With three minutes left in the second quarter, the Celtics had already given up 60 points to a young Magic team. Paolo Banchero, the top pick in the most recent NBA Draft, had just driven straight past Noah Vonleh for a bucket and a foul. Though Banchero had started inefficiently from the field, he was starting to build more rhythm against Boston’s big men.
Tatum wanted to shut that off. He wanted to wake up his Celtics teammates. And he wanted to keep his team undefeated. So, as Banchero stood on the free throw line, Tatum demanded to guard the young Magic star.
“I ain’t ask for permission,” Tatum said after his team’s 126-120 win.
Tatum didn’t need to ask. When he made his feelings known, the Celtics bent to his wishes. He started the next Orlando possession attached to Banchero on the low block. When Banchero touched the ball one play later, Tatum picked him up at half court and hounded him. After sticking with Banchero through multiple dribble moves, Tatum stripped the ball from Banchero and knocked it out of bounds off Banchero’s leg.
The play seemed to energize the Celtics, who ended the half on a 10-4 spurt before building another run at the start of the third quarter.
“We kind of let them be comfortable,” Tatum said. “Regardless of who it is, any NBA player that’s comfortable and they hit shots, they start playing with confidence, and then you’re in for a ballgame. And that’s what happened tonight. And I felt like they were just too comfortable in the beginning. So I decided to guard him. I take pride in defense, as we all do.”
Even in a road arena, Tatum left the Amway Center court to M-V-P chants after finishing with 40 points on 14-for-21 shooting. As well as he scored the ball, the insistence on defending Banchero did more to show off Tatum’s early-season mindset. On the second leg of a back-to-back, he could have let the Celtics coast but refused to let them settle for a weak effort. In some ways, he wasn’t just setting the tone for Saturday night, but for the entire season. With one demand, Tatum made it clear that every game matters to him. That he won’t stand for any slippage. That the finals loss has shaped his approach to this season and convinced him to take everything seriously.
Tatum went on to score nine points over the first 2:31 of the third quarter, further giving the Celtics control. They weren’t able to pull away from the Magic but felt more pleased about their execution in the second half.
“Just better ball pressure,” said Joe Mazzulla. “Our pickup points. I thought we did a great job in the second half of picking up our pressure and just playing that way consistently.”
Malcolm Brogdon agreed.
“Super important (win),” Brogdon said. “This is a young team we played tonight, but they’re talented. But they don’t have a lot of expectations as far as winning. So it was important that we got this win. This was, I think, a more important win even than the Miami win, just to show that we’re mature, experienced, and ready to take that next step this year.”
Mazzulla actually sounded happy the Celtics experienced a bumpier ride against Orlando. After two charmed wins to open the regular season, against two quality opponents, he wanted the players to understand that some nights will be more challenging. Sometimes another team will play a great game. Sometimes the Celtics just won’t have their best stuff. During those games, they will still need to find their way back to who they want to be. Mazzulla thought the Celtics showed “great leadership” by picking up their physicality after the slow defensive start.
“Just because we had two good games, we can’t create this expectation that things are always going to go our way,” Mazzulla said. “And that we’re always going to feel comfortable. It’s not going to be that way. I thought our guys did a great job of staying even-keeled, poised. They challenged each other. And we know exactly what we need to do. I think part of a great team is building an awareness to when are we playing well and when are we not, and then how do we get back to being ourselves. And I thought we did a great job of that at halftime.”
Mazzulla called Blake Griffin’s second-half dive after a loose ball the highlight of the game. Derrick White scored 27 points, including a rare dunk that surprised some of his teammates. Tatum had help in changing the tide but knew the Celtics needed his energy. For him, the move showed off growing assertiveness. He almost certainly would not have demanded to guard a player early in his career but understands now how much his actions can impact the rest of the Celtics. That’s the power of stardom, for better and worse.
Tatum didn’t always stop Banchero, who is viewed as a budding star. The two know each other pretty well. As a fellow Duke product, Tatum said he has “spoken frequently” to Banchero and has been “extremely happy” to see the 19-year-old rookie’s success. Noting Banchero’s rare combination of height, bulk, and ability to “do everything on the floor,” Tatum said he thinks highly of the youngster not just as a player but as a person. That just didn’t matter to Tatum once the Celtics started wobbling Saturday. He knew he needed to do something to revive his team’s defense. With the Celtics in their worst defensive stretch of the young season, Tatum shifted over to defend Banchero.
“That’s how you show respect,” Tatum said. “I’m not going to let it be easy. I’m going to compete. You’ve gotta go at somebody regardless of if he’s 19 or 30. Nobody took it easy on me my first year.”
Nobody will take it easy on Tatum now. That’s OK. In most cases, he’s the one who sets the terms of the challenge these days.
(Photo of Jayson Tatum battling the Magic’s Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. for a loose ball in the second quarter: Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA Today)
NBA 2K23 Summer League kicked off Thursday night with a matchup between Orlando’s Paolo Banchero and Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr., the No. 1 and No. 3 picks, respectively, in last month’s NBA draft.
The Magic won 91-77 in the first meeting between two of the NBA’s most anticipated rookies, with Banchero notching 17 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists. Smith had a quieter night in his Rockets debut, finishing with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
No. 5 overall pick Jaden Ivey made his debut with the Detroit Pistons, scoring a team-high 20 points en route to an 81-78 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Blazers rookie Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 pick, had his debut cut short by a shoulder injury that ended his night after just six minutes.
The action continued Friday with several other rookies getting their first action in Vegas.
Which first-year players stood out? Our NBA insiders break down the rookies who stole the show through the first two days in Las Vegas.
NBA summer league 2022: One player to watch on every team
No. 1 vs. No. 3: Banchero and Smith meet for the first time
Banchero came into the NBA draft process billed as the most NBA-ready prospect in the class. Smith, on the other hand, oozes potential but turned 19 less than two months before draft night and was always going to need time to develop. When they took the court against each other Thursday night, both players proved those scouting reports — at least for one night — to be accurate.
Banchero, who looked every bit the 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds he’s listed at, used his size and physicality to get wherever he wanted on the court. He finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists in 25 minutes. He played the way he likely will for Orlando next season: by serving as a de facto point guard in a power forward’s body.
He didn’t always get a lot of separation and has work to do defensively, and he admitted after the game he’s using summer league to get himself into shape, but even in a one-game sample it was easy to see what put him atop the draft.
Smith, on the other hand, is going to take a lot more time — and it showed. He was criticized at times last season at Auburn for not being assertive enough with his teammates in getting the ball, and that happened Thursday night.
But there’s plenty to like about his game. Smith’s high, quick release, combined with his 6-10 frame, has the potential to make him a serious spot-up shooting threat. In time, he could easily put on weight to expand his game like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and other young, projectable wings before him.
He competes hard on defense and has quick feet, which gives him significant upside at that end, as well.
Smith’s development is going to take time, particularly on a very young Rockets team with some inexperienced guards getting the lion’s share of the ballhandling minutes, led by last year’s No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green.
Two other significant rookies also stood out in this game: Houston’s Tari Eason (No. 17 overall) and Orlando’s Caleb Houstan (No. 32 overall).
Eason, a 6-8 forward from LSU, has the kind of rangy build that could make him an elite defensive wing. His 3-point shot, though, is going to take a lot of work to make him into a true 3-and-D player, and he did a lot of extra work on offense in this game that he won’t be doing in regular-season action.
Houstan, a former five-star recruit from Michigan who struggled as a freshman and fell out of the first round, is a very intriguing prospect. He finished with 20 points on 5-for-9 shooting from 3-point range in 28 minutes. The 6-foot-8 Houstan is the kind of long, athletic forward who could be a real find for Orlando if he develops into the player he was supposed to be before his lone collegiate season. — Tim Bontemps
Ivey and Duren shine for the Pistons
The Detroit Pistons came away from the NBA draft last month feeling like major winners after adding a pair of lottery picks — No. 5 overall pick Ivey and No. 13 overall pick Jalen Duren — to a budding young core centered around Cade Cunningham, last year’s top overall selection. Both Pistons fans and Cunningham, who watched from the sidelines, got their first glimpse at the duo during Thursday’s opener against the Portland Trail Blazers — from the opening play of the game.
On the first possession of the game, Ivey tossed an alley-oop toward the basket for Duren, who finished a two-handed dunk with authority.
Ivey scored a team-high 20 points with 6 rebounds and 6 assists while showcasing the athletic traits he brings to a Pistons backcourt that has a chance to be dynamic. Ivey zoomed past defenders with a quick first step and barreled toward the basket like a runaway train. However, his summer league debut was still a bit erratic, especially during the first half while he was trying to adjust to the speed of the game. He made some errant passes and ill-advised decisions that led to five turnovers and five fouls.
Duren, meanwhile, had been waiting all week for the draft night trade that brought him to Detroit to become official, and he was officially added to the roster the morning before the first game. Although the team kept him on a minutes restriction that limited him to 12 minutes, he made the most of his time on the court. Duren, who does not turn 19 until November, finished with nine points, a rebound and a pair of blocks. His size and vertical ability were so imposing that he looked far from the youngest player in last month’s draft.
There will certainly be growing pains with both rookies, but their debuts provided enough reasons for continued optimism about the future in Detroit. — Jamal Collier
Mathurin leads all scorers for the Pistons
Bennedict Mathurin, the Indiana Pacers’ highest draft pick (No. 6) since Rik Smits in 1988, looked the part in his first summer appearance Friday against the Charlotte Hornets. Mathurin led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, knocking down three 3-pointers.
Mathurin’s ability to shoot the NBA 3 is the bedrock of his game entering the league. Opponents must respect Mathurin potentially pulling up off the dribble — one of his three makes was off the dribble in transition — which enhances his ability to create space as a driver. Mathurin leveraged that room to get off pull-up jumpers with a similarly smooth stroke.
I would like to see Mathurin develop his plan to attack hard closeouts. He dribbled in after one for a pull-up midrange attempt, the once-dominant NBA strategy that now has lost favor to a side step or one-dribble reset for an open 3-pointer. Mathurin’s athletic repertoire also includes the ability to drive closeouts and the leaping ability that saw him finish a transition lob off the backboard from 2021 Indiana first-round pick Chris Duarte with a powerful dunk.
At the defensive end of the court, Mathurin’s strong fame aids him as an on-ball defender. He could stand to be more active defensively off the ball.
On the other side, Hornets center Mark Williams faced more of a learning curve in his debut. Without a strong pick-and-roll point guard to set him up like he’ll have with LaMelo Ball during the regular season, Williams frequently caught the ball in the middle of the paint and struggled to finish. Williams, who shot 72% during the 2021-22 season at Duke, was 2-of-8 from the field. He did contribute eight rebounds and a pair of blocks in that span. — Kevin Pelton
Agbaji should give Cleveland fans hope for the future
Cleveland’s Ochai Agbaji scored 16 points in an encouraging summer league debut, but it’s how he did it that should have Cavs fans most excited. Twelve of Agbaji’s 16 points came from beyond the arc, and he proved to the NBA world that he could not only knock down catch-and-shoot 3s, but create his own looks from deep too, as he hit this NBA-ready step-back early in the first.
Abgaji looked confident in his debut, and he has good reasons for that — he arrived in Vegas with one of the best résumés of any rookie in his class. The 22-year-old shooting guard not only helped the Kansas Jayhawks win the NCAA title in April, but he was also named a first-team All-American and Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four. Those achievements owe a lot to the simple fact this rookie played a ton of college hoops — he was the only senior drafted in the first round this season, and the oldest lottery pick in this year’s draft.
Still, the Cavs are hoping Agbaji’s best days are still ahead of him and that he can help this group improve its offensive efficiency. Last season, the Cavs ranked fifth in the league in defense but just 20th in offense, thanks in part to a mediocre output from beyond the arc.
Agbaji has the potential to become an elite 3-point scorer, and his debut didn’t do anything but support that claim. He took nine 3s in his first game as a pro, making four of them. If he can add some perimeter strength to this Cavs core that already features Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Cleveland’s future is only getting brighter. — Kirk Goldsberry
1. Jabari Smith Jr. 2. Chet Holmgren 3. Paolo Banchero 4. Jaden Ivey
That’s what most mocks were telling you as of early Thursday evening, mere minutes before the 2022 NBA Draft got underway. Despite the fact that — as we previously laid out right here — the debate over who should go No. 1 was as compelling as we’d seen in years. That concept wound up proving true. Somehow.
Orlando, what have you done?
Made claim to one of the boldest 11th hour, 59th minute gambits in NBA Draft history, that’s what.
Ever since the night of the lottery, May 17, it seemed all the momentum was behind the idea that the Magic were going to go with convention and take Smith at No. 1. Oklahoma City was correspondingly rumored from the jump to be enamored with Holmgren. That, naturally, would leave Houston with the obvious choice of taking who was left of the big three — selecting Banchero third.
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The Kings, who are undergoing the worst playoff drought of any pro sports franchise, surely would have to take the best player available at No. 4, right? Ivey. It would have to be him.
Then the betting markets went wild earlier in the week. Banchero moved from +1400 all the way to +175 (still behind Smith) to go No. 1. Subsequent reporting tried to extinguish that rumor.
Then, shortly before 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night, it all got blown to shreds. Chaos. The forecast was not reality. This is reality.
Banchero first to the Magic.
Holmgren second to the Thunder.
Smith — somehow! — goes third to the Rockets.
Keegan Murray — hello! — fourth to the Kings.
And then Ivey, who may well prove to be the best player in this draft 10 years from now, Ivey fell into the lap of the Detroit Pistons.
In what could prove to be one of the most talented drafts in recent history, Orlando and Sacramento — two franchises that have been bad seemingly for generations — subverted expectations and gave us mayhem. Because of the high profiles of each of the top three picks, and the abnormal three-way-race feel this year’s draft had, this was always destined to be a draft that would have us looking back and comparing which teams made the right call and which didn’t.
But now? The stakes seem raised.
Think about it this way: Smith was the favorite for months, including for the majority of the day of the draft, to go No. 1. He wound up falling to No. 3. Has this ever happened in the history of the draft? A player projected by experts and in betting markets to be the first pick not only doesn’t go first, but gets passed for second?
Thursday night felt historic in immediate ways but also in intangible ones, which is to say the fallout from these decisions seem destined to ripple among these five teams for the remainder of the 2020s.
Consider the franchises that flipped this draft on its head. Orlando won a series in the playoffs in 2010; Sacramento hasn’t been there since 2006. Go look at every NBA Draft in history. Never once have the top five picks, or even the top three picks, turned out to be the best players in their class. Will the Banchero and Murray picks prove to be savvy, or will those decisions backfire on the two notoriously underperforming franchises that made them?
I have no issue with what the Magic did. I find it entertaining and kind of incredible how that front office successfully duped the entire league into thinking it was taking Smith. But I’ve been on record for weeks that Banchero is the best prospect in this class. He can be the player to change the fortunes and future of a franchise desperately in need of it. He has star power and palpable All-Star potential.
The beautiful commotion of all of this is: we don’t know. Will it be Banchero who’s best? Did Orlando just change the trajectory of its franchise for the better for the next 10 years, or is it doomed to have passed on two other genre-shifting big men who could prove them to look foolish? And don’t think Oklahoma City is off the hook for having gone second. Are the Thunder going to wind up looking bad five years from now? When Banchero was off the board, Smith was sitting there for the taking. Many draftniks and NBA scouts comfortably ranked Smith ahead of Holmgren. But as most expected, OKC general manager Sam Presti stuck to his heart and took the Player Unlike Any Other.
That leaves Houston in the best spot of any team in the top five. There’s a reasonable chance the best player in this draft fell to them at No. 3.
Incredible.
If Smith hits huge and becomes the best player, it’s not unreasonable we could look up in 2027 and see the Rockets competing for NBA Finals appearances while the Thunder and Magic are still picking in the lottery. This was one of the more intriguing lead-ups into a draft in some time. It managed to exceed expectations.
That in mind, it’s been a long time since the top of an NBA Draft felt this consequential. And that’s before we even get to the Kings’ decision to not take the prospect that was near-universally labeled as the fourth-best (at worst) on the board, Ivey. The Purdue dynamo had no desire to go there, and that ploy wound up working out perfectly for Ivey and Detroit. You can make the argument, easily, that with De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell, the fit would have been tough with those two and Ivey in Sacramento. But this is the Kings. And it’s not hard to envision the Pistons downright thriving with Cade Cunningham and Ivey, while the Kings continue to … be the Kings.
You need a player who can be a superstar — who can pull you out of NBA purgatory. The Kings, in picking Keegan Murray, are telling the league they think he is more likely to do that than Ivey. Few others would agree.
And now the Pistons, in combination with bringing in 13th overall pick Jalen Duren, seem to be assembling one of the most exciting young rosters in the league.
Expectations and presumptions were thwarted on Thursday night in the most dramatic manner possible. There’s virtually no chance Banchero, Holmgren, Smith, Murray and Ivey will wind up as the five best players in this draft. The top five picks going on to be the five best guys, well that has never happened. Ever. At least one team — probably two and maybe even three — miscalculated and made mistakes tonight.
The Magic have seldom been relevant over the past decade. But in their biggest moment in a generation on Thursday night, they twisted the future of the entire NBA — and fooled the rest of the league in doing so. Now all that Banchero has to do is live up to the expectations of Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard, the two former No. 1 overall picks as big men who guided the Magic to NBA Finals appearances.
In a draft as stacked and debated as this one, anything less will be a failure.
There usually aren’t too many surprises in the NBA Draft in this day and age, but Thursday night started out with a major one as the Orlando Magic selected Duke forward Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 overall pick. For weeks, the expectation had been that they would take Jabari Smith out of Auburn, and it’s still unclear if that was all an elaborate smokescreen or they changed their mind at the last minute.
The Magic reportedly never hosted Banchero for a formal workout or interview in Orlando, which suggests it could be the latter.
In any case, the Oklahoma City Thunder then took big man Chet Holmgren out of Gonzaga as expected, while the Houston Rockets went with Smith to round out the top-three. The Rockets had likely been planning on Banchero, but Smith should still fit in nicely as a sharp-shooting forward to pair with Jalen Green.
Of course, no draft could be complete without the Sacramento Kings doing something out of the box, and they took Keegan Murray with the No. 4 overall pick despite almost all prognostications suggesting that Purdue’s Jaden Ivey was the clear fourth-best player. Perhaps they truly believe in Murray, or perhaps they were wary of taking a guard with their first pick for the third straight year.
Either way, it worked out for the Detroit Pistons, who were happy to take Ivey at No. 5. After getting Cade Cunningham with the first pick last year, they now have the makings of a terrific young backcourt.
Underwhelming draft on the trade front
Leading up to draft day, we heard a lot about how there was the potential for a lot of trades involving current NBA players to go down. For example, on Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who is as plugged in as anyone when it comes to the NBA, said to expect a lot of trades.
“Trades are the new free agency this time of year,” he said. “Teams know that their best chance to improve is not going to be in July in free agency, it’s going to be around the draft with trades. I think we’re going to see a lot of them tomorrow night.”
Things didn’t quite unfold that way, though. While several picks were shuffled, as is the case every year, there were very few trades involving established NBA players. Kemba Walker was traded from the Knicks to the Pistons as part of a larger deal, and the two sides are expected to work on a buyout that would allow Walker to become a free agent this summer. Also, the 76ers and Grizzlies swapped players, as the Sixers sent veteran forward Danny Green and the No. 23 overall pick to Memphis in exchange for De’Anthony Melton.
There was also a trade that went down the day before the draft, as the Pistons traded forward Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick (via the Milwaukee Bucks, protected Nos. 1-4) and multiple pick swaps. Those guys aren’t chopped liver, but none of those moves could be considered landscape-altering, or even major. Thus, it’s safe to say that the draft was underwhelming on the trade front.
Knicks have a busy night
The New York Knicks entered draft night with just two picks: Nos. 11 and 42. Even with the usual rumors, it seemed like it would be a straightforward night. Of course, that’s not possible with this franchise, and three trades and hours of confusion later, they left with Trevor Keels (No. 42), three future first-round picks and some extra cap space.In the first deal of the night, they sent the No. 11 pick (Ousmane Dieng) to the Oklahoma City Thunder for three future firsts. Then, they packaged one of the firsts they got from the Thunder and four future second-round picks to get the No. 13 pick (Jalen Duren) from the Charlotte Hornets. Finally, they sent Duren and Kemba Walker to the Detroit Pistons for another future first-round pick. For full details of all the moves, including pick protections, go here.
It’s no secret that the Knicks’ top priority this offseason is Jalen Brunson. The lefty guard is hitting free agency, and should command a significant payday after impressing in the Dallas Mavericks’ run to the Western Conference finals. In addition to hiring his dad as an assistant coach, the Knicks have also cleared out enough cap space to make a competitive offer. The question, though, is whether those moves were worth a shot at Brunson. If they aren’t able to sign him, giving up a lottery pick to get rid of Walker’s salary is not going to age well.
Knicks fans, to little surprise, were upset. Most notably, Stephen A. Smith and Spike Lee looked despondent on ESPN’s draft night broadcast.
Pistons win again on draft night
Last year, the Detroit Pistons won the lottery and selected Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick. After a bit of a slow start to his rookie season, he turned it on and looked like the real deal as a jumbo facilitator. While the Pistons fell to the No. 5 pick in the lottery this year, they were once again big winners on draft night.
First and foremost, they lucked into Jaden Ivey at No. 5. The Purdue guard was widely seen as the clear fourth-best player in this class, but the Sacramento Kings passed on him at No. 4 to select Keegan Murray. While Murray may wind up being a good player, he doesn’t have the upside of Ivey, who is an explosive athlete and has a chance to be a terrific multi-level scorer. In Cunningham and Ivey, the Pistons have their backcourt of the future.
A short time later, the Pistons swung a trade with the New York Knicks. They sent a 2025 first-round pick via Milwaukee, which they acquired in the Jerami Grant deal earlier this week, to the Knicks in exchange for No. 13 pick Jalen Duren and Kemba Walker. The latter will eventually be bought out. Duren is another tremendous athlete, though in the frontcourt, where he looked dominant at times for Memphis. While still raw from a pure offensive skill standpoint, he’s huge, works hard and should contribute defensively right away.
After years of alternating between aimlessly rebuilding and chasing the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons finally feel like they have a plan and a young core in place. There’s still a long road ahead of them, but with Cunningham leading the way, the future should be bright in Detroit.
Draft Tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Complete NBA Draft coverage
There usually aren’t too many surprises in the NBA Draft in this day and age, but Thursday night started out with a major one as the Orlando Magic selected Duke forward Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 overall pick. For weeks, the expectation had been that they would take Jabari Smith out of Auburn, and it’s still unclear if that was all an elaborate smokescreen or they changed their mind at the last minute.
The Magic reportedly never hosted Banchero for a formal workout or interview in Orlando, which suggests it could be the latter.
In any case, the Oklahoma City Thunder then took big man Chet Holmgren out of Gonzaga as expected, while the Houston Rockets went with Smith to round out the top-three. The Rockets had likely been planning on Banchero, but Smith should still fit in nicely as a sharp-shooting forward to pair with Jalen Green.
Of course, no draft could be complete without the Sacramento Kings doing something out of the box, and they took Keegan Murray with the No. 4 overall pick despite almost all prognostications suggesting that Purdue’s Jaden Ivey was the clear fourth-best player. Perhaps they truly believe in Murray, or perhaps they were wary of taking a guard with their first pick for the third straight year.
It’s a busy night around the NBA, and we’ll have you covered with all the action right here. Here’s how to watch Thursday night’s NBA Draft.
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The Orlando Magic selected Paolo Banchero, a forward from Duke University, with the No. 1 overall pick in the N.B.A. draft.
Banchero is a 6-foot-10, 250-pound power forward, whose mother, Rhonda Smith-Banchero, played in the W.N.B.A. He was a guard earlier in his basketball career and played football and basketball at O’Dea High School in Seattle.
In the minutes before his name was called, Banchero sat at a table on the floor of Barclays Center in Brooklyn showing no emotion on his face. The Magic were on the clock and word began to spread that Banchero might be their pick. Cameras crowded around him, but he didn’t outwardly react. Only when N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver announced his name did his expression change.
He lowered his head, looked up and smiled.
In his one season at Duke, Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s rookie of the year.
The picks for the rest of the top five: Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren at No. 2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr. to the Houston Rockets at No. 3, Iowa’s Keegan Murray to the Sacramento Kings at No. 4 and Purdue’s Jaden Ivey to the Detroit Pistons at No. 5.
Three prospects were thought to have separated themselves at the top of this year’s draft: Banchero, Holmgren and Smith.
Holmgren nodded and smirked subtly as he heard Banchero’s name called first. When Silver called his name, Holmgren broke out into a wide smile, stopping for handshakes and long embraces with his family members.
“I got a thousand emotions to describe this moment,” Holmgren said during an interview that was broadcast in the arena. “It’s surreal and everything I expected.”
Holmgren, 20, is a rail-thin, seven-foot-tall center who grew up in Minneapolis and was named Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball in 2021. He was a high school teammate of Jalen Suggs, whom the Magic drafted fifth overall in 2021. They each spent one season at Gonzaga.
Holmgren led Gonzaga to a 28-4 record and averaged 14.1 points per game while making 60.7 percent of his field-goal attempts. He also averaged 9.9 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game. Gonzaga entered the N.C.A.A. tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, but was upset in the round of 16.
In the days before the draft, rumors circulated in media reports that Orlando had decided to select Smith first overall. As Smith waited for his name to be called on Thursday, he looked disappointed. When finally Silver announced his name, another prospect, Louisiana State’s Tari Eason, leaped out of his seat to clap for Smith.
Smith, 19, spent one season at Auburn after a distinguished high school basketball career in Georgia. He played for the same Amateur Athletic Union team as another No. 1 pick by the Magic: Dwight Howard. Smith’s father, also named Jabari Smith, spent parts of four seasons in the N.B.A. in the early 2000s.
Jabari Smith Jr. was named the Southeastern Conference’s freshman of the year and a second-team all-American this past season. Smith is a 6-foot-10 power forward with the ability to shoot from the perimeter. He made 42.9 percent of his 3-pointers and averaged 16.9 points per game at Auburn.
The first surprise of the night was the selection of Murray by the Kings at No. 4, given the expectation that Banchero, Holmgren and Smith would go in some order in the top three. The spectators at Barclays Center erupted at the announcement.
Murray is the highest-selected Hawkeye in school history. The 6-foot-8 forward earned consensus first-team all-American honors this past season and finished fourth in Division I scoring with 23.5 points per game. He led the Hawkeyes to a 26-10 record and a first-round appearance in the N.C.A.A. tournament.
Ivey spent two seasons at Purdue before declaring for the draft. He averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game during his sophomore season.
The Magic won this year’s draft lottery after finishing the season at 22-60, the worst record in the Eastern Conference and the second-worst record in the league. Only the Houston Rockets, who had the third pick in this year’s draft after a 20-62 season, won fewer games than the Magic.
This year marked the fourth time in the franchise’s history that it made the first overall pick. The Magic drafted Shaquille O’Neal with the first pick in 1992; Chris Webber, whom they immediately traded for Penny Hardaway, in 1993; and Dwight Howard in 2004.
The pairing of Hardaway and O’Neal yielded one N.B.A. finals appearance, but no championships for the Magic. Howard also led the Magic to one finals appearance, in 2009.
Later in their careers, O’Neal and Howard won championships while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers — O’Neal in 2000, 2001 and 2002, and Howard in 2020.
Before Banchero, the last Duke player selected No. 1 overall in the N.B.A. draft was Zion Williamson in 2019. Banchero follows two guards — Anthony Edwards (2020) and Cade Cunningham (2021) — in earning the distinction of being the top pick.
After a wild 2021-22 season, it’s time to shift our full attention to Thursday night’s 2022 NBA Draft. A number of exciting prospects will headline the league’s marquee offseason event, including Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga), Jabari Smith (Auburn), Paolo Banchero (Duke) and Jaden Ivey (Purdue). Who will be selected first overall remains anyone’s guess, but those four players will all hear their names called early on by NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
The Orlando Magic have the top overall pick in the draft for the first time since 2004. After Orlando, the Oklahoma City Thunder pick second, followed by the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and Detroit Pistons to round out the top five. While the order is set, anything can happen during the draft as teams are busy working the phones to wheel and deal picks. Multiple trades have already been made before the draft as the Lakers acquired the Magic’s 35th pick, while the Cavaliers dealt their second-rounder to the Kings. The Portland Trail Blazers also traded their 2025 first-round pick to the Detroit Pistons for Jerami Grant.
It’ll be a busy night around the NBA, and we’ll have you covered with all the action right here. Here’s how to watch Thursday night’s NBA Draft.
Follow below the picks for updates, trades and analysis of the 2022 NBA Draft.
We’ll find out on Thursday night who the Orlando Magic value as the No. 1 pick as they select first overall for the first time since 2004 — but there’s far from a consensus view at the top of this draft among NBA front offices. And ditto for our team of experts. In our final top 100 rankings comprised of a consensus taken from rankings by CBS Sports experts Gary Parrish, Matt Norlander, David Cobb and myself, along with Adam Finkelstein and Travis Branham of 247Sports, there were four different players who earned votes at No. 1.
So who is the No. 1 prospect in the 2022 NBA Draft?
The scouts have their opinions but our math in the consensus rankings determined Chet Holmgren was deserving of the honor — but below each of us have stated our cases for our choice as the No. 1 pro prospect in this year’s draft. Here’s who each of us had in the top spot, and why, as we barrel towards Thursday night’s draft with a wide range of views about the top of the class.
Want more analysis of the top prospects in the NBA Draft? Listen below and subscribe to the Eye on College Basketball podcast where we take a deep dive on the top players heading to the next level.
The case for Chet Holmgren
I understand the arguments for Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero and even Jaden Ivey to go first overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. I don’t think any of them are ridiculous options. But I still genuinely believe Holmgren is the best prospect available this year, and that’s why I also believe Orlando should take him with the No. 1 pick. He’s an elite rim-protector on defense who can float on offense, bounce it, shoot and generally exploit matchups.
If a traditional big guards him, he can likely go around him. If a smaller player guards him, he can definitely shoot right over him. Am I concerned about the slight frame? Sure, on some level, I guess. But as ESPN’s Jonathon Givony noted on a recent podcast, how many great prospects have fallen short of greatness strictly because they’re too skinny? He couldn’t think of any. Neither can I. So I’m just going to assume Holmgren’s unique skill-set will allow him to overcome his unique frame and eventually emerge as the best player from this draft. — Gary Parrish
Holmgren has the highest ceiling in the draft in my opinion. He changes the game on both ends of the floor. There just aren’t many 7-footers, anywhere in the world, who can protect the rim, stretch the floor, and still provide such an efficient interior finishing presence. He’s even a better ball-handler and passer than I think some people are giving him credit for. But on top of all of that, I’m just a big believer in his mentality and that inner-toughness. I know he has to build up his body, but if there’s one thing that NBA teams have all figured out how to do at an exceptionally high-level, it’s that. —Adam Finkelstein
We know the entire world is questioning his physique but the truth is, Holmgren has never had a history of injuries or shown that his lack of strength is an actual hindrance. You won’t be able to throw him at the Joel Embiids of the world, but no one can throw anything at him. In four to five years, we could legitimately be talking about him being one of the faces of the League with his ability to dribble, pass and shoot unlike any we have seen at his size and length along with the fact that he is an elite defender and rim protector. —Travis Branham
I understand the allure of Smith and Banchero, but to me Holmgren’s upside is a notch above. Smith lacks playmaking potential — Holmgren can blossom beautifully in that department. Banchero’s suspect as a 3-point shooter and on defense — Holmgren has a sweet stroke and is one of the best rim-protecting prospects we’ve ever seen. I don’t buy the boisterous ravings about the unique body type, either. Holmgren’s been able to hold his own against stronger players his entire life, and the NBA rules will continue to evolve in his favor. He’s already proven that he can perform at the highest levels of amateur basketball, and he also has the most room to improve of any of the top three prospects. Add it all up, and that certainly sounds like the best player in the draft class. —Colin Ward-Henninger
The case for Paolo Banchero
Be it for CBSSports.com, on Eye on College Basketball or on CBS Sports HQ, I’ve explained my position on having Banchero No. 1 on my big board many times in recent weeks. But here, right up against the draft, once more, with feeling. Banchero is the most sensible pick of any player in this class because he’s the most developed and proven talent. His numbers at Duke, with multiple other first-rounders in the starting lineup, were beyond satisfactory: 17.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 3.2 apg for the top-rated offensive team in the nation, per KenPom.com.
Banchero was a 52.% 2-point shooter and 33.8% from 3-point range. Nobody in this draft has Banchero’s combination of size + skill + touch + passing ability + play-creation + rebounding prowess + competitive edge. He has an above-average handle, can work the post, shoot from beyond the arc, and isn’t a black hole. The hesitation with him at No. 1 stems from the fact that he’s not as potentially damaging of a 3-point shooter as Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren and even Jaden Ivey are. But he can still shoot it. Defensively, he’s got more ground to make up. No one is as ready to play in the NBA tomorrow like Banchero, though, and I think that he’ll ultimately prove to be a multiple-time All-Star by the end of his second contract. — Matt Norlander
The case for Jaden Ivey
There are safer prospects at the top of this class (Smith Jr.) and bigger boom/bust propositions, too (Holmgren), but no one possesses the rare combination of explosive athleticism and creation ability that Ivey has in this draft. He’s a human firecracker who can pop to the rim. He has the potential to develop into a true lead guard at the next level if he continues to develop and improve as a decision-maker.
At worst he can be a change-of-pace initiator whose dynamic explosiveness helps ease the burden of a team’s No. 1 initiating option. I’d take him No. 1 over everyone in this class on the chance his playmaking improves even marginally, if not substantially, and his improvement as a shooter over the last year portends very nicely for him as a blossoming star entering the NBA. — Kyle Boone
The case for Jabari Smith Jr.
What most clearly separates Smith from Banchero, Holmgren and others as the best pick at No. 1 in the 2022 NBA Draft is his elite outside shooting. At 6-10 and with a 42% 3-point mark on 5.5 attempts per game in his lone season at Auburn, Smith projects as an excellent long-term shooter at the next level. While Banchero and Holmgren each flashed some range from the perimeter in their lone college seasons, neither projects as elite in any facet of the game quite like Smith does as an outside shooter.
Given that Smith also boasts excellent defensive upside and a blossoming shot-creation portfolio offensively, he is the safest bet of the group to one day be an NBA All-Star. With promising young guards like Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony distributing the basketball in Orlando, Smith would make an excellent addition to the Magic’s core group. Though it may take years for Smith to reach his full potential, it’s easy to see him becoming the Magic’s leading scorer early in his career due to feathery shooting touch he’ll bring into the league on day one. — David Cobb
LAS VEGAS — The battle for the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft continued as Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren went head-to-head with Duke’s Paolo Banchero.
The 20,000 fans at T-Mobile Arena were also in for a treat as two of the top-five teams faced off in November in a game that felt like the end of March. In another thriller in Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season after 41 years, scouts for every NBA team were present for the matchup between the two star freshmen.
The No. 5 Blue Devils edged No. 1 Gonzaga 84-81 with both prospects putting up big numbers.
“I’m sure you’ll be watching these two battle each other on and off for the next 15 years,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said. “They’re both incredible basketball players with a bright future.”
Who had the upper hand and impressed scouts Friday evening? Yahoo Sports makes the case for both prospects and shines a light on a few other NBA draft prospects who could hear their names called in June.
Duke’s Paolo Banchero is one of the top 2022 NBA draft prospects. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Paolo Banchero
Duke: Freshman
Position: Forward
Ht./Wt.: 6-10, 250 pounds
2021-22 season: 17.8 ppg, 8 rpg
Banchero has the most NBA-ready body in this draft class and moves extremely well on the court for his size. As a high school prospect, Banchero’s lateral movement on defense was one of his weakest traits, but he worked on his explosiveness and footwork this summer with the Duke staff. It’s showing early in the season. Banchero was the best prospect on the court and finished with 21 points and five rebounds in the upset win over Gonzaga.
Neither Holmgren nor Banchero shied away from the head-to-head matchup and 10 minutes into the first half, Banchero bullied Holmgren in the lane for an and-one play to put the Blue Devils up by three points.
Banchero showed NBA scouts that he’s a grab-and-go defender who can handle the ball in the open court. When running the sideline after a missed shot, he’s confident calling for the ball and isn’t afraid to take a transition 3-pointer (he hit two in the first half). Banchero is much more fluid in his decision-making on the court. After seeing both prospects on the court at the same time, Banchero gets the slight edge as the No. 1 overall prospect.
Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren also has a strong case for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Chet Holmgren
Gonzaga: Freshman
Position: Center
Ht./Wt.: 7-0, 195 pounds
2021-22 season: 13.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.5 bpg
There isn’t another prospect like Holmgren in this draft class.
He’s the best shot blocker in college basketball with his 7-foot-5 wingspan and is averaging over three blocks per game.
“Chet’s a game-changer on defense and there were a couple of layups that I would usually make with no problem but with him at the rim, that wasn’t happening tonight,” Banchero said after the game.
Holmgren can handle the ball like a guard and dominated the paint in the game earlier this week against UCLA and showed off how deadly he can be in the open court when he went coast-to-coast for one of the best plays of the game.
Holmgren is solid in the pick-and-pop on offense and connected on 62% of his shots. Similar to Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley, Holmgren has a slight frame but great footwork in the paint. Mobley’s early success in the NBA is helping Holmgren’s case for No. 1, despite being undersized for an NBA center.
Other 2022 NBA draft prospects
Mark Williams
Duke: Sophomore
Position: Center
Ht./Wt.: 7-0, 242 pounds
2021-22 season: 8.7 ppg, 6 rpg
Williams runs the floor well for his size and has great hands in the open court. When Banchero is on the court and draws defenders, Williams has mastered the short-corner shot off the block and is great in the pick-and-roll. He has the athleticism to step out and guard the wing on defense and is a projected late first-round, early second-round pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Williams looked fantastic Friday and finished with 17 points and five blocks.
Duke guard Trevor Keels brings the ball up the court. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Trevor Keels
Duke: Freshman
Position: Guard
Ht./Wt.: 6-4, 221 pounds
2021-22 season: 13.3 ppg, 3 apg
Keels is a bully guard who loves to get downhill. He can also hit deep 3-pointers and is tenacious on defense. Keels showed glimpses of splitting the defense on the pick-and-roll and is a pass-first guard who dished out six assists in the close win over Gonzaga.
Andrew Nembhard
Gonzaga: Senior
Position: Guard
Ht./Wt.: 6-5, 193 pounds
2021-22 season: 9.8 ppg, 5 apg
Nembhard is a true floor general who looked like an NBA-ready guard Tuesday night against UCLA. He finished with 26 points and six assists in the convincing win and led both teams in assists with 11 in the close loss against Duke. He’s now on NBA scouts’ radar, and teams will be watching for more consistency on his shot selection as the season progresses.
Wendell Moore Jr.
Duke: Junior
Position: Guard
Ht./Wt.: 6-5, 213 pounds
2021-22 season: 17.5 ppg, 5.7 apg
Moore is a former five-star recruit who has been patient with his development at Duke. He was the most consistent guard on the court against Gonzaga and hit a clutch free throw with 17 seconds remaining to extend the lead to four points. Moore finished with 20 points, six assists and four steals and was named the Player of the Game on Friday.
Nolan Hickman
Gonzaga: Freshman
Position: Guard
Ht./Wt.: 6-2, 185 pounds
2021-22 season: 8.3 ppg, 2 apg
Hickman has great court sense and is an extremely good passer in transition and in the half-court set. He’s a strong defender who challenges players at the rim and can sit down and keep players in front of him. Hickman is a former teammate of Banchero and was originally committed to Kentucky before eventually committing to Gonzaga.
Gonzaga’s Drew Timme dribbles the ball during a game in Las Vegas this week. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Drew Timme
Gonzaga: Junior
Position: Forward
Ht./Wt.: 6-10, 235 pounds
2021-22 season: 18.7 ppg, 6 rpg
Timme is the Luka Garza of this college basketball season. He’s a Player of the Year candidate and does all the little things that make Gonzaga the No. 1 team in the country. The high-low between Timme and Holmgren is virtually unstoppable, and he has a nice hook shot off the block. Timme has high-level footwork around the rim and has an old-school back-to-the-basket game where he excels in the up-and-under move. Defensively, he can slide over and defend off the block well, too. Timme finished with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists Friday.
A.J. Griffin
Duke: Freshman
Position: Small forward
Ht./Wt.: 6-6, 222 pounds
2021-22 season: 5.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg
Griffin is coming off a knee injury and is getting limited minutes early in the season. He’s an explosive wing who loves to get in the lane and has great body control in traffic. Even with his limited time on the court, Griffin remains a projected first-round pick in the 2022 draft and has tremendous upside as an NBA wing.
NEW YORK — Tuesday was the start of Mike Krzyzewski’s farewell tour. Tuesday was also the start of Paolo Banchero’s push to be the No. 1 pick in June’s NBA draft.
But by the end of No. 9 Duke’s 79-71 win over No. 10 Kentucky, the biggest storyline coming out of Madison Square Garden was freshman guard Trevor Keels, who stole the show with 25 points in leading the Blue Devils to a season-opening win.
Keels, a physical 6-foot-4 combo guard, dominated the first eight minutes of the second half while Banchero was in the locker room dealing with cramps, and then helped the Blue Devils seal the game in the final few minutes.
“I knew when P went out, somebody had to step up, and that’s what I did,” Keels said. “I kept looking at the score and I just made sure we was up and we was winning. That’s something that I look at all the time. I don’t really care about my points or nothing like that. It’s [caring whether] we come out with the victory.”
The lead-up to the second game of Tuesday night’s Champions Classic doubleheader focused mostly on Krzyzewski. He was honored at halftime of the Kansas-Michigan State opener, and a conversation featuring John Calipari, Tom Izzo and Bill Self discussing their favorite Krzyzewski memories played on the MSG video board at halftime of the second game.
Once the game tipped off, it was all about Banchero. A top-three recruit who is currently projected by ESPN as the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Banchero has an offensive arsenal rarely seen in college basketball. He is 6-foot-10, 250 pounds, but can handle the ball, hit face-up jumpers from the top of the key and score around the basket. He also absorbs contact consistently, getting to the free throw line with regularity.
Despite missing time, he still finished with 22 points and seven rebounds, and shot 7-for-11 from the field.
“He’s a special player and you can coach him hard,” Krzyzewski said. “But he’s going to keep getting better. He’s the real deal. There’s no question about it.”
Perhaps the only weaknesses in Banchero’s game Tuesday night were the cramps that flared up early in the second half, forcing him into the locker room to get an IV. Banchero was one of four Duke players to deal with cramps, according to Krzyzewski, with the star freshman and Wendell Moore Jr. both needing IVs.
When Banchero was subbed out and headed to the locker room less than three minutes into the second half, Kentucky had erased Duke’s halftime lead and was up one. The Wildcats had momentum, and Duke was without its best player.
Eight minutes later, Duke led by 15.
Keels took charge — something he refers to as “Keel Mode” — scoring 12 points in a 24-8 run that gave the Blue Devils control heading down the stretch. After Kentucky responded with an 11-0 run to cut Duke’s lead to four, Keels made a driving layup to stop the run and then hit another shot 90 seconds later to extend the Blue Devils’ lead to 11 and effectively end the game.
He finished with 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting, also dishing out two assists and making three steals.
“This kid right here is going to be a great player,” Krzyzewski said. “He’s not a good player. Trevor is a great player. He weighs 230 pounds, and if he was a running back, he would know how to pick holes. He gets fouled. He doesn’t charge very much because he’s so low and has great body control. For three straight years, he was probably the best player in the D.C. area.”
In a stark contrast to previous freshmen-heavy seasons under Calipari, Kentucky relied heavily on veterans against Duke. For long stretches in the second half, the Wildcats had a lineup of five transfers. Of their top seven players in minutes played, only one was a freshman: TyTy Washington, who struggled to finish on the offensive end.
Two newcomers — transfers Sahvir Wheeler (Georgia) and Oscar Tshiebwe (West Virginia) — kept Kentucky competitive, however. Wheeler was dynamic in the first half, getting into the paint at will and finding teammates for open shots or finishing himself. Tshiebwe was a force at both ends of the floor, finishing with 17 points, 19 rebounds — including 12 on the offensive end — and two blocks.
But the Wildcats will need their other stars to make plays consistently if they’re to stay in the top 10 nationally.
“I said, their two top-five players played like top-five players,” Calipari said, referring to Banchero and Keels. “Now if you want to be them, then step your game up.”
With Duke’s two marquee players leading the way, the Blue Devils’ ceiling might have been raised on Tuesday night. After last season’s disappointing 13-11 campaign, there were questions entering the season on the potential of this team. Inexperience and lack of depth, especially on the perimeter, were two big ones.
And while the team didn’t look perfect against Kentucky — the Blue Devils shot 1-for-13 from 3-point range, for example — Banchero and Keels provided serious optimism for Krzyzewski’s last hurrah.
Even if Krzyzewski doesn’t want to admit it just yet.
“I’ve reminded them they’re 1-0,” he said. “It’s a long season.”
