NBA Draft Big Board 1.0: Three players in the top tier
NBA Draft Big Board 1.0: Tier 6B
26. Nikola Jovic, Forward, Mega
Playing on a high-profile European club in Mega Basket it was tougher for Nikola Jovic to get minutes than a top prospect in college, but the 6’10” forward still managed to average solid numbers as something of a point forward, able to operate both sides of a pick-and-role. His shot is terrible right now, from the perimeter and as a finisher, and his defense waxes and wanes. The potential is there for Jovic to become something special or something untenable for an NBA rotation.
27. Walker Kessler, Big, Auburn
Looking for the draft’s best shot-blocker? It’s probably Walker Kessler, who averaged 4.5 blocks per game as a sophomore at Auburn. That’s right, 4.5 blocks. Kessler is essentially the archetype of a drop big who walls off the paint, sets screens on offense and finishes well. His shooting is poor, but he did show flashes of being able to handle the ball a little in the short roll, or facilitate from the elbow, if asked to do those things at the next level. Jakob Poetl represents the archetype he is projecting into, but given his work ethic and development already he could become something more.
28. Bryce McGowens, Guard, Nebraska
Despite playing at Nebraska, Bryce McGowens was able to catch the eye of draft evaluators by making high-level plays at the rim and in transition thanks to his elite athleticism and tight handle. His form is good but the shot was inconsistent; it’s reasonable to project it out but not a given. Defensively he has length and size at 6’7″ but needs to be consistent in applying those to be a true two-way player.
29. Jake LaRavia, Forward, Wake Forest
Jake LaRavia’s Wake Forest teammate, Alondes Williams, won ACC Player of the Year and is also in this draft pool, but it’s the 6’8″ forward who is rising up draft boards. A below-average athlete, LaRavia makes up for it with elite skills; he is a great passer, has a high basketball IQ and has an outside shot that should become a true weapon. His defense will need to come along, and there is plenty of downside risk too; he’ll hang around the fringe of the first round here likely for the rest of the pre-draft process.
30. Jaden Hardy, Wing, G-League Ignite
Jaden Hardy is one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft, with some outlets placing him in the late lottery and others out of the first round altogether. His shot creation is clearly special, with a smooth handle and confidence shooting from anywhere. The problem is that he did shoot from anywhere, proving unable or unwilling to recognize a bad shot. Hardy shot just 26.9 percent from deep in the G League. Some high-volume chuckers improve when an NBA team forces them to be more selective; most do not, and are on their way out a few years in. That’s the hesitancy with Johnny Davis further up the board, and with Hardy here.
Next. Mock Draft 1.0: First look at projecting the draft lottery. dark
There you have it, the top 30 prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft. This list will change over the next 7 weeks as more tape is evaluated and as prospects take part in the NBA Draft Combine and workouts with teams. This group is wide open and draft night could be a wild ride.