Prospect Watch: How Good is the NBA Draft Class of 2022?
Plus our Rookie, Sophomore and Draft Prospect of the Week
During the NBA, college and international seasons, my Tuesday newsletter will focus on NBA rookies and sophomores as well as prospects for the 2022 NBA Draft, especially those who have helped or hurt their stock in the past week.
My reports will be based on my own observations as well as information I receive from NBA scouts, executives and agents.
How Good is the 2022 Draft Class?
The 2021 draft class looks historic.
Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes play like potential superstars and future MVP candidates.
Cade Cunningham and Franz Wagner ooze All-Star potential.
Josh Giddey (see below) just became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.
Jonathan Kuminga, Alperen Şengün and Joshua Primo flash major potential in limited minutes.
Older prospects Chris Duarte, Davion Mitchell and Corey Kispert play important roles for their teams. Second-round pick Herbert Jones and undrafted Austin Reaves have shone, and they’re not the only unheralded prospects to make their mark already in the season’s first half.
And while Jalen Green (who has been better since returning from injury), Jalen Suggs (who’s currently out with injury) and James Bouknight (who gets limited minutes for the Hornets) have yet to break through, no one is counting them out at this early stage.
You get a class like 2021 maybe once a decade.
Which brings us to the 2022 class, which has NBA scouts and GMs grumbling.