Who is the No. 1 NBA draft prospect in 2022?
We’ll find out who Orlando Magic is on Thursday night value for the first time since 2004, but there is little consensus at the top of the NBA. And the same for our team of experts. In our finals Top 100 leaderboards consisted of a consensus from the rankings of CBS Sports experts Gary Parrish, Matt Norlander, David Cobb and me, and Adam Finkelstein and Travis Branham’s 247Sports, with four different players earning 1st vote.
So who is the No. 1 prospect of the 2022 NBA Draft?
Scouts have an opinion but in our math consensus rankings, Chet Holmgren deserved the honor – but below, each of us has listed our cases as to why we chose potential potential No. 1 in this year’s draft. we strive to provide a wide range of opinions on the tops of the class.
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The case of Chet Holmgren
I understand the arguments why Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero and even Jaden Ivey make the top spot in the 2022 NBA draft. I do not think any of them are ridiculous. However, I sincerely believe that Holmgren is the best prospect of the year, and that is why I also believe that Orlando should choose him No. 1. He is an elite rim defender who can float, bounce, shoot and take advantage of games in general.
If a traditional big man guards him, he can probably bypass him. If a smaller player guards him, he can definitely shoot over him. Am I worried about the small frame? Of course, on some level, I think. But, as Jonathon Givony of ESPN pointed out in a recent podcast, how many great prospects are too small due to being too skinny? He couldn’t think of anything. I can’t either. So I assume that Holmgren’s unique skill set will allow him to transcend his unique frame and eventually emerge as the best player in this draft. – Gary Parrish
In my opinion, Holmgren has the highest ceiling in the draft. He changes the game at both ends of the floor. There are simply not many 7-legged people in the world who can protect the rim, stretch the floor and still offer such an effective interior finish. He’s an even better ball handler and feeder than I think some people will recognize him. But on top of all that, I’m just a believer in his mentality and its inner toughness. I know he has to build his body, but if there’s anything the NBA teams have come up with at an exceptionally high level, that’s it. – Adam Finkelstein
We know that the whole world is questioning his physique, but it is true that Holmgren has never been injured and has not shown that his lack of strength is a real obstacle. You can’t throw him at Joel’s Emblem in the world, but no one can throw anything at him. In four to five years’ time, we can rightly say that he is one of the League’s faces with his ability to tribulate, feed and shoot unlike any other we have seen in his size and length, and the fact that he is an elite defender. and rim protection. – Travis Branham
I understand the temptation of Smith and Banchero, but for me, Holmgren is a plus higher. Smith has no playing potential – Holmgren can thrive in this department. Banchero suspect as a 3-point thrower and defending – Holmgren has a sweet shot and is one of the best defensive prospects we have ever seen. I also don’t buy loud fuss over a unique body type. Holmgren has been able to withstand stronger players all his life, and NBA rules are evolving in his favor. He has already proven that he can perform at the highest level of amateur basketball, and he also has the most room for improvement out of the top three. Add it all together and it definitely sounds like the best player in the draft class. – Colin Ward-Henninger
The case of Paolo Banchero
Be it CBSSports.com, Eye at College Basketball or CBS Sports headquarters, I have repeatedly explained my position on Banchero No. 1 on my big table in recent weeks. But here, directly against the draft, once again with emotion. Banchero is the most sensible player in this class because he is the most advanced and proven talent. His numbers at Duke, along with several second-round players in the second round, were more than satisfactory: 17.2 p / g, 7.8 p / g, 3.2 pg per country’s top-ranked offensive team, KenPom.com reports.
Banchero scored 52.5% of the two-point throw and 33.8% of the three-point throw. No one in this draft has the size + skill + touch + edibility + play creation + rebound + competitive advantage of the Banchero combination. He has a better-than-average handle, he can work the post, shoot from behind the arc and is not a black hole. The hesitation with him in the 1st place stems from the fact that he is not as potentially damaging to 3-pointers as Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren and even Jaden Ivey. But he can still shoot it. In defense, he has more land to level. But no one is as ready to play in the NBA tomorrow as Banchero, and I think he’ll be a multiple star player by the end of his second contract. – Matt Norlander
The case of Jaden Ivey
At the top of this class are safer prospects (Smith Jr.) and also bigger boom / boom proposals (Holmgren), but no one has the rare combination of the explosive athleticism and creativity that Ivey has in this draft. He’s a human banger who can jump on the rim. He has the potential to develop to the next level as a true leader if he continues to develop and improve as a decision-maker.
In the worst case, he may be the initiator of a change of pace, whose dynamic explosiveness helps to alleviate the burden of the team’s first choice of initiative. I would rank him 1st in all of this class if his playing skills improve, even slightly, if not significantly, and his success as a shooter over the past year shows very well that he is a booming star entering the NBA. – Kyle Boone
The case of Jabari Smith Jr.
Smith is most clearly distinguished from Banchero, Holmgren, and the best non-shooting elite in the 2022 NBA draft. With 6-10 and 42% 3 points per 5.5 attempts per game in his only season at Auburn, Smith looks like a great long-range shooter to the next level. Although Banchero and Holmgren ranged in their individual college seasons, neither aspect of the game is as elite as Smith is as a foreign shooter.
Given that Smith also has an excellent defensive mission and a thriving offensive portfolio, he is the group’s strongest contribution to ever becoming an NBA star. As basketball is shared in Orlando by promising young guards like Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony, Smith would complement the core group perfectly. Although it may take years for Smith to reach his full potential, it’s easy to see him become Magic’s best goal scorer early in his career thanks to a feathered blow he brings into the league on the first day. – David Cobb
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