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

The Sports Chief's 2022 NBA Mock Draft (1st Round)