The Sports Chief's 2022 NBA Mock Draft (1st Round)
The NBA Draft is finally here and we’re back to our normally scheduled draft time after the last two drafts were delayed. This year seems to be a fairly deep draft. To my surprise, last year turned out to be a very talented draft class. It definitely will be interesting to see what these players will do for the rest of their NBA careers. Everyone has their projections and comparisons, and nobody truly knows how these players will react to the NBA game until they jump into action. Tonight, 60 young players’ lives will change forever, and we’ll see it all unfold on TV tonight. 3 of us from The Sports Chief have made our 1st Round Mock picks and these are always fun to do. They’re even more fun to look back at years later and imagine what could’ve been. I have a personal notebook that has a mock from I think every draft since 2011 except maybe one. I did some before that, but I didn’t keep them for some reason. It’s something I look forward to every year and I totally understand that I won’t get a lot of picks right, but that’s the fun of it. This year, there is a pretty clear-cut top 3, but who’s going number 1 is still somewhat of a mystery. I wouldn’t have it any other way though. I’m not going to stall any longer though, here are our first-round mock picks.
1. Orlando Magic: Jabari Smith, Auburn
Garett: Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
AustYn: Jabari Smith, Auburn
2. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
Garett: Paolo Banchero, Duke
AustYn: Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
3. Houston Rockets: Paolo Banchero, Duke
Garett: Jabari Smith, Auburn
AustYn: Paolo Banchero, Duke
4. Sacramento Kings: Jaden Ivey, Purdue
Garett: Keegan Murray, Iowa
AustYn: Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
5. Detroit Pistons: Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
Garett: Jaden Ivey, Purdue
AustYn: Keegan Murray, Iowa
6. Indiana Pacers: Keegan Murray, Iowa
Garett: Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky
AustYn: Jaden Ivey, Purdue
7. Portland Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky
Garett: Dyson Daniels, G-League
AustYn: Ousmane Dieng, France
8. New Orleans Pelicans: AJ Griffin, Duke
Garett: Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
AustYn: Dyson Daniels, G-League
9. San Antonio Spurs: Jeremy Sochan, Baylor
Garett: Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
AustYn: Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
10. Washington Wizards: Dyson Daniels, G-League
Garett: Jalen Williams, Santa Clara
AustYn: TyTy Washington, Kentucky
11. New York Knicks: Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
Garett: AJ Griffin, Duke
AustYn: Mark Williams, Duke
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jalen Duran, Memphis
Garett: Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
AustYn: AJ Griffin, Duke
13. Charlotte Hornets: Mark Williams, Duke
Garett: Mark Williams, Duke
AustYn: Jalen Duran
14. Cleveland Cavaliers: Malaki Branham, Ohio State
Garett: Blake Wesley, Notre Dame
AustYn: Malaki Branham, Ohio State
15. Charlotte Hornets: Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
Garett: Patrick Baldwin, Milwaukee-Wisconsin
AustYn: Nikola Jovic, Serbia
16. Atlanta Hawks: Tari Eason, LSU
Garett: Jalen Duran, Memphis
AustYn: Walker Kessler, Auburn
17. Houston Rockets: Ousmane Dieng, France
Garett: TyTy Washington, Kentucky
AustYn: Jeremy Sochan, Baylor
18. Chicago Bulls: Jaden Hardy, G-League
Garett: Jaden Hardy, G-League
AustYn: Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky
19. Minnesota Timberwolves: TyTy Washington, Kentucky
Garett: Kennedy Chandler, Tennessee
AustYn: Bryce McGowens, Nebraska
20. San Antonio Spurs: Blake Wesley, Notre Dame
Garett: Walker Kessler, Auburn
AustYn: Tari Eason, LSU
21. Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jovic, Serbia
Garett: Nikola Jovic, Serbia
AustYn: Kennedy Chandler, Tennessee
22. Memphis Grizzlies: Wendell Moore Jr., Duke
Garett: Isaiah Mobley, USC
AustYn: Jaden Hardy, G-Legue
23. Philadelphia 76ers: Jalen Williams, Santa Clara
Garett: EJ Liddell, Ohio State
AustYn: Dalen Terry, Arizona
24. Milwaukee Bucks: MarJon Beauchamp, G-League
Garett: Christian Koloko, Arizona
AustYn: David Roddy, Colorado State
25. San Antonio Spurs: Walker Kessler, Auburn
Garett: Ousmane Dieng, France
AustYn: Trevor Keels, Duke
26. Houston Rockets: Kennedy Chandler, Tennessee
Garett: Dalen Terry, Arizona
AustYn: Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
27. Miami Heat: Ryan Rollins, Toledo
Garett: Wendell Moore Jr., Duke
AustYn: Ismael Kamagate, France
28. Golden State Warriors: Patrick Baldwin, Milwaukee-Wisconsin
Garett: Tari Eason, LSU
AustYn: Wendell Moore Jr., Duke
29. Memphis Grizzlies: Caleb Houstan, Michigan
Garett: Khalifa Diop, Senegal
AustYn: Caleb Houstan, Michigan
30. Denver Nuggets: Max Christie, Michigan State
Garett: Andrew Nembhard, Gonzaga
AustYn: Trevion Williams, Purdue
Yacs