MY ACCOUNT
To echo Kevin Durant’s thoughts during Thursday’s 2022 NBA Draft, it is a wing’s league as size, length and shooting proved desirable for front offices, with the Orlando Magic taking Paolo Banchero first.
The NBA’s stylistic pivot towards skill and versatility since the introduction of the defensive three-second rule has necessitated the recruitment of more skilled and flexible players on both ends.
Banchero serves as an apt first selection in this respect – a 6-foot-9 forward with the ability to create his own shot and make decisions with the ball in his hands, as well the versatility to switch on the defensive end.
From the likes of Mario Hezonja to Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac, the Magic have had a predisposition towards rangy forwards who struggle to stretch the floor in recent years, though. Whether Banchero can improve on his outside shooting could again prove definitive in their rebuild.
The Duke freshman averaged 17.2 points per game but connected on 33.8 per cent of shots from three-point range, with their elimination in the Final Four characterised by defenders sagging off him.
A slight improvement at NBA level would be needed in this respect, to force close-outs and help maximise his ability to get to the basket.
Size and shooting are the primary characteristics for others in the lottery however, with Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr. the other standouts in this year’s draft class.
The 7-foot-1 Holmgren has reportedly set a goal of achieving 50/40/90 shooting splits in the NBA, which previously would have been unheard for someone his size.
Meanwhile, the 6-foot-10 Smith presents a similar spacing threat for his size, with ability to quickly get shots up off the catch or when putting the ball on the floor.
Eight of the top ten picks were within the 6-foot-5 to 6-foot-10 range, before even considering the added dynamics of wingspan on the defensive end.
Shooting took over as the most sought-after skill in the late stages of the first round and early parts of the second, with the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat respectively going for Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Nikola Jovic.
TyTy Washington is yet another example of the value placed in shooting and skill for the Houston Rockets, seemingly seeking their own answer to the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey.
2022 NBA Draft first-round picks
1. Orlando Magic – Paolo Banchero (Duke)
2. Oklahoma City Thunder – Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga)
3. Houston Rockets – Jabari Smith (Auburn)
4. Sacramento Kings – Keegan Murray (Iowa)
5. Detroit Pistons – Jaden Ivey (Purdue)
6. Indiana Pacers – Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona)
7. Portland Trail Blazers – Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky)
8. New Orleans Pelicans – Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite)
9. San Antonio Spurs – Jeremy Sochan (Baylor)
10. Washington Wizards – Johnny Davis (Wisconsin)
11. Oklahoma City Thunder – Ousmane Dieng (New Zealand)
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Jalen Williams (Santa Clara)
13. Detroit Pistons – Jalen Duren (Memphis)
14. Cleveland Cavaliers – Ochai Agbaji (Kansas)
15. Charlotte Hornets – Mark Williams (Duke)
16. Atlanta Hawks – AJ Griffin (Duke)
17. Houston Rockets – Tari Eason (LSU)
18. Chicago Bulls – Dalen Terry (Arizona)
19. Memphis Grizzlies – Jake LaRavia (Wake Forest)
20. San Antonio Spurs – Malaki Branham (Ohio State)
21. Denver Nuggets – Christian Braun (Kansas)
22. Minnesota Timberwolves – Walker Kessler (Auburn)
23. Memphis Grizzlies – David Roddy (Colorado State)
24. Milwaukee Bucks – MarJon Beauchamp (G League Ignite)
25. San Antonio Spurs – Blake Wesley (Notre Dame)
26. Dallas Mavericks – Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke)
27. Miami Heat – Nikola Jovic (Serbia)
28. Golden State Warriors – Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Milwaukee)
29. Houston Rockets – TyTy Washington Jr. (Kentucky)
30. Denver Nuggets – Peyton Watson (UCLA)
