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.
The best prospects in the world are all competing for the top spot in the 2022 NBA draft and it is hard to sort how everyone is stacking up.
The best prospects in the world are all competing for the top spot in the 2022 NBA draft and it is hard to sort how everyone is stacking up.
In order to help us get a better sense of where all of the projected top prospects in the class stand as of right now, we compiled mock drafts from Draft Express (ESPN), Aran Smith (NBADraft.net), Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Jeremy Woo (Sports Illustrated), Krysten Peek (Yahoo), Matt Babcock (Basketball News) as well as USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s For The Win.
Please note that these rankings reflect the composite score in order to get a feel for consensus, not our own opinion. Predictions for a first overall pick earned a player 58 points while the second overall pick earned 57 points, the third overall earned 56 points, and so on.
Johnny Davis (Wisconsin), Jeremy Sochan (Baylor), Harrison Ingram (Stanford), EJ Liddell (Ohio State), Wendell Moore (Duke), Blake Wesley (Notre Dame), and Walker Kessler (Auburn) have improved their draft stock the most since our most recent update last month.
The most notable prospects making their debut on our rankings are Tari Eason (LSU), Aminu Mohammed (Georgetown), Dereon Seabron (NC State), Christian Braun (Kansas), Trevion Williams (Purdue) and Orlando Robinson (Fresno State).
Some of the top prospects who were not included in any of these most recent mock drafts include Matthew Cleveland (Florida State), Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona), Max Abmas (Oral Roberts), Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Alex Fudge (LSU), Buddy Boeheim (Syracuse), Josh Minott (Memphis) and Kadary Richmond (Seton Hall).
Otherwise, you can learn the latest updates on every single prospect who has been included in recent mock drafts by scrolling below.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
The best prospects in the world are all competing for the top spot in the 2022 NBA draft and it is hard to sort how everyone is stacking up.
In order to help us get a better sense of where all of the projected top prospects in the class stand as of right now, we compiled mock drafts from Draft Express (ESPN), Aran Smith (NBADraft.net), Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Jeremy Woo (Sports Illustrated), Krysten Peek (Yahoo), Matt Babcock (Basketball News) as well as USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s For The Win.
Please note that these rankings reflect the composite score in order to get a feel for consensus, not our own opinion. Predictions for a first overall pick earned a player 58 points while the second overall pick earned 57 points, the third overall earned 56 points, and so on.
Johnny Davis (Wisconsin), Jeremy Sochan (Baylor), Harrison Ingram (Stanford), EJ Liddell (Ohio State), Wendell Moore (Duke), Blake Wesley (Notre Dame), and Walker Kessler (Auburn) have improved their draft stock the most since our most recent update last month.
The most notable prospects making their debut on our rankings are Tari Eason (LSU), Aminu Mohammed (Georgetown), Dereon Seabron (NC State), Christian Braun (Kansas), Trevion Williams (Purdue) and Orlando Robinson (Fresno State).
Some of the top prospects who were not included in any of these most recent mock drafts include Matthew Cleveland (Florida State), Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona), Max Abmas (Oral Roberts), Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Alex Fudge (LSU), Buddy Boeheim (Syracuse), Josh Minott (Memphis) and Kadary Richmond (Seton Hall).
Otherwise, you can learn the latest updates on every single prospect who has been included in recent mock drafts by scrolling below.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
Let’s be honest. Ranking the best NBA draft prospects is a fool’s errand. But evaluating this class is an especially challenging assignment.
Let’s be honest. Ranking the best NBA draft prospects is a fool’s errand. But evaluating this class is an especially challenging assignment.
One of the top pre-season prospects (Patrick Baldwin Jr.) is playing for a mid-major program that has just two wins so far this season. Other top prospects (AJ Griffin and Peyton Watson) are not getting much playing time for their high-major programs. Meanwhile, guard Jean Montero is playing in the inaugural Overtime Elite league. How do we compare his productivity to other prospects? I’m frankly not sure.
But nevertheless, my big board exists. Rather than going small, I decided to blow it up and do the opposite. Why did I go ahead and rank 101 prospects if this class has been so challenging to evaluate? There are two distinct reasons.
One is that I’m absolutely crazy and get a very fulfilling satisfaction with the completion of a mock draft and big board because it feels complete. It looks awesome seeing as many names as I can fit on one article, even if the science behind the rankings is a bit inconclusive.
The other reason is that as I make more big boards throughout the year, it’s interesting to track the progress (and regression) of certain prospects. I am inevitably wrong about most of these placements! But this article serves as a barometer for where I feel certain players are at in their development right now.
Note that several notable prospects (e.g. freshmen Max Christie, Matthew Cleveland, Nolan Hickman, Hunter Sallis, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, Jeremy Sochan, Kobe Bufkin) were excluded because I expect them to go back to school to improve their draft stock.
More likely than not, some of those players will declare for the 2022 NBA draft. When that happens, I obviously will not have them outside of my top 101.
Until then, as we prepare to turn the calendar into a new year, here are the debut rankings for 101 of my favorite prospects.
All stats are accurate as of Dec. 14 and are from Sports-Reference unless noted otherwise.
In order to help us get a better sense of where all of the projected top prospects in the class stand as of right now, we compiled mock drafts from ESPN, NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, Basketball News and USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s For The Win.
Please note that these rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for consensus, not our own opinion.
Since our last update, the players who have improved the most spots are Ismael Kamagate (Paris), Moussa Diabate (Michigan), Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona), Hugo Besson (New Zealand), Efe Abogidi (Washington State), Iverson Molinar (Mississippi State), Justin Lewis (Marquette), Max Christie (Michigan State), EJ Liddell (Ohio State), and Ochai Agbaji (Kansas).
The most notable prospects making their debut on our rankings are Trevor Keels (Duke), Bryce McGowens (Nebraska), MarJon Beauchamp (G League Ignite), Keon Ellis (Alabama), Christian Koloko (Arizona), Wendell Moore (Duke), Blake Wesley (Notre Dame), Josh Minott (Memphis), Zach Edey (Purdue), and Johnny Davis (Wisconsin).
Some of the top prospects who did not make the cut this time included Hunter Sallis (Gonzaga), Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (Tennesse), Kobe Bufkin (Michigan), Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State), Jahvon Quinerly (Albama), Adam Flagler (Baylor), Jaylin Williams (Auburn), Matthieu Gauzin (Le Mans), Isaiah Wong (Miami), Marcus Williams (Texas A&M), and Tyson Etienne (Wichita State).
Otherwise, you can learn the latest updates on every single prospect who has been included in recent mock drafts by scrolling below.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
After a few games, we have a much better idea of how prospects like Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren will be used until the 2022 NBA draft.
After a few games, we have a much better idea of how prospects like Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren will be used until the 2022 NBA draft.
Preseason mock drafts, like the one we published back on Aug. 11, are especially challenging. Predictions are mostly guesswork based on uninformed priors until we’ve seen the usage of how each coach will implement the prospects we are evaluating.
Additionally, several players used the offseason to work on certain skill sets (e.g. Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji is now a much better shooter) in ways we couldn’t have projected.
As such, even though it’s only been a few games, it’s a lot easier to discuss the 2022 NBA draft now than it was even just last month. The season is underway for college basketball — and the G League Ignite, Overtime Elite, and several international leagues — which means draft boards are shaping up.
After a ton of movement, as of right now, here is how we see the 2022 NBA draft unfolding.
Draft order is pulled from Tankathon. All stats are accurate as of 11/22/21.
It’s not his fault. But before the season began, Marjon Beauchamp was basically moved to the back burner by many NBA scouts and evaluators.
It’s not his fault. But before the season began, Marjon Beauchamp was basically moved to the back burner by many NBA scouts and evaluators.
However, through three games, Beauchamp has been arguably the best player on the G League’s Ignite. That’s especially impressive considering he was a far less-touted prospect than teammates Jaden Hardy, Michael Foster and Dyson Daniels.
While he had flown a bit under the radar during the offseason, that wasn’t always the case. In fact, the 6-foot-7 wing was long considered a player who could play in the NBA.
The NBA's G Leauge Ignite have officially announced the signing of Marjon Beauchamp (@Marjon32).
Beauchamp played at Yakima Valley College, where he averaged 30.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 4.8 apg while shooting 39.8% from beyond the arc. pic.twitter.com/sw3KlRM1iY
As a freshman in 2016-17, Beauchamp was a reserve for former NBA star Brandon Roy at Seattle’s Nathan Hale High School. While there, he played alongside future Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., who helped lead the school to an undefeated season and was voted by MaxPreps as the best team in the nation.
Porter graduated and went on to play at Missouri and Roy switched jobs to coach nearby at Garfield High School. Beauchamp transferred with him in 2017-18 and the two then went on to win the Class 4A state championship in Washington for the second year in a row.
Beauchamp, who was long a dominant AAU scorer on the Adidas Gauntlet, transferred twice more. When it was all said and done, the wing attended four different high schools in as many years.
5-⭐️ wing Marjon Beauchamp made his presence felt at the Adidas Gauntlet Championships last weekend. His stock continues to rise and he recently received an offer from USC.@Marjon32pic.twitter.com/ICEGPYto6a
The summer after his senior year of high school, he announced that he would bypass college and prepare for the pros. While the decision to go down that path was not traditional, in Feb. 2020, I included him in an early edition of my 2021 NBA mock draft on USA TODAY SMG’s Rookie Wire.
He moved to San Francisco to train at Chameleon BX — though, due to COVID-19, he soon returned home to the state of Washington. While there, Beauchamp considered walking away from the game.
He eventually decided to enroll in his local community college and he played at Yakima Valley College. He soon led the Northwest Athletic Conference in scoring, averaging 30.7 points per game, even notching as many as 50 points in a single-game performance.
Beauchamp didn’t end up declaring for the NBA draft in 2021 and actually even considered going to a high-major college to play basketball. But his decision to play in the G League has already been beneficial.
Marjon Beauchamp up to 15 on the nice read defensively and finish in transition pic.twitter.com/RczsNf92hH
The wing scored 19 points and 27 points in his first two games for the Ignite. He added 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks in the season opener and he was 4-for-7 on 3-pointers in the second game.
One of the most exciting elements of his game has been his ability to take the ball up the floor in transition, especially after forcing a steal, and he is always a lob threat on leak-outs as well.
But the most unique aspect is that, while he is listed at 6-foot-7, he can play on-ball and hit step-back jumpers off the dribble. Those capabilities from a wing make him an extraordinarily draftable prospect.
MarJon Beauchamp punishes the drop coverage with a pull-up 3. Good confidence and good stroke. pic.twitter.com/6hBHrk0egu
After several rounds of transfers during high school and circumstances once out of high school that took him out of the national spotlight, Beauchamp has recently done a wonderful job reminding talent evaluators that he is every bit the future NBA player that they once thought he could become.
Beauchamp is the first player to go from junior college to the G League’s Ignite program. He is also the first person to join the team despite being more than one year out of high school.
There is no doubt in my mind that Beauchamp will land much higher on my next mock draft than he did on my previous mock draft. Especially because his path has been windy, he is someone who has earned all of our attention.
The Ignite tipped off their second season on Friday after a successful inaugural campaign that saw several players get drafted.
On Friday, the G League Ignite tipped off their second season after a successful inaugural campaign that saw three players get drafted into the NBA.
Gone are players like Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Isaiah Todd as the next wave of prospects joined the team over the offseason. The Ignite this season are headlined by Jaden Hardy, Dyson Daniels, Michael Foster Jr., Fanbo Zeng and MarJon Beauchamp among others.
Beauchamp, a former four-star recruit from Yakima Valley College, produced a team-high 18 points, eight rebounds and two steals to lead the Ignite during the 98-87 loss to the Iowa Wolves. He finished by converting on 7-of-14 shot attempts from the field in 27 minutes of work.
Afterward, Beauchamp said his first game was a lot faster than in college.
It was a lot more quicker just coming from college. The dudes are stronger. It’s a lot of up and down. The court is longer so it was a big impression (coming) into a new environment.
The Ignite trailed 65-34 at halftime, and appeared to be headed toward a lopsided loss. However, they outscored the Wolves by 20 points in the second to close the gap but were unable to get closer than six points in the fourth quarter.
Hardy finished with 12 points, while Foster had eight points and 13 rebounds and Daniels added three points and two assists.
The stated goal of the Ignite is to provide development opportunities for those prospects looking to play professionally. The team focuses more on the development of the players, and not necessarily on the outcome of games as they do not play a full schedule like other teams.
The opportunity to play against some of the other top prospects will give each player a great chance to develop and further learn the game. Beauchamp believes the group is getting better each day.
Every day, we’re battling. I’m battling with great players and just try to guard the best player like Jaden Hardy to get me better. We’re getting better each day. The second half of today just shows we can be good this year.
After debuting on Friday, the Ignite return to action on Sunday against the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The NBA G League announced that six veteran players will join the Ignite to provide leadership and guidance to their young prospects.
On Thursday, the NBA G League announced that six veteran players will join the Ignite to help provide leadership and guidance to their young prospects, completing their roster for the upcoming 2021-22 season.
The Ignite will make their season debut on Nov. 5 against the South Bay Lakers as part of their 14-game Showcase Cup schedule, which is part of the new innovative format for the season. They will also play preseason exhibition games on Oct. 29 and Oct. 31.
The stated goal of the Ignite is to provide development opportunities for those prospects looking to play professionally. The team will be coached by Jason Hart after Brian Shaw led the group during their inaugural season earlier this year.
With the Ignite set to begin their second season, Rookie Wire took a look at their final roster, which features a blend of up-and-coming prospects and several experienced veterans.
With the NBA trade deadline approaching, there may be some swaps of picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, which is considered to be a strong class.
With the NBA trade deadline approaching, there may be some swaps of picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, which is considered to be a strong class.
Now that the rosters for the McDonald’s All-American Game have been announced and the Hoophall Classic is complete, top prospects are emerging as future stars in the league.
This list does not include any of the top international prospects who will likely be selected in 2020 like Killian Hayes and Theo Maledon. It also does not mention any of the top returning players in the nation as it will be unclear who will opt to play in the NBA and it is still tough to predict at this point.
Instead, it offers an introduction to the current high school seniors and the international
All statistics are updated through February 3, 2020 and are pulled from D1Circuit.com, MaxPreps and RealGM unless stated otherwise.
1. Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State (Committed)
Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports
Guard, 6-foot-7, 18 years old, Montverde Academy (Florida)
Cade Cunningham is currently the anchor for Montverde Academy, which is being called the best high school team of all-time. They are currently ranked as the top school in the nation. The point forward is so good that an NBA scout recently told Yahoo’s Krysten Peek he would likely be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft if he were eligible. That indicates he might already be the best player who is not currently in the league. For proof: Cunningham averaged 18.0 points and 8.5 assists per 36 minutes at the U19 World Cup, trailing just one player for total assists (40) during the tournament. With his size and his playmaking ability, he is already showing flashes of becoming a future franchise cornerstone.
2. Jalen Green, Uncommitted
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Guard, 6-foot-5, 17 years old, Prolific Prep (California)
Jalen Green is an incredibly explosive athlete who has improved as a shooter over the past few years as well. The scorer has become a more consistent and reliable option on the floor, offering an attacking mentality that will continue to develop as his competition continues. One of his crowning achievements thus far: He took home tournament MVP during the U17 World Cup in 2018, leading the United States to the gold medal behind 15.7 points per game. He averaged 7.7 three-pointers per 40 minutes during this competition, showing he is a fearless shooter. His natural stroke from the free-throw line shows that his three-point percentage will likely increase within time, too.
3. Evan Mobley, USC (Committed)
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Big, 7-foot-0, 18 years old, Rancho Christian (California)
Evan Mobley was 2019’s Gatorade Player of the Year in California and came into the summer as the highest-rated player on RSCI, which compiles all of the rankings on recruiting sites like 247 Sports and Rivals. The versatile big brags a 7-foot-5 wingspan with a 40-inch vertical leap, a rare measurement combination. He has recently been listed as a small forward, however, which Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo says “points to the dissonance” between his current identity and the best eventual fit in the NBA for someone his size. Still, there is arguably more to like about Mobley’s potential than that of 2020 projected lottery big man James Wiseman.
4. Scottie Barnes, Florida State (Committed)
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Forward, 6-foot-8, 18 years old, Montverde Academy (Florida)
Scottie Barnes currently plays alongside Cunningham at Montverde Academy and has a lot to offer as he continues to develop. He is a stat-sheet stuffer capable of putting up impressive lines for points and rebounds as well as assists. Like Cunningham, he has a point-forward mentality which is elevated by the fact that he is also measured with an incredible 9-foot-1 standing reach. Barnes can be a plug-and-play option for almost any team on both offense and defense in the NCAA and eventually in the NBA. That was an especially attractive trait for him for Team USA in the U19 World Cup, where he was a strong facilitator from the elbow. He assisted on 16.8 percent of scores for his team when he was on the floor despite never acting as his offense’s primary playmaker.
5. Ziaire Williams, Uncommitted
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Wing, 6-foot-8, 18 years old, Sierra Canyon (California)
Ziaire Williams is currently playing high school basketball at the high-profile Sierra Canyon. While he had to sit out the first few months of his senior year because of transfer rules, he has been a force to be reckoned with already. But that was no surprise for those who have followed the prospect. Williams led his AAU team (which also briefly included the aforementioned 2021 projected lottery pick Jalen Green) in points as well as rebounds and assists per game on the U17 circuit. The prospect has shown he is an above-average finisher near the rim, which will be important as he continues his growth. The Stepien’s Ross Homan also believes Williams can become the best shooter in this class. It will be fascinating to monitor his collegiate decision as he is the highest-rated recruit without an NCAA commitment yet.
