2022 NBA Draft – Page 5 – Syndication Server

Projected lottery pick Malaki Branham explains what separates him from others

The Big Ten Freshman of the Year is widely projected to be drafted in the 12-16 range on Thursday.

Malaki Branham emerged as a strong offensive weapon last season at Ohio State, and the projected lottery pick believes that is what separates him from the rest of the draft class.

Branham, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and two assists in 32 games with the Buckeyes. He was one of five freshmen in the country to have multiple 30-point games and one of two from a Power Five school.

The 6-foot-5 guard is regarded as one of the top shooters in the draft after converting 41.6% of his 3-point attempts. He even tied a Buckeyes freshman record with six 3s on Jan. 2 en route to a career-high 35-point performance.

Branham, speaking Thursday on a pre-draft conference call with reporters, pointed to his efficiency and scoring ability that stands out above the rest of his peers.

I feel like what separates me is just being efficient in my scoring and what I do on the court. I do it at a high clip, I feel like, shooting the ball and scoring. I feel like I’m a good, efficient player so that’s kinda what I do best out of everybody in the draft class.

Branham proved a strong scorer that can go to work from all three levels. He wasn’t on the radar much entering the season, but he quickly shot up draft boards after a strong showing in conference play and is now a potential lottery pick.

He was among the prospects invited to attend the draft from the green room, a strong indication that he will be among the first 20 prospects selected. He certainly has the skill set that projects to fit in with nearly every team in that range and should be a good addition at the next level.

The NBA draft will tip off on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

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Ousmane Dieng receiving advice from Frenchmen Evan Fournier, Axel Toupane

Dieng also called Tony Parker a very influential figure on him and anointed him the best French player ever.

Ousmane Dieng, a 6-foot-9 forward from France, this week shared that he has been given some advice from fellow Frenchmen Evan Fournier and Axel Toupane ahead of the NBA draft.

Dieng played last season with the New Zealand Breakers in the National Basketball League. He became the first European player to join the Next Stars program, a plan introduced by the NBL to give the top prospects a way to play professionally.

Prior to joining the Breakers, Dieng played with the INSEP Academy, a French training center in Paris, averaging 12.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 assists. The program also hosted players like Tony Parker and Boris Diaw among others in the past.

Dieng, speaking on Thursday in a pre-draft conference call with reporters, said he had the chance to train with Fournier and Toupane at the INSEP Academy.

I talk a lot with them. Evan and Axel were working out a lot at INSEP when I was there so just during practice or off the court they told me how the NBA works and that has been really good for me.

Fournier was the 20th pick by the Denver Nuggets in 2012. After two years in Denver, Fournier played for six years with the Orlando Magic and then signed with the New York Knicks last year. Toupane has mostly played in Europe but has 33 NBA appearances to his name.

In addition to Fournier and Toupane, the 19-year-old Dieng called Parker a very influential figure for him and anointed him the best French basketball player to ever suit up. He also looks up to Nic Batum and tries to model some of his game after him.

Dieng is widely considered to be a first-round pick this year given his playmaking and defensive ability. He averaged 8.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 40% shooting from the field in 23 games this season with the Breakers.

He will likely need additional time to develop but teams certainly liked that he played in the NBL against tough competition. Given his improving skills and age, Dieng is poised to become the next French player to enter the league.

The NBA draft will take place on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

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Potential No. 1 pick Chet Holmgren meets with Magic front office

Holmgren became the latest prospect to meet with the Magic ahead of the NBA draft next week.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren became the latest prospect to meet with the Orlando Magic ahead of the NBA draft next week.

Holmgren visited with basketball operation leadership on Wednesday and Thursday before wrapping up his visit on Friday, according to NBA sources who spoke with USA TODAY Sports’ Rookie Wire on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

He is among the prospects the Magic are considering with the No. 1 pick.

Along with Holmgren, Duke forward Paolo Banchero and Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. are also said to be in contention to be the top pick. The Magic hosted Smith for a workout last week and are expected to meet with Banchero in the next week.

Holmgren, who was named a consensus All-American, averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and 1.9 assists last season. He emerged as a strong prospect on both ends of the court and shot 39% from 3-point range on 3.3 attempts per game.

Magic president Jeff Weltman said previously the team would do its homework on each of those prospects and carefully meet with them. The team has often taken the best player available regardless of roster fit, which further adds to the mystery of its eventual selection.

Orlando has held the No. 1 pick in the draft three other times, with the latest occurrence happening in 2004 when the organization selected Dwight Howard. The Magic also drafted Shaquille O’Neal in 1992 and Chris Webber in 1993. Webber was eventually traded for Penny Hardaway.

The NBA draft will take place on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

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Knicks, Pacers among teams vying to trade up for Jaden Ivey at 4

The Kings have reportedly heard from at least four teams interested in trading up to draft Jaden Ivey.

Ahead of the NBA draft next week, several teams have expressed interest in trading up to acquire the fourth pick from the Sacramento Kings to take Purdue guard Jaden Ivey, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Kings have been rumored to want to trade their pick in order to add players that can help them win now. The team views the fourth pick as a great asset that can help them land a strong package of players and picks in return.

They have no shortage of suitors for that pick, as it turns out.

Wojnarowski, speaking on “NBA Countdown” ahead of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, said the Kings have heard from at least four teams interested in landing Ivey.

That No. 4 pick that the Sacramento Kings hold is very much in play. There are a lot of teams trying to get deals done with Sacramento so they can move up to select Jaden Ivey. Those are teams close to them in the lottery — Detroit and Indiana, who are at 5 and 6, the New York Knicks at 11 and the Washington Wizards at 10. Sacramento’s asking price is going to be significant … Monte McNair, their GM, you can expect him to be on the phones this next week as we get closer to Thursday’s draft. If they are going to move that pick, they are expecting to get a lot in return.

The fourth pick will likely ensure either the Kings, or another team, have the opportunity to select Ivey. The first three players off the board are expected to be Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr. in some order. Ivey is widely projected to be the fourth pick.

He was a consensus All-American last season after averaging 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Given his overall skill set, Ivey is projected to be able to contribute now while also developing into a potential star, making him a prime target for teams.

The Kings will look to build around De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Davion Mitchell, and add to that core this offseason. It is unclear what type of player the Kings could acquire with the fourth pick, but the front office has a key asset at its disposal.

While it remains to be seen which direction the Kings will go, it is becoming apparent the first shake-up on draft night could emanate from Sacramento.

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5 draft day trades that rocked the NBA

The NBA Draft is one of the most important days on the basketball calendar. What are some of the biggest draft day trades in league history?

Few days loom larger on the basketball calendar than than the NBA Draft. It’s obviously a life-changing moment for the sixty or so men who are selected to the Association, but for the franchises themselves, it represents the opportunity to make or break their future fortunes. Selecting the right player can set a club up for success for a decade or more, while making the wrong move can prove devastating. And because NBA team’s often make trades during the draft itself, the possibility for either feast or famine is only exaggerated.

Some of the transactions and swaps on draft day go relatively unnoticed, or may not really make a big difference in the long-run. At the same time, however, some of the game’s best players were actually traded during the draft. Lucky or shrewd teams may be able to grab the prospect of their dreams or otherwise reel in an established talent by striking the right deal.

Let’s look at some of the biggest trades made during the NBA Draft in history.

Rumor: Chet Holmgren prefers to be drafted by Thunder at No. 2

The former Gonzaga center apparently prefers to land in Oklahoma City over Orlando.

Chet Holmgren is one player in the conversation to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Orlando Magic. However, if it were up to him, the former Gonzaga center would apparently rather go second to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Of course, Duke forward Paolo Banchero and Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. are also viewed as the front-runners to be the first player drafted. It is even believed that the race may very well be narrowed down to Holmgren and Smith at this point.

However, Holmgren is rumored into wanting to fall to the Thunder.

On Thursday, Ryen Russillo relayed some information on his podcast that stated Holmgren and his agent, Bill Duffy, would rather join the Thunder over the Magic.

I’ve been told this is where Duffy and Chet want to go. They want to go to Oklahoma City because … (of) the opportunities and he has way more freedom because of the roster in front of him than maybe he would in Orlando … That’s the preference that I’ve heard and it makes a lot of sense from a basketball standpoint of being brought along but also getting more opportunities.

Holmgren projects to be a great addition to the Thunder, and would likely thrive next to the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey. He is most commonly projected to be drafted by the Thunder, with Smith going first, so it could very well happen.

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The Magic have only worked out Smith to this point of the process but are expected to meet with Holmgren and Banchero in the coming week. Team president Jeff Weltman said they would meet with each prospect ahead of the draft so it is unlikely they have settled on a choice at No. 1.

The days leading up to the draft are often filled with misinformation and other rumors, so it is always worth taking information this time of year with a grain of salt. But, it will be worth monitoring to see how things play out ahead of the draft.

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

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Filipino center Kai Sotto attends draft workout with Kings

The 7-foot-2 center has participated in at least six known workouts ahead of the NBA draft.

Kai Sotto, a 7-foot-2 center from the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League, on Wednesday participated in a pre-draft workout with the Sacramento Kings, the team announced.

Sotto, a former four-star prospect from the Philippines, averaged 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds on 50% shooting from the field in 23 games with the 36ers. He produced perhaps his best game of the season on April 10, when he recorded a career-high 21 points.

The 20-year-old declared for the NBA draft on April 28 after a strong year in the NBL. The meeting with the Kings is his sixth known workout to this point of the process after also visiting the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic among others.

a new day, a new group of prospects in the gym 💪👑

⬛️ Jacob Gilyard
⬛️ Fatts Russell
⬛️ Yoan Makoundou
⬛️ Karlo Matkovic
⬛️ Yannick Nzosa
⬛️ Kai Sotto

Watch the full workout ➡️ https://t.co/RuuwKif5fk pic.twitter.com/wIysqrJnCV

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) June 16, 2022

In addition to Sotto, the Kings also hosted Richmond guard Jacob Gilyard, Maryland guard Fatts Russell, Yoan Makoundou of Cholet Basket (France), Karlo Matkovic of KK Mega Basket (Serbia) and Yannick Nzosa of Unicaja Baloncesto (Spain).

The Kings enter the pre-draft process with picks No. 4, 37 and 49, respectively. They have hosted several workouts throughout the draft process and are said to even be interested in potentially trading down or out of the first round altogether.

The NBA draft will take place on June 23.

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Report: Rockets trade Christian Wood to Mavs for 26th pick, players

The trade will now give Houston three first-round picks ahead of the draft on June 23.

On Wednesday, it was reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic that the Houston Rockets have agreed to trade Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Rockets will acquire Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss, Boban Marjanovic and the 26th pick from the Mavericks in the deal. The trade will now give Houston three first-round picks (Nos. 3, 17 and 26) ahead of the draft on June 23.

The trade is expected to be completed on the night of the draft.

Houston was reportedly gauging trade interest in Wood since landing the third pick in the draft. They are operating under the impression that Paolo Banchero will fall to them and wanted to clear room for him in the frontcourt with Wood on an expiring contract next season.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks will add a productive frontcourt piece in Wood next season. He was one of 13 players in the NBA to average at least 15 points and 10 rebounds and projects to be a big addition for them in the lineup alongside Luka Donic and others.

With an additional first-rounder at its disposal, Houston picked up yet another piece to help expedite its rebuild. It is unclear which players, if any, from Dallas will stick around, but adding another draft pick certainly motivated the team to move Wood now.

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Examining the 5 best potential lottery duos in the NBA draft

Rookie Wire took a look at five of the best possible combinations that could come out of draft night.

The 2022 NBA draft represents hope for every franchise in the league. However, more than any sport, the basketball draft represents hope for teams at the top of the order.

Franchises with young cores have the chance to add potential superstar pieces that can grow with the foundation that has already been set.

None of these teams are completely devoid of talent, though.

Houston has Jalen Green, Detroit has Cade Cunningham and even Oklahoma City has Shai-Gigleous Alexander. Each of these teams desperately needs more talent to supplant their young building blocks with.

The possible outcome of the draft could lead to some pairings that are made in a laboratory. Others still could be disastrous for the development of these rookies.

With that in mind, here are five of the best possible combinations that could come out of draft night.

How NBA Academy prepared next wave of prospects for upcoming draft

The NBA Academy had its first player drafted from the program in 2021, and could have three more selected this year.

With the NBA draft just over one week away, the league is set to welcome in a new group of players from all over the globe as the incoming rookie class prepares to transition to the next level.

The draft features several highly touted prospects from the college ranks, and others from some of the new, alternative pathways such as the NBA G League Ignite or “Next Stars” program in the NBL. The various routes each aim to help players develop on and off the court.

Earlier in the process, the NBA Academy has become another option.

The NBA Academy, which was started in 2016, is a year-round basketball development program that provides the top high school-age prospects from outside the United States with the necessary tools to unlock their skills in a variety of ways.

The program saw its first player drafted into the NBA last year when the Oklahoma City Thunder took Josh Giddey with the sixth pick. Giddey spent time at the NBA Academy in Canberra, Australia, and quickly emerged as one of the top international prospects.

Giddey averaged 12 points, five assists and 4.4 assists in five exhibition games with the NBA Academy. (Photo via NBA Academy)

Of course, Giddey stayed home side and played with the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL. He was named the Rookie of the Year after averaging 10.9 points, 7.6 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals. He led the league in assists and was the youngest Australian to register a triple-double at 18.

The NBA was ecstatic to have Giddey become the first player drafted from the program.

“We were really excited that it was Josh for a few reasons,” said Chris Ebersole, the NBA senior director of international basketball operations. “One is the pathway he took and the fact that he really focused on his development and his skill and wasn’t necessarily identified as a top prospect globally.

The fact that he’s an unselfish player — his primary skill is passing. That style of play is something that we’ve all tried to preach within the NBA Academy program: Sharing, helping make others better and that will come back to you as a player if you do that. To have a player like Josh, who, at times will sacrifice his individual accomplishments to make others around him better, be the first to be drafted in the NBA, I thought it was a nice feeling to have come to fruition.

With Giddey becoming the first alumni drafted, the program is poised to have as many as three additional players selected this year: NBA G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels, Davidson forward Hyunjung Lee and Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin.

Daniels and Mathurin are each projected to be lottery picks on June 23 after taking different paths. Lee, who is seeking to become just the second-ever Korean player in the NBA, is considered to be a potential second-round pick after a strong junior campaign.

Rookie Wire spoke to Ebersole at length to discuss the next wave of NBA Academy players set to enter the league and their unique paths to reach this point of the process.