The 2022 NBA Draft Lottery: Order of Draft Picks & Top NBA Prospects

Introduction

Although the 2022 NBA draft lottery was somewhat overshadowed by the 2022 NBA playoffs, as the Boston Celtics played the Miami Heat in Game - 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on the same night, the NBA draft lottery is important as it may potentially indicate the future of the National Basketball Association. This year’s NBA draft class is not the best, but it is definitely not the worst. Below is the 2022 NBA draft order as well as the top NBA prospects.

Draft Order - 1st Round

1. Orlando Magic

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

3. Houston Rockets

4. Sacramento Kings

5. Detroit Pistons

6. Indiana Pacers

7. Portland Trail Blazers

8. New Orleans Pelicans (from the Los Angeles Lakers)

9. San Antonio Spurs

10. Washington Wizards

11. New York Knicks

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from the Los Angeles Clippers)

13. Charlotte Hornets

14. Cleveland Cavaliers

15. Charlotte Hornets (from the New Orleans Pelicans)

16. Atlanta Hawks

17. Houston Rockets (from the Brooklyn Nets)

18. Chicago Bulls

19. Minnesota Timberwolves

20. San Antonio Spurs (from the Toronto Raptors)

21. Denver Nuggets

22. Memphis Grizzlies (from the Utah Jazz)

23. Philadelphia 76ers (this pick may be conveyed to the Brooklyn Nets)

24. Milwaukee Bucks 

25. San Antonio Spurs (from the Boston Celtics)

26. Dallas Mavericks

27. Miami Heat

28. Golden State Warriors

29. Memphis Grizzlies

30. Oklahoma City Thunder (from the Phoenix Suns)

Draft Order - 2nd Round

31. Indiana Pacers (from the Houston Rockets via the Cleveland Cavaliers)

32. Orlando Magic

33. Toronto Raptors (from the Detroit Pistons via the San Antonio Spurs, the Washington Wizards, and the Chicago Bulls)

34. Oklahoma City Thunder

35. Orlando Magic (from the Indiana Pacers via the Milwaukee Bucks)

36. Portland Trail Blazers

37. Sacramento Kings

38. San Antonio Spurs (from the Los Angeles Lakers via the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards)

39. Cleveland Cavaliers (from the San Antonio Spurs via the Utah Jazz)

40. Minnesota Timberwolves (from the Washington Wizards via the Cleveland Cavaliers)

41. New Orleans Pelicans

42. New York Knicks

43. Los Angeles Clippers

44. Atlanta Hawks

45. Charlotte Hornets

46. Detroit Pistons (from the Brooklyn Nets)

47. Memphis Grizzlies (from the Cleveland Cavaliers via the New Orleans Pelicans and the Atlanta Hawks)

48. Minnesota Timberwolves

49. Sacramento Kings (from the Chicago Bulls via the Memphis Grizzlies and the Detroit Pistons)

50. Minnesota Timberwolves (from the Denver Nuggets via the Philadelphia 76ers)

51. Golden State Warriors (from the Toronto Raptors via the Philadelphia 76ers)

52. New Orleans Pelicans (from the Utah Jazz)

53. Boston Celtics

— Milwaukee Bucks (forfeited)

— Miami Heat (from the Philadelphia 76ers via the Denver Nuggets; forfeited by the Miami Heat)

54. Washington Wizards (from the Dallas Mavericks)

55. Golden State Warriors

56. Cleveland Cavaliers (from the Miami Heat via the Indiana Pacers)

57. Portland Trail Blazers (from the Memphis Grizzlies via the Utah Jazz)

58. Indiana Pacers (from the Phoenix Suns)

The Top 2022 NBA Draft Prospects

Rank Player Position Age Class Height / Weight Team

1. Paolo Banchero F 19 FR 6 - 10, 235 lbs. Duke

• Banchero is in my opinion the best player in this very murky draft class. He has a lot of potential to become a great player, but Paolo is still quite young and untested. I compare him to Joakim Noah in terms of his NCAA college basketball to the NBA transition.

2. Chet Holmgren C 19 FR 7 - 1,190 lbs. Gonzaga

• Holmgren is one skinny son of a bitch, and I am not sure that he can hang with the big – boys in the NBA but only time will tell. Chet is one of the reasons that I don’t have much faith in this 2022 NBA draft class.

3. Jabari Smith Jr. F 18 FR 6 - 10, 210 lbs. Auburn

• Smith is an explosive as well as exciting forward, but he is young and played in a weaker college basketball conference in the SEC. This man does have the power and size to bang around down in the post, and the guy can straight - up jump out of the court. I think Jabari could possibly be the best player out of this 2022 NBA draft class.

4. Jaden Ivey G 20 SO 6 - 4, 200 lbs. Purdue

• Purdue? Really?? We will see if his game transfers to the National Basketball Association or not. My guess is he will not pan out as a good player in the NBA. This player should not be a lottery pick and more like a second - rounder, but only time will tell.

5. Shaedon Sharpe G 18 FR 6 - 6, 200 lbs. Kentucky

• Sharpe is loaded with raw – talent. He possesses all the physical tools to dominate at the next level especially with his exceptional frame size, length, and explosiveness towards the bucket. Plus, he can knock down long - distance shots as he has a solid perimeter game as well.

6. Keegan Murray F 21 SO 6 - 8, 215 lbs. Iowa

• Keegan Murray is one of the best NCAA division - 1 college basketball players from the previous season, but Keegan did not get the job done in the tournament. His team in the Iowa Hawkeyes were predicted to make a deep tourney run on the back of Murray, but instead they packed their bags to fly back home early. None the less Murray is one of the best overall talents from the 2021 - 2022 NCAA college basketball season. Keegan should be drafted early on in the 2022 NBA draft, and he should make an immediate impact in the NBA.

7. Dyson Daniels G 19 – 6 - 6, 180 lbs. G League Ignite

• Daniels is a very versatile as well as agile point guard / shooting guard, but he can play pretty much any position and fill any role on the court for a team that is looking for more depth. Dyson has exceptional defensive talent also. He is an all - around complete ball player that should please the team that eventually ends up drafting him this year.

8. Jalen Duren C 18 FR 6 - 11, 250 lbs. Memphis

• Duren is the most physically specimen of this draft class for a big - man. He possesses a very impressive finishing touch around the basket down low. Duren is a phenomenal defender too. He protects the hell out of the low post as well as putting a stop to most pick - and - roll offenses. Jalen is the youngest player of this 2022 NBA draft class so hopefully his game can grow to an elite level once he fully develops.

9. Bennedict Mathurin G 19 SO 6 - 6, 195 lbs. Arizona

• Bennedict is an All - American wing player that any team could easily fall in love with. Mathurin is a spectacular perimeter shooter from the outside, and he seems fundamentally ready to make a strong contribution at his new NBA destination.

10. Johnny Davis G 20 SO 6 - 5, 194 lbs. Wisconsin

• Davis brings many of the intangibles to the table that do not show up on the score sheet every night out, but they certainly make a huge impact on the outcomes of the games that he plays. Johnny is known for being a winner, and he should be highly sought after especially for his defensive tenacity. Davis carries himself very well on the court as an unselfishness team player, and he has the ability to put points on the board for his team whether he has the ball looking to score or helps out indirectly in one way or another.

11. AJ Griffin F 18 FR 6 - 6, 220 lbs. Duke

12. Ochai Agbaji F 21 SR 6 - 5, 215 lbs. Kansas

13. Mark Williams C 20 SO 7 - 0, 245 lbs. Duke

14. Jeremy Sochan F 18 FR 6 - 9, 230 lbs. Baylor

15. Malaki Branham F 18 FR 6 - 5, 180 lbs. Ohio State

16. Jaden Hardy G 19 – 6 - 4, 185 lbs. G League Ignite

17. TyTy Washington G 20 FR 6 - 3, 185 lbs. Kentucky

18. Tari Eason F 20 SO 6 - 8, 216 lbs. LSU

19. Ousmane Dieng F 18 – 6 - 9, 185 lbs. NZ Breakers

20. Kennedy Chandler G 18 FR 6 - 0, 170 lbs. Tennessee

21. Nikola Jovic F 18 – 6 - 10, 210 lbs. Mega Basket

22. E.J. Liddell F 21 JR 6 - 7, 240 lbs. Ohio State

23. MarJon Beauchamp F 21 – 6 - 6, 199 lbs. G League Ignite

24. Blake Wesley G 19 FR 6 - 5, 185 lbs. Notre Dame

25. Christian Koloko C 21 JR 7 - 1, 230 lbs. Arizona

26. Trevor Keels G 18 FR 6 - 4, 221 lbs. Duke

27. Bryce McGowens F 19 FR 6 - 7,179 lbs. Nebraska

28. Kendall Brown F 18 FR 6 - 8, 205 lbs. Baylor

29. Walker Kessler C 20 SO 7 - 1, 245 lbs. Auburn

30. Jean Montero G 18 – 6 - 2, 170 lbs. Overtime Elite

31. Christian Braun F 20 JR 6 - 6, 218 lbs. Kansas

32. Wendell Moore Jr. F 20 JR 6 - 5, 213 lbs. Duke

33. Patrick Baldwin Jr. F 19 FR 6 - 9, 220 lbs. Milwaukee

34. Leonard Miller F 18 – 6 - 11, 185 lbs. Fort Erie Academy

35. Harrison Ingram F 19 FR 6 - 8, 230 lbs. Stanford

36. Keon Ellis G 22 SR 6 - 6, 175 lbs. Alabama

37. Jalen Williams G 22 JR 6 - 6, 195 lbs. Santa Clara

38. Dalen Terry G 19 SO 6 - 7, 195 lbs. Arizona

39. Ismael Kamagate C 21 – 6 - 11, 220 lbs. Paris Basketball

40. Jaylin Williams C 19 SO 6 - 10, 240 lbs. Arkansas

41. Jake LaRavia F 21 JR 6 - 8, 235 lbs. Wake Forest

42. Terquavion Smith G 19 FR 6 - 4, 160 lbs. NC State

43. Justin Lewis F 19 FR 6 - 7, 245 lbs. Marquette

44. JD Davison G 19 FR 6 - 3, 195 lbs. Alabama

45. Ryan Rollins G 19 SO 6 - 4, 180 lbs. Toledo

46. Khalifa Diop C 20 – 6 - 11, 231 lbs. Gran Canaria

47. Alondes Williams G 22 SR 6 - 5, 210 lbs. Wake Forest

48. Hugo Besson G 20 – 6 - 3, 196 lbs. NZ Breakers

49. Josh Minott F 20 FR 6 - 8, 205 lbs. Memphis

50. David Roddy F 21 JR 6 - 5, 252 lbs. Colorado State

51. Caleb Houstan F 19 FR 6 - 8, 205 lbs. Michigan

52. Trevion Williams C 21 SR 6 - 10, 255 lbs. Purdue

53. Julian Champagnie F 20 JR 6 - 8, 215 lbs. St. John's

54. Drew Timme F 21 JR 6 - 10, 235 lbs. Gonzaga

55. Max Christie F 19 FR 6 - 6, 190 lbs. Michigan State

56. Michael Foster F 19 – 6 - 9, 220 lbs. G League Ignite

57. Peyton Watson F 19 FR 6 - 8, 200 lbs. UCLA

58. Dominic Barlow F 18 – 6 - 9, 214 lbs. Overtime Elite

59. Jabari Walker F 20 SO 6 - 9, 215 lbs. Colorado

60. Collin Gillespie G 22 SR 6 - 3, 195 lbs. Villanova

Sources:

“2022 NBA mock draft: Projecting all 58 picks after the NBA draft lottery”, Jonathan Givony, espn.com, May 17, 2022.