2022 NBA Mock Draft: Smith Jr., Banchero Jostle for the No. 1 Spot
Published by Daniel Lewis on June 23, 2022
Jacob Taylor/AU Athletics
The 2022 NBA Draft has a clear top three—Jabari Smith Jr., Chet Holmgren, and Paolo Banchero—but it has nonetheless been an eventful week leading up to Thursday.
Smith has long been the betting favorite to go No. 1, but then Paolo Banchero's odds steadily rose in recent days, to the point where this morning he has overtaken the Auburn forward as the betting favorite. The one near-certainty, though, is Chet Holmgren going No. 2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Below are pick-by-pick predictions of the lottery picks of the 2022 NBA Draft:
1. Orlando Magic: F Jabari Smith Jr., Auburn
2. Oklahoma City Thunder: F/C Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
3. Houston Rockets: F Paolo Banchero, Duke
4. Sacramento Kings: G Jaden Ivey, Purdue
5. Detroit Pistons: F Keegan Murray, Iowa
6. Indiana Pacers: SG Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
7. Portland Trail Blazers: G/F Dyson Daniels, G League Ignite
8. New Orleans Pelicans (from Los Angeles Lakers): SG Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky
9. San Antonio Spurs: C Jalen Duren, Memphis
10. Washington Wizards: SG Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
11. New York Knicks: G/F A.J. Griffin, Duke
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Los Angeles Clippers): F Jeremy Sochan, Baylor
13. Charlotte Hornets: F Ousmane Dieng, New Zealand Breakers
14. Cleveland Cavaliers: C Mark Williams, Duke
Smith has long been the betting favorite to go No. 1, but then Paolo Banchero's odds steadily rose in recent days, to the point where this morning he has overtaken the Auburn forward as the betting favorite. The one near-certainty, though, is Chet Holmgren going No. 2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Below are pick-by-pick predictions of the lottery picks of the 2022 NBA Draft:
1. Orlando Magic: F Jabari Smith Jr., Auburn
2. Oklahoma City Thunder: F/C Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
3. Houston Rockets: F Paolo Banchero, Duke
4. Sacramento Kings: G Jaden Ivey, Purdue
5. Detroit Pistons: F Keegan Murray, Iowa
6. Indiana Pacers: SG Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
7. Portland Trail Blazers: G/F Dyson Daniels, G League Ignite
8. New Orleans Pelicans (from Los Angeles Lakers): SG Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky
9. San Antonio Spurs: C Jalen Duren, Memphis
10. Washington Wizards: SG Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
11. New York Knicks: G/F A.J. Griffin, Duke
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Los Angeles Clippers): F Jeremy Sochan, Baylor
13. Charlotte Hornets: F Ousmane Dieng, New Zealand Breakers
14. Cleveland Cavaliers: C Mark Williams, Duke