We are back with the first entry into the 2022 draft class! While we are still about a month away from the first mock draft for the entirety of the first round, it is time to check in on the current lottery big board to get a head start.
From here until the draft lottery, there will be a monthly Mock Draft to look forward to here on HoopsHabit. In the first big board of the 2022 draft class, where does the lottery currently stand in terms of overall talent? Who are the fastest risers of the class?
NBA Mock Draft: 2022 NBA Draft Lottery Big Board – 1. Paolo Banchero
So far this season, Paolo Banchero has made the competition almost moot. Through eight games, the Duke forward is averaging 17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, while making the game look easy. Against the number one team in the country (and fellow top prospect Chet Holmgren), Banchero led all scorers with 21 points on the way to the upset.
Banchero is currently dealing with cramping issues due to being too heavy of a sweater. Despite the weirdness that that sentence was, there should be no hesitation in taking him number one overall based on what we have seen so far.
NBA Mock Draft: 2022 NBA Draft Lottery Big Board – 2. Jalen Duren
If you are looking for a more traditional big man, Jalen Duren is the answer for you. Averaging a robust 3.6 blocks per game through seven games, Duren is such a problem for incoming defenders to deal with.
He is the type of defensive anchor that teams can be built around, though he may take more time than most to be developed given the style of play at Memphis. He even has potential as a lob threat, something teams like the Detroit Pistons, who may end up at the top of the draft, sorely need.