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.

 

 

 

 

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1.     Orlando Magic: Jabari Smith, Auburn

 

Garett: Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga

AustYn: Jabari Smith, Auburn

 

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2.     Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga

 

Garett: Paolo Banchero, Duke

AustYn: Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

Len Cederholm

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