NBA Draft Blog – Page 4 – NBA Blog

With 6th pick in 2022 NBA draft, Pacers selected Bennedict Mathurin

On the way into the NBA Draft Lottery last month in Chicago, Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan felt a tap on the shoulder. He turned around and saw that it was Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin and his agent.

Mathurin’s agent told Buchanan that they thought he could be a great fit in Indiana. After the lottery unfolded and Indiana received the sixth overall pick, Mathurin chatted with another high-ranking Pacers staffer — head coach Rick Carlisle.

“It was obvious from our end that he viewed this as a great fit,” Buchanan said “…It was likewise on our end. It just felt right.”

Sure enough, the Pacers selected Mathurin with their first pick on Thursday night.

The 6-6 guard averaged 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season as a sophomore for the Wildcats. Mathurin, who turned 20 on Sunday, was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and a consensus second-team All-American.

Mathurin will add to Indiana’s impressive collection of young talent on the perimeter, forming a formidable trio with 22-year-old Tyrese Haliburton and Chris Duarte, the 13th overall pick in last year’s draft.

With 5th pick in 2022 NBA draft, Pistons selected Jaden Ivey

The Detroit Pistons yesterday selected Jaden Ivey with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Ivey, 6-4, 195, averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 0.9 steals in 31.5 minutes over 36 games for Purdue in 2021-22. Ivey garnered consensus All-America Second Team honors and was both a 2021-22 All-Big Ten First Team and Big Ten-All Tournament selection in his sophomore campaign. He became the fourth Big Ten player in the last 30 years to record at least 600 points, 175 rebounds, 100 assists, 30 steals and 20 blocks in a season, joining Draymond Green, Frank Kaminsky and Evan Turner. The South Bend, Ind. native was selected as a 2021-22 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year finalist and helped lead Purdue to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

In his freshman campaign, Ivey was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team after totaling 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.7 steals in 24.2 minutes through 23 games. His scoring average was the sixth-highest by a Boilermaker freshman in school history. He became the second Big Ten freshman (Miles Bridges) since 1992-93 to average minimums of 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists with at least 12 blocked shots in conference games, and was one of three freshmen nationally to do it against conference opponents in 2020-21 (Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley).

Ivey is the son of Niele Ivey, the current women’s basketball head coach at Notre Dame and a former WNBA player who suited up for the Detroit Shock in 2005. His father, Javin Hunter, was born in Detroit and attended Detroit Country Day prior to playing for the Baltimore Ravens as a wide receiver in 2002. His grandfather, James Hunter, also played in the NFL as a defensive back for seven seasons with the Detroit Lions.

Ivey is the third top-five selection for the Pistons since 1995 (Cade Cunningham and Darko Milicic) and the first player selected in the NBA Draft Lottery from Purdue since the 1994 NBA Draft (Glenn Robinson).

With 4th pick in 2022 NBA draft, Kings selected Keegan Murray

The Sacramento Kings last night selected Keegan Murray from Iowa with the fourth overall pick in NBA Draft 2022, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

Murray joins the Kings after averaging 23.5 points (.554 FG%, .398 3PT%, .747 FT%), 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 31.9 minutes per game in 35 games (all starts) during his sophomore season at Iowa (2021-22). Murray led the Hawkeyes to a NCAA Tournament appearance, while earning All-Big Ten first-team honors (2021-22).

When the season concluded, Murray ranked fourth in the nation in scoring (23.5) and first in total points (822) and field goals made (307).

A 6-8, 215-pound forward, Murray earned consensus All-American first-team honors (2021-22), Karl Malone Power Forward of the year (2021-22), Finalist for the 2021-22 Wooden award and Naismith Trophy, and was the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2022). The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native set the Big Ten Tournament scoring record with 103 points in four games and was the second player in Division I history to amass at least 800 points, 60 blocks and 60 three-pointers in a season.

With 3rd pick in 2022 NBA draft, Rockets selected Jabari Smith Jr.

During last night’s 2022 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets selected forward Jabari Smith Jr. with the third overall pick and forward Tari Eason (TAR-ee) with the 17th overall pick.

Smith (6-10, 220) was an early entry candidate following his freshman season at Auburn. He averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks along with 2.3 3-pointers made on 42.9% shooting. Smith earned consensus second-team All-American honors and was named National Freshman of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).

Dating back to 1992-93, the 19-year-old joined Kevin Durant as the only freshmen to have averaged at least 16.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 2.0 3FGM while shooting 40.0% or better from behind-the-arc. Over that same span, Smith was one of four freshmen to have averaged at least 16.0 ppg, 7.0 ppg, 2.0 3FGM and 1.00 bpg. He hit at least one 3-pointer in each of the final 29 games of the season.

Last year, the Rockets selected NBA All-Rookie First Team member Jalen Green with the second overall pick. The last time Houston selected players in the top-three in consecutive drafts was in 1983 with Hakeem Olajuwon (No. 1) and in 1984 with Ralph Sampson (No. 1) and Rodney McCray (No. 3). Prior to tonight, the last time any team selected players in the top-three in consecutive drafts was when Boston, Philadelphia, and the Los Angeles Lakers all did so in 2016 and 2017.

Eason (6-8, 216) was an early entry candidate following his sophomore season with Louisiana State after beginning his collegiate career at Cincinnati. He averaged 16.9 points on 52.1% shooting for the Tigers, up from 7.3 ppg on 46.2% shooting as a freshman and became the first player in SEC history to be named Sixth Man of the Year while also earning All-SEC First Team honors. Over the final 17 games last season, Eason averaged 18.4 ppg while shooting 42.9% from 3-point range.

In 2021-22, Eason was one of four players to have averaged at least 16.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.50 spg and 1.00 bpg. He recorded multiple steals in 20 of his 33 games played and was one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.

With 2nd pick in 2022 NBA draft, Thunder selected Chet Holmgren

The Oklahoma City Thunder selected forward Chet Holmgren (second overall), guard Jalen Williams (12th overall) and forward Jaylin Williams (34th overall) in the 2022 NBA draft yesterday.

The Thunder also acquired the rights to forward Ousmane Dieng, the 11th overall pick, from the New York Knicks in exchange for three protected 2023 first-round draft picks.

Holmgren (7-0, 195) played one season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, appearing in 32 games (31 starts), averaging 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.66 blocks in 26.8 minutes per game. He was awarded the 2021-22 WCC Defensive Player of the Year, WCC Newcomer of the Year and was named to the 2021-22 All-America Second Team by AP and Sporting News.

Dieng (6-10, 216) [oose-mon jeng] spent the 2021-22 season with the New Zealand Breakers of the NBL, seeing action in 23 games (11 starts), averaging 8.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.8 minutes per game.

Jalen Williams (6-6, 195) spent three seasons at Santa Clara University, appearing in 33 games (all starts), averaging 18.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 34.8 minutes per game. He ranked second in the WCC in scoring and sixth in assists en route to being named to the All-WCC First Team.

Jaylin Williams (6-10, 240) played two seasons at the University of Arkansas, appearing in 37 games (35 starts), averaging 10.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.29 steals in 31.6 minutes per game in his sophomore season. He was named to the 2021-22 SEC All-Defensive Team and the All-SEC First Team by coaches.

Orlando Magic select Paolo Banchero with first pick in 2022 NBA Draft

With the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic selected forward Paolo Banchero.

Banchero (6’10”, 250, 11/12/02) played and started in all 39 games last season as a freshman at Duke University, averaging 17.2 ppg., 7.8 rpg., 3.2 apg. and 1.05 stlpg. in 33.0 minpg., while shooting .478 (245-513) from the floor. He led all true freshmen in the nation in scoring. Banchero led the Blue Devils in scoring and rebounding, while ranking second in minutes played. He also ranked fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rebounding and sixth in the conference in scoring.

Banchero was named Second Team All-America by the NABC and USBWA, while being a Third Team All-America selection by The Associated Press and The Sporting News. Among his many accolades, he was one of 15 finalists for the John R. Wooden Award, given to the nation’s most outstanding player, and one of five finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Banchero was named to the All-ACC First Team, the ACC All-Freshmen Team and was the ACC Freshman of the Year. He was also named to the ACC All-Tournament Team, the NCAA All-Tournament Team and the NCAA West Region’s Most Outstanding Player, leading Duke to the 2022 NCAA Final Four.

While at O’Dea High School in Seattle, WA, Banchero led the team to the Class 3A state championship as a sophomore (2018-19) and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. As a junior (2019-20), he was named Washington’s Gatorade Player of the Year, a MaxPreps Junior All-American and the MaxPreps National Junior Player of the Year. Despite his senior season being postponed due to the pandemic, Banchero was named a 2021 McDonald’s All-American, a Naismith First Team All-American and a Sports Illustrated All-American.

His name is correctly pronounced “pow-loh ban-CARE-oh.”

Welcome to the NBA, Paolo.

Magic trade 35th pick in 2022 NBA Draft to Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired the 35th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft from the Orlando Magic in exchange for a future second round pick and cash considerations.

Orlando will receive the better of either the Lakers or Washington’s second round pick (which is owed to Los Angeles) in 2028.

The 2022 NBA Draft will take place tonight at 5 p.m. PT from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Kings trade 49th pick in 2022 NBA Draft to Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired the 49th pick in tonight’s NBA Draft from the Sacramento Kings (from Chicago via Memphis) in exchange for cash considerations and the draft rights to Aleksandar Vezenkov, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts. The Cavaliers now have picks 14, 39, 49 and 56 in the draft.

Vezenkov (6-9, 225) was acquired on January 14, 2021 from the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team trade that brought Jarrett Allen to Cleveland. He was drafted 57th overall by Brooklyn in the 2017 NBA Draft.

The latest on Sacramento Kings NBA draft workouts

Here’s the Sacramento Bee with the latest on Kings draft workouts:

The Kings have been tightlipped about their preparation for the NBA draft over the past couple of weeks, but one of the players they are evaluating has revealed he is coming to Sacramento for a pre-draft workout.

Dyson Daniels, a projected top-10 pick in the June 23 draft, shared his itinerary Friday following a workout with the Indiana Pacers. Daniels told the Indianapolis Star’s James Boyd he will visit the Kings and Washington Wizards in the days to come after participating in previous workouts with the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and Pacers. A league source confirmed Daniels is expected to make a stop in Sacramento.

On the Trail Blazers and the 2022 NBA Draft

With the 2022 NBA draft mere weeks away, here’s NBA.com/blazers with some workout info:

Pre-draft workouts in Portland are back.

After not hosting draft-eligible players at the own practice facility over the last two years due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of picks, the Portland Trail Blazers welcomed Julian Champagnie of St. John’s, Dyson Daniels of the G-League Ignite). Darius Days of LSU, Mouhamed Gueye of Washington State, Fatts Russell of Maryland and Dallas Walton of Wake Forest in their first pre-draft workout of 2022 Tuesday morning in Tualatin.

In front of a collection of front office staff, coaches and players — including General Manager Joe Cronin, Vice Chair Bert Kolde, Head Coach Chauncey Billups and Damian Lillard — the six players went through a series of tests, drills and light scrimmages in an effort to prove they should be selected with one of Portland’s three picks at the 2022 NBA Draft. The Trail Blazers currently own the seventh, 36th and 57th picks.