The lottery for the 2022 NBA draft is three months away, so it will be a while before finding out who will have the draft’s top picks. Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Duke’s Paolo Banchero, and Auburn’s Jabari Smith are expected to be the first three players off the board.
But what of LSU’s star forward? In the latest mock draft from ESPN, Tari Eason was slated to go at pick No. 16 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The sophomore played his first season at Cincinnati last year before transferring to the Tigers. While with the Bearcats, Eason played in 23 games, starting in eight. He averaged 7.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Eason also shot 46% from the field. His 1.3 blocks per game ranked fourth in the AAC.
Eason is long and athletic and plays well on both sides of the floor. So far this season, Eason is averaging 16.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 2.0 steals per game. He is shooting 53.4% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc. Eason leads the Tigers in scoring despite coming off the bench.
With Eason’s size and athletic ability, he could make the NBA a solid wing player. His ability to play both sides of the floor will be a critical factor in Eason getting drafted. If he can continue to improve his three-point shot, his draft stock will rise.
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