One of the most significant aspects of the league is the NBA Draft, which establishes the foundation for the future. The college stats show that, as usual, the NBA Draft’s top 10 picks have a lot of potentials. While some of these youngsters simply cannot adapt, most of them can bring their talents to the NBA.
The Orlando Magic selected Paolo Banchero with the first overall pick in the 2022 draft. Based on their college stats, here are the top 10 NBA Draft picks for 2022.
1. Keegan, Murray:
Since the Sacramento Kings didn’t waste any chances, it’s hard to believe that three teams were able to get past Keegan Murray. Last season, the 22-year-old center was named MVP and won the Big Ten Conference championship. In terms of player efficiency (37.8), over/under squares (15.7), winning percentage (8.7), and points per game (23.5), Murray topped the NCAA overall. Murray averaged 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game as if that weren’t enough. In addition, he only committed 39 turnovers in 35 games while making 39.8 percent of his 3-point attempts. Keegan Murray will be a monstrosity.
2. Chet, Holmgren:
This center at 7 feet has a lot of potentials and will soon be in the spotlight. Chet Holmgren, who played 32 games for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game and appeared as dominant as Dikembe Mutombo, David Robinson, and Patrick Ewing. Holmgren’s goodness is also shown by his advanced stats, which show that he had a Box Plus/Minus of 15.0, a true shooting percentage of 0.691, and a player efficiency rating of 31.3. Chet Holmgren’s first game with the Oklahoma City Thunder should be a big deal for basketball fans.
3. Paolo Banchero – NBA:
Paolo Banchero, the NBA Draft’s No. 1 pick in 2022, certainly looks promising. With an average of 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game, the 208-centimeter forward has demonstrated that he is effective in all facets of the game.
Regarding efficiency, Banchero had a Frame Over/Under ratio of 7.7 and a Player Efficiency of 24.2. Banchero was unquestionably a great college player, but the Orlando Magic would not have selected him based solely on his stats.
4. Jabari Smith:
The Houston Rockets selected the 6-10, 220-pound forward with the third overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Jabari Smith Jr. has averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks across 34 games played for the Auburn Tigers. His true shooting percentage was.570, his player efficiency was 25.1, and he won 5.6 times. Jabari Smith is unquestionably a complete player, and Rockets fans will be eager to see him play in the NBA.
5. Johnny Davis – NBA:
With the 10th pick, the Washington Wizards selected guard, Jonny Davis. This man, who attended the University of Wisconsin and played in the NCAA for two seasons, Davis appeared rather inexperienced during the 2020-21 season, but during the 2021-22 season, he demonstrated that he was prepared for the majors. With a player rating of 24.3 and a box plus/minus of 8.9, Davis played in 31 games and averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. However, Johnny Davis shoots poorly from long range, as evidenced by his 30.6-point field goal percentage.
6. Benedict, Maturin:
During his two seasons with the Arizona Wildcats, Benedict Maturin started 63 games and 49 games. In his second season, the point guard made significant progress, averaging 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals, 20.7 points in the paint, and a 9.1 winning percentage per game. The Canadian player, who is just 20 years old, has a lot of potentials and could one day be the face of the Indiana Pacers.
7. Jaden Ivy:
Jaden Ivey is still fifth, one spot behind the position that was most predicted. But if you’re the Detroit Pistons, you should be happy that the former Purdue Boilermaker has signed with them. Ivey’s physicality makes him a tough prospect. He is in the guard position’s middle. He has a lot of potentials to score, despite being rather small for a shooting guard.
Ivey excels in his ability to attack the rim and his explosive speed. He has many advantages, but he needs to improve as a facilitator to finish against bigger players. This guy can do anything, and he can find All-Stars everywhere. He is unquestionably an excellent pick for the Pistons.
With the fifth pick in the draft, the Detroit Pistons selected Purdue shooting guard Jaden Ivey. Ivey was a two-year college player who averaged 14.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game in 59 games. Jaden Ivey had a Box Plus/Minus of 7.1 and a player efficiency rating of 21.1.
8. Jeremy Sochan – NBA:
Jeremy Sochan’s college statistics may not be the most impressive of the top ten picks, but that does not mean they are bad. He averaged 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per minute played.
Jeremy Sawchan had a player efficiency rating of 19.6, a frame over/under of 8.0, and a winning percentage of 3.4 in advanced statistics.
9. Dyson Daniels:
The New Orleans Pelicans selected Dyson Daniels with the eighth overall selection in the 2022 NBA Draft. Guard is from Australia, is 6 feet 7 inches tall, and weighs 195 pounds. He did not play college football. Daniels averaged 12 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and two steals per game in 26 games for the G League Ignite. As a threat offensively and defensively, this kid’s adaptation to American basketball will be exciting.
10. Shadon Sharp:
Despite attending the University of Kentucky, Shaedon Sharpe did not participate in any NCAA competitions. The 19-year-old Canadian point guard has been a tremendous talent in every contest he has participated in, but it is always risky to enter the NBA without having played college basketball. He was still selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Sharon’s ability to compete in the NBA will become clear over time only.
Sharpe is one of the draft’s most intriguing prospects. He was the number seven pick of the Portland Trail Blazers, but in Kentucky, where he didn’t quite fit in, he was a big wild card. This is my steal in the draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Jaden Ivey got it first.
Sharp has everything necessary to succeed in this league. He is a dynamic offensive player because of his size and builds, which are ideal for a small forward. He has the potential to be an excellent defender thanks to his 7-foot wingspan. It was a steal in the draft, and Portland got a great player.
