Ah, what a beautiful Saturday it is in Northeast Ohio. We’ve been hammered with snow this week, and temperatures could drop into the single digits this weekend, which is fantastic! But, with all that said, it’s great to be a Cleveland Cavaliers fan, considering the team got their first All-Star in the post-LeBron James era.
Darius Garland was selected as a reserve player for the Eastern Conference in this year’s NBA All-Star Game, taking place in our very own, Cleveland, Ohio.
With the good news comes some bad, as Jarrett Allen was snubbed out of the game, with the Milwaukee Bucks’ Khris Middleton essentially taking his place. I could go on and on for hours about how both Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland should have both been All-Stars. There’s even a case to be made that Evan Mobley deserved a spot as a rookie.
Instead, let’s just enjoy having Darius in the All-Star Game, while everyone sits back and starts to realize this will be the last All-Star roster for a couple of years, without at least two Cleveland Cavalier participants.
So congratulations to Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, and Evan Mobley for being selected to participate in at least one event on All-Star weekend. However, let’s turn our gaze to the college hoops scene. Nothing has changed in the top four of my 2022 NBA Draft Big Board, but there were some changes that had to be made.
Rising this week is sharpshooter AJ Griffin, whose continued playing time at Duke is proving he’s a star-caliber player. On the other side of things, Jaden Hardy is starting to fall in a lot of mock drafts, and he’s fallen on mine as well. His decision to join the G-League straight out of high school was an interesting one. He was the best scorer in the class of 2021, but he hasn’t jumped off the screen in the G-League quite yet.
So before we go any further, let’s update our Cavalier Big Board.
Updated Big Board
- Jabari Smith, Wing/Forward, Auburn
- Paolo Banchero, Forward, Duke
- Chet Holmgren, Center, Gonzaga
- Jaden Ivey, Guard, Purdue
- Johnny Davis, Guard, Wisconsin
- AJ Griffin, Wing, Duke
- Bennedict Mathurin, Wing, Arizona
- Shadon Sharpe, Guard, Kentucky
- Keegan Murray, Wing, Iowa
- Jaden Hardy, Guard, G-League Ignite
It’s becoming more and more clear every week that this is a three-horse race for the number one overall pick. Jabari Smith had been slumping a bit, but in his last two games versus Oklahoma and rival Alabama, he’s averaged 20 points per game, while shooting over 45 percent from the field. His shooting, length, and mid-range game have NBA scouts oozing over the 6-foot-10 prospect.
Banchero has steadily been having one of the best overall seasons in college basketball. He’s averaging nearly 18 points per game and grabbing over eight rebounds per night. He might be the most NBA-ready prospect.
Holmgren is rapidly rising in my eyes, and could take over Banchero for the second spot next week. On Thursday night, Holmgren really had his coming out party. He scored 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked four shots, all while shooting over 75 percent from the field. He might have the highest ceiling in the 2022 NBA Draft, but the weight and lack of bulk will have NBA scouts questioning Holmgren, when it shouldn’t. He’s a stud.
CHET HOLMGREN WITH 11 POINTS IN UNDER TWO MINUTES 🤯 pic.twitter.com/YBeBtOP71q
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 4, 2022
Jaden Ivey hit a near-buzzer-beater to beat Ohio State on Sunday afternoon. His improvement in one offseason has been spectacular. He’s shooting 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from three. He’s the clear favorite to go after the big three to come off the board.
Mathurin had a decent game Thursday night in Arizona’s win against UCLA. But, his lack of playmaking ability has me questioning how well he’ll adjust to the NBA game.
From there, Sharpe and Griffin are two guys that are very intriguing. We haven’t seen much of either of them play, but it’s clear that both are potential stars in the NBA, depending on where they land.
Hardy will still be a steal for someone in the lottery, but his lack of defensive effort, and his finishing at the rim raises a lot of questions.
Finally, I would dissuade anyone from writing Patrick Baldwin Jr. off. He’s struggled to adapt at a lower-level school, but his shooting is the real deal.
Now, let’s get into this week’s viewing guide for one of the best rivalries in all of sports.
Viewing Guide: Tobacco Road Rivalry
When: Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022| Time: 6:00 PM ET
Location: Dean Smith Center — Chapel Hill, NC
Coverage: ESPN & WatchESPN
The greatest rivalry in college basketball will have its first matchup of the year this Saturday. The ninth-ranked Duke Blue Devils, led by Paolo Banchero, will head to Chapel Hill to take on Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels.
As a loyal North Carolina basketball fan, it’s hard to admit that this is a great game to watch for Cavs fans. AJ Griffin is exactly the type of player the Cavs need to get them over the top. His shooting range is endless, and his shot is very smooth. On top of that he’s looked good attacking the basket, which is a bit surprising for someone who just came off a major knee injury.
Still, Duke has a lot of NBA talent, and there are multiple players who have become household names because of this rivalry. It brings out the best in players.
Paolo Banchero is clearly the best player in this game. He’s an NBA-ready forward with plus shooting and an above average playmaking ability. He’s in the mix to go in the top three picks, with him going second being the most likely. When Duke needs a clutch bucket, they go to Banchero, so this will be a huge test for the young man.
Another player to keep an eye on is Trevor Keels. He’s a scoring guard who has good-not-great shooting form, but has an excellent defensive motor, and high offensive upside.
On the Tar Heel bench, there aren’t many names that jump out at you. However, Armando Bacot will have to have a great game if the Tar Heels want to pull out a win. The 6-foot-10 junior is a strong rebounding and shot blocking presence on the interior of the Tar Heels defense. It’s likely he’ll match up with Banchero, which will be a fun back-and-forth to watch all game long.
Oklahoma transfer Brady Manek has been huge for the Heels this season, also. He has a great shooting stroke and is always around the ball. Regardless, this game will be won or lost by RJ Davis and Caleb Love.
The two guards for the Tar Heels have been extremely inconsistent this season, but when they are on, they are two of the best offensive guards in college basketball. They both need to have their A-games on Saturday if the Tar Heels want to claim another win over rival Duke.
With a week off before the Super Bowl, now is a great time to check out some of the guys you haven’t seen play yet this season.
Kofi Cockburn and Illinois will take on Indiana at noon on Saturday. Following that, you can get a real good look at Jaden Ivey when Purdue travels to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan on Saturday at 2:30 PM ET. Finally, right before the Duke versus North Carolina game, Kansas will take on Baylor in a huge game in the Big 12.
Last week I know I said to take a look at Christian Braun and Ochai Agbaji. Neither played very well at all, but it’s a new chance to take a look at them against a very good defensive team.
And from there, make sure you tune into the Duke-North Carolina game on Saturday; you won’t regret it.
It’s great to be a Cavaliers fan right now, but this is a weekend to catch up on some college hoops you may have missed!