Jaden Ivey is Ja Morant. Chet Holmgren is a more polished Rudy Gobert. Paolo Banchero is Chris Webber.
Okay, maybe the player comparisons for the prospects of the 2022 NBA Draft don’t quite fit and tidy. This is because professional compositions are difficult, almost impossible. For every ah, yes, I see it evokes, there are several waiting, this is crazy because …. .
So instead of taking compositions, which (spoiler alert, I do it today!) At face value, I’m just asking you to consider taking snippets of each player’s game and projecting it to potential customers. Jaden Ivey is clearly not Morant, no one is. But both are C-4 athletic explosive lead guards. Chet Holmgren is not Rudy Gobert, and while it is wild to even mention both given Gobert’s dominance at D as a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the former has the advantage of the latter in defense with more versatility as a scorer in attack. And finally: no. Paolo Banchero is not Chris Webber. But the Duke product has the polish and promise of a young C-Webb.
Catch my drift?
As we progress, I’ll explain each composition for the top 10 leads to the recently updated Top 100 CBS Sports Big Board. Keep an open mind and know that in most cases these compositions are aspirational. If they get to the ceiling, they could be as good as their comp. Think of this more as an exercise to help highlight the most subtle points of the player’s games.
Okay, let’s dive straight into these. The following order is the order in which I classify them on my own personal Big Board. You can find my latest rankings of the top 100 potential customers ranked here.
1. Ivey Garden | SG | Purdue
Pro comp: Ja Morant (minus the passing vision)
Explosive athletic ability is more or less where the comparison between Ivey and Morant ends. Morant is a passerby and a much superior game creator. He is a better decision maker. Its handle is tighter and sharper. This is not discussed.
The way Ivey presses the rim, however, is reminiscent of a young Morant. With its speed it can blow through the defenders, with screen or without screen. Once the turbo is turned on, only a flat breeze can be seen by the person in front of it. Morant uses his handles, change of direction and intelligence to manipulate defenders and press the edge; Ivey may release some combination of this, but he is often grabbing his hand and attacking immediately.
Ivey has also shown some past promise, which is where he most needs to improve and constantly act to reach his All-Star potential.
2. Chet Holmgren | C | Gonzaga
Professional composition: Kristaps Porzingis
When you are a 7-foot player, the list of players to compare with is quite small. But in Holmgren I see some Porzingis. They both have a bit of a shake-up of dribbling and creative ability. Both are goal scorers clearly endowed with their position with a range beyond the 3-point line. Holmgren, however, does a much better job of covering the ground on defense and is a protector of elite tires. Porzingis has been a constant deterrent throughout his career and a good shot blocker, but Holmgren was in college, and could be in the NBA, one of the best at it.
3. Paolo Banchero | PF | duc
Professional composition: Ben Simmons
Defensively, Simmons is a monster, and Banchero is not (yet).
Offensively, Banchero is a monster, and Simmons probably never will be (though his death is elite).
The similarities between the two lie solely in their advanced ability to move on to their size. Banchero grew up as a guard before achieving rapid growth just before high school. He carried these skills with him as he grew to 6 feet by 10. It allows him to grab tables and run the rest like a great guard and take high-level step readings. You can execute your offense through it. Duke did this frequently by feeding him on the elbow and allowing him to process the defense. His vision is not quite up to the level that Simmons has and he will probably never get there, but his mid-range play and his above-average playing ability at 6-10 give him a clear advantage in attack.
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4. Jabari Smith Jr. | PF | Auburn
Professional composition: Michael Porter Jr.
Porter’s 6-10 shooting ability made him selected in the lottery despite some clear concerns about injuries after a season full of injuries in Missouri. Possible Smith’s No. 1 pick in this class for the same reason. He shot 42% from the 3-point range and was in the 94th percentile among all college players as a local shooter, according to Synergy data. Both have a lot more to their games than local shooters (Smith, for example, has a lot of defensive potential), but his size and positional position are two of the best in perspective in recent years.
5. Shaedon Sharpe | SG | Kentucky
Professional composition: Andrew Wiggins
Sharpe and Wiggins also have one thing in common, both long-winged and athletic. (Sharpe reclassified and lost this badge, unfortunately.)
His athleticism is also very similar. Wiggins’ vertical jump is over 40 inches, apparently 44 inches, while Sharpe’s can be closer to 50 inches.
Sharpe, however, up to this point in his career has been more of an alpha. He is an aggressive goal scorer. It is a manufacturer of hard features. Wiggins’ lack of aggression, especially as a former No. 1, is a blow to him, although he has had a good career and found a great home with the Warriors.
Sharpe has superstar potential that makes him, even after not playing in college, one of the five most intriguing long-term prospects in the class this year.
6. AJ Griffin | SF | duc
Professional composition: Harrison Barnes
I don’t love this competition, but I realized that I really don’t like any comp for him. It is a very unique perspective. One of the best shooters in the draft, physically well developed, mature and of great character. It’s hard to find someone who outlines how he does it.
Barnes is my closest guess. Another great wing that is a quality outside shooter and also has a bit of rebound movement. I think Griffin has more athleticism and potential to be a game creator than Barnes, but it’s hard to say for sure because we didn’t see Duke up close as we did when he was a high school prospect.
7. Keegan Murray | PF | Iowa
Professional composition: Jerami Grant
Skillful, polished, unique: Use any positive adjectives you want and be able to describe the offensive firepower of both Grant and Murray. Murray led the Big Ten in scoring last season as a sophomore, scoring nearly 40 percent from the 3-point range, emerging as a versatile defender and showing a bit of everything in attack that should convert- lo in one of the most prepared prospects for the NBA in this draft. class. Thanks to his advanced age he has developed a little more in terms of creation and manipulation, and is more than a 3, while Murray is more than a 4, but Murray can be added to his bag as he develops during his professional career.
8. TyTy Washington Jr. | PG | Kentucky
Professional composition: Cole Anthony
While Washington doesn’t have the explosive bargaining power of former Kentucky guard Tyrese Maxey, it does have some striking similarities to its game. They both like to attack in the mid-range, they both have a great touch with the floats, nor do they necessarily project themselves as true main guards.
This profile probably compares better with former UNC guard (and current Magic) Anthony. Athletes below the edge who can fill it as a scorer. It’s not suitable for being a true head guard, but they can share the role, and maybe well. I’m more optimistic about Washington’s ability to potentially inherit this kind of role than with Anthony, but even if it doesn’t, we’re still talking about a very valuable modern combined guard.
9. Ousmane Dieng | SG | League G Ignite
Professional composition: Kyle Anderson
Anderson, also known as Slow Mo, gets a feature here with compensation for one of my favorite prospects in Dieng, which comes through the NBL and the New Zealand Breakers. Dieng, like Anderson, is a long, flowing athlete who wins not with his speed but with his long strides, intelligence and skill.
Over the past few months, Dieng has become a possible top 10 pick due to the combination of his size (6-10) combined with his athleticism and unstoppable skill. He has potential stars if he can turn his production into better efficiency and mature his box to hold up well in the NBA.
10. Dyson Daniels | SG | League G Ignite
Professional composition: Spencer Dinwiddie
Many compositions are a bit forced, but this one seems to have some legs. Daniels is an elite perimeter defender, perhaps one of the best in the class, who is in line with the Dinwiddie game as he has been a very good defender from the point of guard. Both Dinwiddie and Daniels also have a very real ability to pass and play, although I don’t think they are ready to be the main initiators.
Daniels, in fact, I could see that he was starting his career as a wing and second side creator before growing up more. He has some very creative passes and insights he deployed with G League Ignite that makes me think there is untapped potential for him in a combined guard role. He will have to mature and develop his game as a hooker, but his defense and passing are two quality skills that can help him have a long career in the NBA.