long stay in the weight room.
21. Denver Nuggets
MarJon Beauchamp, G League Ignite (Guard / Forward)
Team with picks from the back end to the early part of the lottery In the second round, Beauchamp trains Participating has brought a wide range of possibilities to the wing's athletic freaks. He's not a 3D outlook at this point, and shots require work, but his energy, defensive versatility, and explosiveness at the rim are the qualities the team aspires to.
22. Memphis Grizzlies
Tyty Washington Jr., Kentucky (Guard)
A potential departure by a Tyus Jones free agent pierces the point guard. Can be met. Kentucky's point guard would have been higher if he had played the ball in Lexington all year round and hadn't fought a left ankle injury later in the season. Still, he shot 35% from the 3-point range, better than the 2: 1 assist-to-turnover ratio, proving his potential with a small sample size.
23. Philadelphia 76ers
Kennedy Chandler, Tennessee
Steele's SEC leaders feature incredible speed and elite handles for incredible midrange games. I am. His size (6 feet) is a disadvantage, but his burst can make up for it, and the 76ers need a playmaking guard behind Tyrese Maxey and James Harden.
24. Milwaukee Bucks
Darentelli, Arizona (security guard)
Candidates like Bucks can always use an aggressive upward athletic wing defender like Terry. In Arizona, he was a glue guy, a powerful playmaker given that he played the ball, an efficient scorer who did a lot of dirty work, and a rugged defender. Initially, he's an energy guy, but he has the potential for shotmaking that he can develop.
25. San Antonio Spurs
Wendell Moore Jr., Duke (Guard)
In each of the three seasons at Duke, Moore improved and his number increased altogether. Most importantly, his 3-point percentage has increased to 40.1 over the past season as he has evolved into a full player capable of distribution and defense as well as scoring at a high level. .. In the high IQ outlook, Spurs are written everywhere in him.
26. Dallas Mavericks
Jay Claravia, Wakeforest (Forward)
Sized shotmakers always have homes in the modern NBA, 6-9 Larabia owns both .. He achieved 38.9% over Ark in last year's ACC and his 3.7 assists show a ball mover that can be created for teammates.
27. Miami Heat
Breakwesley, Notre Dame (Guards)
A jump shot puts the former Notre Dame star out of the top 20. From his speed with the ball in his hand to the potential of defense and the frequency of penetrating paint to like him elsewhere.
28. Golden State Warriors
Jaden Hardy, G League Ignite (Guard)
Defending champions can bet on Hardy's talent given the robust nature of the roster. Increasingly, they can take full advantage of the skilled guards that were once considered the top five picks before the down-year at the G League Ignite.
29. Memphis Grizzlies
Nikolayovich, Megamosat (Forward)
Grizzlies chooses the possibility of a high 19-year-old without any obvious need his size (6-11) Forward from England who has strong boundary skills for.
30. Denver Nuggets
Christian Koloko, Arizona (center)
A shot blocker running on the rim checks many boxes of the Nuggets you were looking for for a fairly long backup of Nikola Jokić. for. His elite's jumping ability and defense (2.8 blocks per game last year) should at least allow Koroko to influence the game on the rim.