The 2022 NBA Draft is already here, but its mysteries have yet to be solved. Simulated drafts have been presented, some consensus has been formed and excessive fan reactions are already beginning.
Who ends up being the best of our long-awaited first three, Paolo, Chet or Jabari? How will Jaden Ivey handle the main guard duties if asked? Will AJ Griffin may find his best form again. Can Keegan Murray score in the NBA like he did in college? What about the defense?
We won’t find the answers to those questions tonight, but CBS Sports NBA Draft analysts Gary Parrish and Kyle Boone are here to assess the values the teams draw from their picks as the night goes on. Stay tuned here and watch our free NBA Draft coverage all night on CBS Sports HQ here and on the video player on this page.
First round of the 2022 NBA Draft
Ratings by Gary Parrish
1. Orlando Magic: PF Paolo Banchero, Duke
Although I would have taken Chet Holmgren, I can’t say it’s wrong to take Banchero. I think he will be the most impressive player since the jump and the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year. This is reasonable, though surprising. He’s a great, strong and skilled striker who could be an amazing building block in Orlando. Grade: A
2. Oklahoma City Thunder: C Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
Concerns about Holmgren’s light frame are legitimate, but it’s such a unique prospect with incredible potential that it’s the right choice here. This 7-foot edge protector can also bounce you off as a guard and make 3-point pointers reliably. It has the highest ceiling of this project and therefore should not go down like here. Grade: A +
3. Houston Rockets: PF Jabari Smith, Auburn
For much of the draft process, Smith was assumed to be the No. 1 general election. And in a class with three high-level senior men’s prospects, Smith became an easy choice when he fell to third place overall. Smith has yet to develop in many ways, but he is already a great shooter and a changeable defender who plays with undeniable energy and fits in very well with Jalen Green. Grade: A +
4. Sacramento Kings: PF Keegan Murray, Iowa
I like Murray, but it’s not what I would have done. I would have been caught by Jaden Ivey. But he made it clear he didn’t want to be there. I don’t think it’s enough to explain that he didn’t take it, but I do understand where the Kings were going with this move. Murray was a great player this season – the second best college basketball player in the country. Grade: B
5. Detroit Pistons: SG Jaden Ivey, Purdue
Ivey is an explosive athlete who plays great and is able to attack the edge in several ways. Comparisons with Ja Morant don’t really add up for Ivey, but he’s an exceptional player. There are questions about whether he will really be a base in the NBA, but he is now paired with Cade Cunningham, a natural dealer. Grade: A +
6. Indiana Pacers: SG Benedict Mathurin, Arizona
More than any other projected lottery selection, Mathurin is the one that garnered the most shares after evaluating it compared to what I thought during the season. Do you dive in, and what don’t you like? He is a 6-6 athletic winger who can do many things and has All-Star potential. Grade: A
7. Portland Trail Blazers: SG Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky
This choice is interesting because it looks like with the Jerami Grant trade the Blazers are trying to do well now. And Sharpe is an interesting fit from that perspective. But few players in this class have higher ceilings than him. He’s an explosive goal scorer with a ridiculous size for the wing and athletics, and could one day be a positive defender with those tools. He probably isn’t ready to do it right after not playing last season in Kentucky. Grade: B +
8. New Orleans Pelicans (from the Lakers): SG Dyson Daniels, G League
Daniels isn’t the perspective that previous Ignite stars have been, but he’s still a fascinating guard with size he can play with or without the ball. His jumper, right now, is the area of greatest concern, but if the Pelicans can fall, he has a high roof. And this Pelicans team is very close to being a legitimate contender, although much of that falls to Zion Williamson. Daniels fits very well into this core as probably the best perimeter advocate for this project. Grade: A +
9. San Antonio Spurs: SF Jeremy Sochan, Baylor
Sochan is the rare high school recruit under the age of 100 who becomes one of the top 20 picks. His ability to protect multiple positions and his potential as a shooter, are some of the reasons why he is an attractive prospect and one of the most versatile players available in this draft. The fact that the Spurs take it says a lot; maybe that’s not what I would have done, but that may simply mean I’m wrong. Grade: A-
10. Washington Wizards: SF Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
Davis went from a mostly anonymous power conference player to a national player candidate of the year in his second season in Wisconsin. I don’t care about his slip at the end of the season, and I think Bradley Beal can see this as a guy who helps you win right away. Grade: A-
11. Oklahoma City Thunder (Knicks): SF Ousmane Dieng, France
Dieng is a long-term investment and is not ready to help you next season. For the Knicks, that was probably not right, so they changed the selection. But for the Thunder, that probably makes sense. He is a long and skillful prospect who fits into the Thunder window and is the type of player they are building for. Grade: A-
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (of Clippers): SF Jalen Williams, Santa Clara
Williams probably helped more in the pre-draft process than any other available prospect, largely because he didn’t stand out as a Santa Clara player. But when you watch the movie, that’s it. He’s a good size, he shoots a lot, he’s athletic enough. Grade: B +
13. Detroit Pistons (from the Hornets through the Knicks): C Jalen Duren, Memphis
Surprisingly, the Hornets, who need a center, changed that selection to the Knicks and then the Pistons, but what a move for them to join Ivey and his young core. Duran isn’t the kind of space the big franchises prefer these days, but he’s such a physical specimen and a great athlete that there’s probably a place for him in the modern NBA anyway. It’s been 20 years since it would have been one of the top five picks, and it has a big advantage to succeed in edge attack and inside defense. Grade: A +
14. Cleveland Cavaliers: SF Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
I love what Cleveland does. They’ve stocked it with interesting young pieces that they can really play now. Agbaji can change and protect different guys after being the best player on the best team in the country. I think he will be one of the top 10 players in the draft. And no, it’s not a finished product. Grade: A +
15. Charlotte Hornets (via Pelicans): C Mark Williams, Duke
Charlotte needed to get out of this draft with an older man, and they can look back and regret not staying with Duren. But even though Williams isn’t as tall on my board as Duren, he can really defend and that’s the exact place I made fun of him the whole time. He is huge and controls the paint on defense. There is still a place in the league for these guys. Grade: A +
16. Atlanta Hawks: SF AJ Griffin, Duke
It took Griffin a while to get comfortable with Duke due to a preseason knee injury that seemed to affect his athleticism. But the five-star high school recruit, who is the son of NBA assistant coach Adrian Griffin, finally showed why he is a talent for the lottery, occupying two places after the lottery. He may be the best shooter in the draft and now plays with an elite passenger in Trae Young. Grade: A +
17. Houston Rockets (via Nets): PF Tari Eason, LSU
Eason was a prominent star at LSU after moving after a first season in Cincinnati. It’s a versatile front-track option that can protect multiple positions and punish defenses on transition opportunities. With the Rockets he can play with his SEC teammate Jabari Smith as a defensive forward. My only reservation is that I think there were more talented players available here for a team looking to return to respectability. Grade: B
18. Chicago Bulls: SF Dalen Terry, Arizona
There are a lot of things I like about Terry. He is versatile, does not bother him much and has great confidence. But that seems a little higher than most people had it. I like that he believes in himself. Grade: B
19. Memphis Grizzlies (of Timberwolves): PF Jake LaRavia, Wake Forest
The most confusing thing here for me is the change, where Memphis traded 22 and 29 for 19. But that’s what the Grizzlies ’reception has done: they find their man and exchange to make sure they get him. I have LaRavia closer to 30 than 20, but the Grizzlies draft history has gained credibility with teams like Brandon Clarke and Desmond Bane. Grade: B
20. San Antonio Spurs (of Raptors): SF Malaki Branham, Ohio
It was the best type available on my board because it is a sized wing that you can really create at a high level. He had taken charge of the games at the end of the season. He has been offended for days and was one of the top 16 prospects. This type of season that exceeds expectations is very impressive and could be a robbery for a team that often finds them. Grade: A +
21. Denver Nuggets: SF Christian Braun, Kansas
Braun (pronounced “brown” for some reason) is a sized wing that can protect its position, jump reliably, and finish in transition. It’s the kind of prospect that could thrive with a Nuggets team that already has so many pieces in place for the future. They need more in the bands, and Braun should be able to contribute soon. There were better quality prospects available, but this is a good choice. Grade: A-
22. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Jazz via Grizzlies): C Walker Kessler, Auburn
Kessler was without a doubt the best defensive player in college basketball last season …