2022 NBA Draft live grades: Pick-by-pick analysis, full order as Paolo Banchero leads surprising selections
Thu, Jun 23, 2022
NBA News (AP)
The 2022 NBA Draft is here, but its mysteries have not been solved yet. The mock drafts are submitted, some consensuses have been formed and the fan overreactions already are starting.
Who ends up being the best of our expected top three, Paolo, Chet or Jabari? How will Jaden Ivey handles lead guard duties if asked? Will AJ Griffin can find his best form again. Can Keegan Murray score in the NBA like he did in college? What about defend?
We won't find the answers to those questions tonight, but AP Sports NBA Draft analysts Gary Parrish and Kyle Boone are here to grade the values that teams extract from their picks as the night goes on. Follow along here and watch our NBA Draft coverage for free all night on AP Sports HQ here and in the video player on this page.
2022 NBA Draft First Round
1. Orlando Magic: PF Paolo Banchero, Duke
Even though I would have taken Chet Holmgren, I can't say it's wrong to take Banchero. I think he's going to be the most impactful player right from the jump and the favorite to win Rookie of the Year. This is sensible, if surprising. He's a big, strong and skilled forward who could be an incredible building block in Orlando.'Grade: A
2. Oklahoma City Thunder: C Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
The concerns about Holmgren's slight frame are legitimate -- but he's such a unique prospect with incredible potential that he's the right pick here. This 7-foot rim-protector who can also bounce it like a guard and reliably make 3-pointers. He has the highest ceiling in this draft and, for that reason, should go no lower than here. Grade: A+
3. Houston Rockets: PF Jabari Smith, Auburn
For much of the draft process, Smith was assumed to be the No. 1 overall pick. And in a class with three high-level big men prospects, Smith became an easy pick when he slipped to third overall. Smith still needs to develop in lots of ways but is already a great shooter and switchable defender who plays with undeniable energy and fits nicely with Jalen Green. Grade: A+
4. Sacramento Kings: PF Keegan Murray, Iowa
I like Murray, but it's not what I would have done. I would have taken Jaden Ivey. But he made it crystal clear he didn't want to be there. I don't think that is enough to explain not taking him, but I do understand where the Kings were going with this move. Murray was a tremendous player this season -- the second-best college basketball player in the country.'Grade: B
5. Detroit Pistons: SG Jaden Ivey, Purdue
Ivey is an explosive athlete who plays big and is capable of attacking the rim in a variety of ways. Comparisons to Ja Morant don't really add up for Ivey, but he's an outstanding player nonetheless. There are questions about whether he's actually going to be a point guard in the NBA, but now he's paired with Cade Cunningham, a natural distributor. 'Grade: A+
6. Indiana Pacers: SG Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
More than any other projected lottery pick, Mathurin is the one whose stock I raised the most after evaluating him compared to what I thought during the season. You dive in, and what is not to like? He's a 6-6 athletic wing who can do a lot of things and has All-Star potential. Grade: A
7. Portland Trail Blazers: SG Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky
This pick is interesting because it seems with the Jerami Grant trade that the Blazers are trying to get good now. And Sharpe is an interesting fit from that perspective. But few players in this class have higher ceilings than him. He's an explosive scorer with ridiculous size for the wing and athleticism, and he could one day be a plus defender with those tools. He's just likely not ready to do that right away after not playing last season at Kentucky. Grade: B+
8. New Orleans Pelicans (from Lakers): SG Dyson Daniels, G League
Daniels isn't quite the prospect previous Ignite stars have been but is still a fascinating guard with size who can play with or without the ball. His jumper, at this point, is the biggest area of concern, but if the Pelicans can get that falling, he has a high ceiling. And this Pelicans team is very close to being a legitimate contender -- though a lot of that falls on Zion Williamson. Daniels fits really nicely into that core as arguably the best perimeter defender in this draft. Grade: A+
9. San Antonio Spurs: SF Jeremy Sochan, Baylor
Sochan is the rare sub-100 high school recruit who becomes a one-and-done top-20 pick. His ability to guard multiple positions, and his potential as a shooter, are among the reasons he's a tantalizing prospect and one of the most versatile players available in this draft. The fact that the Spurs are taking him says a lot; it might not be what I would have done, but that may simply mean I am wrong.'Grade: A-
10. Washington Wizards: SF Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
Davis went from a mostly anonymous power-conference player to a candidate for national player of the year in his sophomore season at Wisconsin. I don't worry about his slip at the end of the season, and I think Bradley Beal can look at this as a guy who helps you win right away.'Grade: A-
11. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Knicks): SF Ousmane Dieng, France
Dieng is a long-term investment, and he's not ready to help you next season. For the Knicks, that probably was not right, so they traded the pick. But for the Thunder, that probably makes sense. He's a long and skilled prospect who fits the Thunder's window and is the type of player they're building around. Grade: A-
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers): SF Jalen Williams, Santa Clara
Williams probably helped himself more in the pre-draft process than any other prospect available, in large part because he wasn't spotlighted as a Santa Clara player. But when you watch the film, it's all there. He's got good size, he really shoots it, he's athletic enough. Grade: B+
13. Detroit Pistons (from Hornets via Knicks) : C Jalen Duren, Memphis
Surprising that the Hornets, who need a center, traded this pick to the Knicks and then the Pistons, but what a move for them to join Ivey and their young core. Duren isn't the type of floor-spacing big franchises prefer these days, but he's such a physical specimen and great athlete that there's probably a place for him in the modern NBA anyway. He'd have been a top five pick 20 years ago, and he's got great upside to be successful in rim-attacking offense and interior defense.'Grade: A+
14. Cleveland Cavaliers: SF Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
I love what Cleveland is doing. They have stockpiled it with interesting young pieces who can really play now. Agbaji can switch and guard different guys after being the best player on the best team in the country. I think he's going to be one of the 10 best players in the draft. And no, he's not a finished product. Grade: A+
15. Charlotte Hornets (via Pelicans)
16. Atlanta Hawks
17. Houston Rockets (via Nets)
18. Chicago Bulls
19. Minnesota Timberwolves
20. San Antonio Spurs (from Raptors)
21. Denver Nuggets
22. Memphis Grizzlies (from Jazz)
23. Philadelphia 76ers
24. Milwaukee Bucks
25. San Antonio Spurs (from Celtics)
26. Houston Rockets (from Mavericks)
27. Miami Heat'
28. Golden State Warriors
29. Memphis Grizzlies
30. Denver Nuggets (from Suns via Thunder)
2022 NBA Draft Second Round
31. Indiana Pacers (from Rockets via Cavaliers)
32. Orlando Magic
33. Toronto Raptors (from Pistons via Spurs, Wizards and Bulls)
34. Oklahoma City Thunder
35. Los Angeles Lakers (from Pacers via Bucks and Magic)
36. Detroit Pistons (from Blazers)
37. Sacramento Kings
38. San Antonio Spurs (from Lakers via Bulls and Wizards)
39. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Spurs via Jazz)
40. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Wizards via Cavaliers)
41. New Orleans Pelicans'
42. New York Knicks
43. Los Angeles Clippers
44. Atlanta Hawks
45. Charlotte Hornets
46. Portland Trail Blazers (from Nets via Pistons)
47. Memphis Grizzlies (from Cavaliers via Pelicans and Hawks)
48. Minnesota Timberwolves'
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Bulls via Grizzlies, Pistons and Kings)
50. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Nuggets via 76ers)
51. Golden State Warriors (from Raptors via 76ers)
52. New Orleans Pelicans (from Jazz)
53. Boston Celtics
54. Washington Wizards (from Mavericks)
55. Golden State Warriors'
56. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Heat via Pacers)
57. Portland Trail Blazers (from Grizzlies via Jazz)
58. Indiana Pacers (from Suns)