NBA 2022 Draft: Former Scout Reveals Who He Think Is The Best Prospect And Compares Him And Morant

The 2022 NBA draft is just days away and the best choice for this year is still in the air.

Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Auburn’s Jabari Smith and Duke’s Paolo Banchero are all those who could be in the overall standings when the Orlando Magic goes on Thursday.

One former NBA scout believes Purdue’s outstanding Jaden Ivey is the best player in the draft.

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“I think the man I would choose for first place is Jaden Ivey,” Michael Vandegarde, who has worked as a scout for Philadelphia 76ers for 18 years, told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

“Jaden Ivey is everything (Memphis Grizzles guard) And Morant is and was the same age, except he’s bigger, taller and he can be even sportier and And Morant is weird. I’m telling you, Jaden Ivey … and he shot it much better this year, he dramatically improved every aspect of the game, he’s the closest thing I’ve ever seen to Russell Westbrook or Ja Morant, I love him to the fullest.

“I would consider him the top five and I’d be happy to take him, obviously to the top five, but if I look at the top five, I’d count him 100%. And if I had to vote today, I’d say Jaden Ivey. If I look at (No.) 2 or 3, he It wouldn’t shock me if (Oklahoma City Thunder) took him in. I just think that no matter where you get it, you get the chance to be the absolute best player at either end of the floor and he’s the most at that draft bar. a more dynamic athlete.

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In 2022, after a second-year season at Boilermakers, Ivey was a consensus member of the United States’ second-team and first-team All-Big Ten conference. He played in 36 games and scored 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists before deciding to go pro.

Holmgren, Smith and Banchero also had a solid career in their schools.

The 7-foot Holmgren was the Defender of the Year of the 2022 West Coast Conference, scoring an average of 14.1 points, taking 9.9 rebounds and 3.7 blocks. He has been rated at the top of some drafts.

Smith was named the winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award because he was the most prominent newcomer in 2022. He finished his single year in Auburn with an average of 16.9 points and 7.4 rebounds.

In 2022, Banchero was a newcomer to the ACC year. For Duke, he scored an average of 17.2 points in the game, took 7.8 rebounds and scored 3.2 assists.

Vandegarde added that he thinks Shaedon Sharpe could develop into a great NBA player. When he left school early to play for Kentucky, he was a five-star shooting guard. But he didn’t play for Wildcats and decided to become a pro.

“There are some really high-level guys out there,” he told Fox News Digital. “I’d even go to Shaedon Sharpe. I’ve seen him for the last three years. He’s a little wild. But I’ll tell you what when I saw him two years ago and examined him. He was the closet I saw for Kobe Bryant. and what I saw when I was in high school. I love him to the fullest. (But) there are some big question marks. We haven’t seen him play at the highest level, but I love the boy to the fullest. “

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As a choice for a possible underdog, Vandegarde mentioned Caleb Houstan as a potential safe choice later in the first round. He played as a freshman in Michigan in 34 games, averaging 10.1 points and 4 rebounds per game.

“Not an elite athlete,” Vandegarde said of Houston, “but he was an elite shooter in high school for many years. He may not have had an elite season in Michigan, but sometimes some great boys in high school turned out to be much better players.”

The draft should start at 8 pm (ET) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Netsi. The draft is broadcast on ESPN.

Although Vandegarde has been away from basketball for some time, he has joined a handful of former coaches who have joined CoachTube. The digital platform offers online sports coaches and training from those who were experts in their field.

Vandegarde told Fox News Digital that it has received a lot of good feedback from its users.

“It’s been wonderful. I think coaches really like to make their name known. Obviously, the world has changed in the last eight to ten years. ta.

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“I don’t think anyone who lives in a certain part of the world, or even a certain part of the United States, has access to gyms and elite training. And I think CoachTube really fits that gap.”