
Shutterstock
Each year thousands of top college athletics compete in basketball tournaments with the dream of making the NBA draft. With so many players competing for a spot in the biggest worldwide basketball league, the competition is fierce.
NBA teams employ scouts to scour the country, find the best young talent, and ensure their teams can get the top future players. In this article, we look at 10 of the best NBA prospects in 2022. These new players are the center of attention this year, and NBA fans eagerly await their arrival next season.
What is The NBA Draft?
The NBA draft is an annual event held by the National Basketball Association each June. This year, it occurred on the 23rd of June 2022. Teams take turns picking which players will join their team in the next season.
Teams select players from high school and college basketball for the upcoming season. A lottery system determines the draft order based on each team’s record the previous year. Each team gets two picks in the first round, one pick in the second round, and then one pick in the third round.
The lottery system the NBA uses is 100% fair and ensures random results. It operates similarly to an RNG used by games at the best Canadian online casinos. They guarantee fair results, making it easier for you to choose the safest options.
Who are the Top 10 NBA Prospects?
There are several exciting prospects in 2022 that are ready to showcase their talents on the big stage, so let’s have a look at the ones with the biggest potential.
Jabari Smith Jr
The Houston Rockets have signed some fantastic new talent after picking Jabari Smith Jr from Auburn. The 19-year-old forward stands 6’10” tall and helped the Auburn Tigers to a strong 22-1 season, averaging 16.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Jabari is well known for his shooting skills and looks to be a strong asset for the Rockets. They need to increase their attacking strength after finishing last season with just 20 wins and 62 losses.
Chet Holmgren
Chet Holmgren stands 7’11” tall and brings height and skill to Oklahoma. Last season he was a forward center from Gonzaga. He hit the ground running with a stellar performance in his opening NBA game for Oklahoma City Thunder and turned heads by scoring 23 points and seven rebounds. The team claimed a 98-77 victory over Utah Jazz, marking a successful start for Chet Holmgren’s debut to the league. Fans in Utah hope they can continue this performance, after ending last season on 24-58.
Paolo Banchero
Paolo Banchero ended up being the number one draft pick by Orlando Magic in 2022. The 19-year-old stands an impressive 6’10” tall and weighs 235 lbs. He was a dominating force last season at Duke and helped turn their season around. He averaged 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game and was one of the top-performing high school ballers in 2021. This fresh talent may help Orlando have a better season next year.
Jaden Ivey
Jayden Ivey was the fifth pick by the Detroit Pistons. The 20-year-old guard stands 6’4” tall, and in his 2021-22 NCAA season he averaged 17.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, helping Purdue to a third-place finish. After the Piston’s 23-59 record last season, new players like Jaden should help the team start fresh and aim for better results.
Jalen Duren
The Hornets originally picked Jalen Duren, he was then traded to the Knicks, before eventually ending up at the Detroit Pistons. The young 18-year-old stands 6’11” and weighs 250 pounds. He dominated the high school scene where he played for Memphis, and many eagerly await his arrival in the NBA. Detroit has high hopes the youngster can turn their luck around after 23 wins and 59 losses in the 21-22 season.
Keegan Murray
The Sacramento Kings hope for a stronger 22-23 season, after winning 30 and losing 52 games last year. Their latest pick is the 21-year-old Keegan Murray from Iowa. Standing at 6’8” tall, Keegan averaged 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in the 2021-22 season. He’s a well-rounded player that has no trouble scoring from any position on the court.
Shaedon Sharpe
Shaedon Sharpe was the 7th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft and was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers. Shaedon is 18 years old, 6’6” tall, and while playing for Kentucky, he averaged 22.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. His position as a power forward should add some power to Portland’s offense.
AJ Griffin
AJ Griffin stands 6’6″ tall, weighs 222lbs, and played the 2021-22 season for Duke. In his 2021 season playing for Duke, he averaged 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game and hit over 44.5% from the 3-point line. AJ was the 16th overall pick in the draft when the Atlanta Hawks selected him.
Dyson Daniels
Dyson Daniels is the first basketball player from outside America to feature on this list. Over the last year, the 19-year-old from Bendigo, Australia played in the NBA G League and averaged 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He played for the Australian national squad in the 2021 FIBA Cup and will debut in the 2022-23 NBA for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Bennedict Mathurin
Bennedict Mathurin is a 19-year-old Canadian who grew up in Montreal. He’s a strong and tall player at 6’11”. In the 2021-22 season, while playing for Arizona, he averaged 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. The Indiana Pacers used their sixth pick in the draft to add Bennedict to their team for next season. The pacers have eyed his shooting skills, with an average 41.8% hit rate from the 3-point line.
Conclusion
This list of players showcases some of the top 10 best NBA prospects for 2022. These young basketball players are just out of high school and set to start next season in the biggest basketball tournament in the world. Millions of fans will be tuning in to watch each player make their debut and bring their skills across to the big league. Who knows, some of them might even win rookie of the year.