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2022 NBA Draft: New Big Board; 3 upcoming games for Cavs fans to watch

By Justin Brownlow

Bryce McGowens, Nebraska Cornhuskers. (Photo by Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports)
Bryce McGowens, Nebraska Cornhuskers. (Photo by Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports) /
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AJ Griffin, Duke Blue Devils. (Photo by Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports) /

The updated Big Board Top 10

  1. Jabari Smith, Wing/Forward, Auburn (-)
  2. Paolo Banchero, Forward, Duke (-)
  3. Chet Holmgren, Center, Gonzaga (-)
  4. Jaden Ivey, Guard, Purdue (-)
  5. Bennedict Mathurin, Wing, Arizona (-)
  6. Johnny Davis, Guard, Wisconsin (Up 1)
  7. Shaedon Sharpe, Guard, Kentucky (New)
  8. Jaden Hardy, Guard, G-League Ignite (Down 2)
  9. Keegan Murray, Wing, Iowa (Up 1)
  10. AJ Griffin, Wing, Duke (New)

Jabari Smith, as I mentioned, stayed still in the top spot. He’s really starting to turn heads around the NBA it seems. Over the weekend his Auburn team took down Kentucky, where he contributed 14 points. He’s the best prospect I’ve seen coming out of college since Anthony Davis. He’s a unique guy in the fact that his ceiling is sky-high, but so is his floor.

Banchero and Holmgren are producing at a high rate on top 10 teams, and Ivey has continued to look great for the Boilermakers this year, and his teammate, 7-footer Zach Edey, is starting to get on some NBA teams’ radars. Sharpe is intriguing, because we don’t know if he’ll play the second half of this season and go to the draft or wait until the 2023 draft, and play for John Calipari next year. Sharpe doesn’t seem to know himself what his plans are, but that will sort it self out in time.

Hardy has not looked good in the G-League, and has often been outshined by his teammates like Dyson Daniels and even Scoot Henderson. However, the guy can still shoot it out of the gym, so Hardy’s likely to stay in my good graces for a while.

Personally, I like Griffin for the Cavs more than Murray. Griffin is very young, and has a lot of untapped potential. With that being said, I’d happily take Murray if he fell to the Cavaliers. He is starting to heat up from the floor, and his all-around game would mix well with the Cavs’ environment.

So before I get into some of the other games you should watch this weekend, there are also some chances to watch some of the top guys this weekend. Banchero, Griffin and Duke will take on Louisville on Saturday in Kentucky. Also on the slate is the SEC-Big 12 Challenge that will feature Jabari Smith and number one-ranked Auburn host Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon.

Oh and if you want to tune in late on Saturday night, Chet Holmgren and Gonzaga will take on Portland at 9. However, let’s take a look at some of the realistic options for the Cavaliers next year, and where to watch them this weekend.