Category: 2022 NBA Draft

Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona reach Sweet 16 behind late ‘clutch gene’

Mathurin scored 14 points in the second half and six more in overtime to lead the Wildcats to the Sweet 16.

Bennedict Mathurin scored 30 points and drained a late 3-pointer to force overtime to lead the No. 1 seed Arizona Wildcats to an 85-80 win over 9-seed TCU and a trip to the Sweet 16.

Mathurin hit the game-tying 3-pointer with just 13 seconds left in regulation to save the Wildcats’ season. He scored 14 points in the second half and six more in the overtime session as the Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017.

The Pac 12 Player of the Year also added eight rebounds, four assists and two steals in 41 minutes. He became the sixth Arizona player with a 30-point game in the NCAA Tournament and the first since Derrick Williams in 2011.

It was his third career 30-point game.

“Ben’s not afraid of the moment,” Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He is a special player who has an ability to rise it up another level when needed and he has that clutch gene. I honestly felt really good when he had the ball in his hands there because I knew he was going to shoot a three. Right when he snapped that three off to tie it, it was pretty impressive.”

The clutch 3-pointer and effort in overtime only told part of the story by Mathurin in the victory. The sophomore also threw down the dunk of the tournament thus far after hammering one down in the second half on TCU center Eddie Lampkin.

Mathurin, who is projected to be a lottery pick this year in the NBA draft, elected to come back to school for a sophomore season. The decision to return appears to be paying off as the top-seeded Wildcats advanced out of the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats will face the fifth-seeded Houston Cougars on Thursday in San Antonio. The program will be looking to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2015.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Saint Joseph’s sophomore Jordan Hall to hire agent and enter NBA draft

Hall led the Hawks in scoring this season after averaging 14.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 30 games.

Saint Joseph’s sophomore Jordan Hall on Friday announced that he will hire an agent and declare for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining collegiate eligibility.

Hall led the Hawks in scoring this season after averaging 14.1 povints, 6.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 30 games. He set a program record for career assists per game (5.7) and had the second-most double-digit assist games with five.

The 6-foot-8 guard is currently projected to be an early-to-mid second-round pick this year. He has good size as a lead ballhandler and could play multiple positions at the next level. Hall is highly touted for his court vision and unselfishness as a guard.

Hall will certainly have the opportunity to improve his stock between now and the night of the draft on June 23. After testing the process last year, he figures to be a candidate to participate in the draft combine May 16-22 in Chicago, Illinois.

Underclassmen have until April 24 to declare for the NBA draft.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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All-American Jaden Ivey led Purdue to first-round win with 22 points

Ivey went off in the first half as Purdue beat Yale and improved to 23-8 all-time in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

All-American Jaden Ivey on Friday scored 22 points to lead the third-seeded Purdue Boilermakers to a 78-56 win over the No. 14 seed Yale Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Ivey scored 18 points alone in the first half as Purdue took a 13-point lead into halftime. They outscored Yale by nine points in the second half to pull out the win and improve to 23-8 all-time in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Purdue will face No. 6 seed Texas on Sunday.

Ivey, who is projected to be a lottery pick this year in the NBA draft, finished the contest by shooting 6-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. He also added four rebounds, two steals and one assist in 28 minutes of work.

With Ivey at the helm, Purdue is among the teams in contention to make a deep run in the tournament this year. He is as explosive of an athlete there is in college basketball and has emerged as one of the top players to watch in the tournament.

The Boilermakers caught a bit of a break with second-seeded Kentucky falling to No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s on Thursday. With a win on Sunday, Purdue would meet either No. 7 seed Murray State or Saint Peter’s in the Sweet 16, two teams they would likely be favored to beat.

Purdue appears to be on the verge of a deep tournament run, meaning the basketball world will soon have plenty of chances to watch Ivey on the biggest stage in the game.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Jabari Smith Jr. left everyone speechless following monstrous dunk

With Auburn on its way to a win in the NCAA Tournament, Smith took one final moment to remind everyone why he was named an All-American.

With Auburn well on its way to a first-round win over Jacksonville State in the NCAA Tournament, Jabari Smith Jr. took one final moment to remind everyone why he was named an All-American.

The SEC Freshman of the Year produced a team-high 20 points, 14 rebounds and four assists on Friday to lead the second-seeded Tigers to an 80-61 win over the No. 15 seed Gamecocks. Walker Kessler recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine blocks to finish shy of a triple-double.

Smith had perhaps the play of the tournament with just over one minute remaining. The scene unfolded when Smith collected the offensive rebound off of his own missed 3-pointer. Smith dribbled around a few defenders and unleashed fury on Brandon Huffman.

The monstrous jam by Smith immediately sent the Tigers’ bench into a frenzy. Players on the sideline had incredible reactions to the dunk and were left in complete shock. To make matters even worse, Huffman was also whistled for a foul and Smith completed the and-1 opportunity.

The victory by Auburn was its 10th straight in the first round to improve to 18-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers will face either seventh-seeded USC or 10th-seeded Miami (Florida) on Sunday for a chance to go to the Sweet 16.

Before that matchup, Tigers fans and basketball fans around the world will continue to talk about the dunk by Smith, who is a potential No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

Here are some of the best reactions on social media to the dunk.

Division III star Ryan Turell of Yeshiva University to enter NBA draft

Turell of Yeshiva University will enter the NBA draft in hopes that he can become the first Orthodox Jewish player selected.

Division III star Ryan Turell of Yeshiva University told ESPN that he will enter the NBA draft in hopes that he can become the first Orthodox Jewish player selected in league history.

Turell was named the Skyline Conference Player of the Year for the second time in a row after averaging 27.1 points on 58.7% shooting from the field, including 46.8% from 3-point range. He led all divisions of men’s basketball in scoring.

The 6-foot-7 senior guard became the all-time leading scorer in program history with more than 2,000 points. He is highly touted as a shooter and can score from all over the floor. He was the third-most efficient scorer in all of college basketball, averaging 1.31 points per possession.

Turell wants to pave the way for others by making it into the NBA.

Being the first Orthodox Jew in the NBA would mean the world to me, and a dream come true, God willing. But, just as importantly, it would mean the world to others that never saw this as a possibility.

Turell played every game with a yarmulke and plans to continue doing so at the next level. He also plans to play on the Sabbath, which takes place each week from Friday evening to Saturday evening, despite it being customary for Orthodox Jews to take the time for reflecting and rest.

The draft hopeful said NBA teams have visited New York City to scout him in person throughout the season. He plans to work out for as many teams as possible and is eager to get to work.

“I want to get into as many NBA gyms as possible and show them what I can do,” Turell said. “I’ve got to knock down shots and be a great defender and teammate.”

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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NBA draft 2022: Key dates for draft, combine, lottery and deadlines

The events surrounding the NBA draft return to more of a traditional schedule after two years of interruptions and delays.

With the 2021-22 NBA season winding down, and the start of the NCAA Tournament looming, some fans, and even teams themselves, have started to look ahead to the offseason.

The NBA this week unveiled the dates and locations of three key events, including the combine, lottery and draft. With the announcement of these dates, several deadline dates related to the NBA draft have also been revealed.

The offseason this year will reflect more of a traditional schedule after the NBA experienced several interruptions and other delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, the combine, lottery and draft will each take place in person this year.

Here are several key offseason dates to take note of related to the draft.

Magic: Jamahl Mosley provides injury update on Jalen Suggs

Suggs will miss his second straight game on Tuesday versus the Suns due to a sprained right ankle.

Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs will miss his second straight game on Tuesday versus the Phoenix Suns due to a sprained right ankle, head coach Jamahl Mosley said prior to the contest.

Suggs suffered the injury on Friday in a win over the Toronto Raptors. He recorded 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds in 29 minutes of work and was eventually held out of action on Saturday in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The fifth pick did not practice with the team on Monday and missed shootaround on Tuesday. Mosley said Suggs is doing OK but still needs additional treatment to get the injury right.

He explained how Suggs suffered the sprain.

I think someone fell on him. I think as he went down, it kinda got turned a little bit toward the back-end of the game. But, in going back and looking at the film, he has hit the ground so much, it is hard to tell which moment it was that he turned it.

The Magic have often been cautious with injuries this season and will not rush Suggs back into action too quickly. He has missed 22 games this season due to various injuries, including 20 due to a fractured thumb and one because of a previous right ankle sprain.

Suggs, in 43 games, is averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals this season. He currently ranks seventh in scoring among all first-year players and third in assists.

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Report: Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe eligible to enter 2022 NBA draft

Sharpe, who just committed to Kentucky in September, is now reportedly eligible to enter the 2022 NBA draft.

Kentucky Wildcats commit Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 1 recruit in the high school class of 2022, is reportedly eligible to enter the 2022 NBA draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Sharpe announced in September his commitment to Kentucky prior to his senior season at Dream City Christian in Glendale, Arizona. Instead of playing his senior year, he opted to graduate high school prior to the season after having the necessary credits to do so.

Because Sharpe will turn 19 in May, and will be one NBA season removed from graduating high school, he will be eligible to declare as an early-entry candidate in the upcoming draft. However, he has yet to formalize those plans.

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Sharpe opted to enroll at Kentucky this month and has practiced with the team. He has not played yet but has been seen on the Wildcats’ bench at games. The team could opt to use him soon as the Wildcats gear up for the second half of the season.

The five-star prospect, who was born in Ontario, averaged 21.4 points, six rebounds and three assists last season as a junior. He helped Canada earn the silver medal in the 2019 FIBA U16 Americas Championship, averaging 13 points per game.

With Sharpe eligible to be drafted this season, the 6-foot-6 guard could emerge as a top-five pick if he chooses to leave school. He is an athletic player that can score from all over the floor and is active on defense, traits that translate well to the next level.

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2022 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Jabari Smith rising in latest projections of every pick

Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. highlighted the prospects on the rise in the latest Rookie Wire Mock Draft.

With the 2021-22 basketball season in full swing, scouts and front-office executives have had an extended look at the next wave of prospects set to enter the NBA.

Prior to the beginning of the season, Duke forward Paolo Banchero and Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren dominated the conversation atop most draft boards. However, the top of the draft looks to be changing with Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. emerging in a big way this season.

Rookie Wire took a look at the next rookie class and projected every pick based on the latest information at hand. Of course, with much of the season left to play, these rankings will change but here is how we see things at the moment.

Note: The order of the draft was pulled from Tankathon as of Jan. 19. The 2022 draft may only have 58 picks after the Bucks and Heat were stripped of their second-round picks by the NBA.

Josh Giddey, Franz Wagner named NBA Rookies of the Month

Giddey became the second Thunder rookie to win the award multiple times while Wagner is the eighth rookie in Magic history to win.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey and Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner on Tuesday were named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Rookies of the Month for December, the league announced.

Giddey, who won the award for October and November, averaged 11.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 10 games to become the second Thunder rookie to win multiple times. He led all first-year players in the Western Conference in scoring, assists and rebounds.

Wagner posted 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 14 games during the month to be the eighth Magic rookie to win the award. He led all rookies in scoring and posted the second-highest December average by a first-year player in franchise history (Shaquille O’Neal, 20.6 points).

In addition to Giddey and Wagner, New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones, Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley were also nominated for the awards.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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