Duke forward Paolo Banchero remains the odds-on favorite to be picked by the Houston Rockets at No. 3 overall in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft. But with the June 23 draft now less than two weeks away, the final call for general manager Rafael Stone is still up in the air.
For the first time in a while, one of the prominent mock drafts (Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated) has a player other than Banchero — in this case, Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren — as Houston’s pick at No. 3.
Naturally, there is even more uncertainty with Houston’s pick at No. 17 (via Brooklyn), since prospects are moving up and down in the heart of the first round. Some took part in physical activities at the recent draft combine, and many are now taking part in private workouts with teams.
As of Saturday, June 11, here’s where things appear to stand in the eyes of various draft experts covering the league.