The 2022 NBA draft is going to be the 76th edition of the NBA’s annual draft. It’s going to be taking place on June 23rd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
With the draft near, it’s time to start looking at the best guard prospects for this year’s draft class.
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RELATED: NBA Betting Sites
NBA Draft Odds | Odds For NBA Draft 2022 Number 1 Pick
The current odds for the number one overall pick is going to see Jabari Smith Jr from Auburn University as the favorite. Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero have odds that are similar to his, but after that, the odds fall dramatically.
NBA Prospects | NBA Draft Odds | BetOnline Free Play |
---|---|---|
Jabari Smith Jr | +100 | |
Chet Holmgren | +200 | |
Paolo Banchero | +290 | |
Jaden Ivey | +5000 | |
Johnny Davis | +15000 | |
Keegan Murray | +15000 | |
Shaedon Sharpe | +15000 | |
Ochai Agabji | +20000 | |
Bennedict Mathurin | +25000 | |
A.J. Griffin | +30000 |
RELATED: Is Banchero’s March Madness Enough To Make Him The No.1 Pick?
NBA Draft 2022 Prospects | Best Guard Prospects in NBA Draft 2022
#1 — Shaedon Sharpe – Kentucky
2022 College Basketball Stats: N/A
Projected NBA Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 4
After sitting out the season with the University of Kentucky as he transferred there midway through the season, Shaedon Sharpe is now projected to possibly be a top four-eight pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
He’s the former number one high school player in the country and is known for his incredible size. The 6ft 6″ shooting guard comes in at 200 lb and has elite-level athleticism. He has a quick first step and gets to the rim with ease and can finish easily through contact.
There are some questions about Sharpe and most of those are about his ball-handling and playmaking abilities. The other one is about his shooting as he isn’t necessarily as good of a shooter as most NBA guards are in today’s game. Obviously, at such a young age of just 18 years old, his shot and playmaking ability should catch up to him soon.
#2 — Jaden Ivey – Purdue
2022 College Basketball Stats: 17.3/4.9/3.1
Projected NBA Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 5
Although Jaden Ivey had a disappointing March Madness Tournament, many people still believe that he is going to be a top-five pick in the NBA draft, and rightfully so. He is listed at six-foot-four, but plays much bigger than his height says. He has an athletic body, the ability to shoot the three-point shot at a high level, and can also take any of the best defenders in college to the basket at will.
There is a strong argument to be made that he is the most athletic player in the entire draft and usually those types of guys perform well in the NBA. He is a pesky on-ball Defender who can defend at the highest of levels at the guard position, which is what every NBA team is looking for.
#3 — Jaden Hardy – G-League Ignite
2022 College Basketball Stats: 17.7/4.6/3.2
Projected NBA Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 10-19
Jaden Hardy didn’t play college basketball and instead decided to play with the G League Ignite. What he was able to do with the G League Ignite was nothing short of impressive and warrants him being a top 10 overall pick.
The Henderson Nevada native is going to be coming in at 6 foot 5″ and nearly 190 pounds. He has great size for a shooting guard and has above-average athleticism. Hardy can handle the ball at a high level and gets to his spots and knocks down jump shots.
He’s one of those guys who has the opportunity to be a legit scorer in the NBA as he averaged 17.7 points per game with the G League Ignite.
#4 — Dyson Daniels – G League Ignite
2022 College Basketball Stats: 11.9/7.4/5.1
Projected NBA Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 10-19
Dyson Daniels might be one of the more interesting prospects that this game has seen in quite some time. The reason for that is because he is a six-foot-eight guard, which is taller than the normal NBA guard.
He also played with the G League Ignite after coming over from Australia. Daniels averaged nearly 12 points per game, but shot only 33% from 3-point range.
He is more of a project at the moment as there are a few things that he is going to need to work on if he wants to stay at that guard position. He has to add some strength, needs to improve his shooting, and needs to start playing under control a bit more.
#5 — Bennedict Mathruin – Arizona
2022 College Basketball Stats: 17.7/5.6/2.5
Projected NBA Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 10-15
Bennedict Mathurin was probably the most entertaining college basketball player to watch in the entire country this season. He’s one of those guys who is almost like a Damian Lillard type of player in terms of hitting shots from anywhere on the court. Obviously, he isn’t the same type of player that Lillard is, although maybe he can be one day.
He finished the season averaging 17.7 points and did so while shooting nearly 37% from 3-point range and 45% from the field.
Mathurin should be drafted within the first 15 picks of the NBA draft.
RELATED: Was Paolo Banchero’s March Madness Enough To Make Him The No.1 Pick?
#6 — Johnny Davis – Wisconsin
2022 College Basketball Stats: 19.7/8.2/2.1
Projected NBA Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 11
Johnny Davis is one of those guys that has plenty of promise coming into the league, but still has a few things to work on. His three-point shooting took a hit this season as he finished at 30.6% from 3-point range, which was almost 9% lower than the season before.
He didn’t have a great March Madness showing as he shot 15.8% against Michigan State and 25% from Iowa State.
There are certainly a few things that he is going to have to work on, but the six-foot-five guard has shown promise on the defensive side of the ball and he can score the basketball at will when he is on his game.
Current draft boards have him going from anywhere between a top 10-11 overall pick.
#7 — Ochai Agbaji – Kansas
2022 College Basketball Stats: 18.8/5.1/1.6
Projected NBA Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 10-15
It’s somewhat interesting at the moment why Ochai Agbaji isn’t getting the type of respect that he deserves. Although most draft boards have him getting drafted anywhere from pick 10 to 15, he might be getting underlooked here.
He finished his senior year with Kansas scoring 18.8 points per game and shooting over 40% from three-point range and 47% from the field. He has elite size for the guard position and should form into a legit NBA player.
#8 — Malaki Branham – Ohio State
2022 College Basketball Stats: 13.7/3.6/2
Projected NBA Draft Position: Late First Round
Malaki Branham is only going to spend one year at Ohio State University after finishing his freshman season averaging 13.7 points per game and shooting nearly 50% from the field and 41.6% from 3-point range.
There are some questions about his shot-taking decisions and defensive abilities, but he’s an elite shooter that can score off the dribble.
It would be likely that he is going to be picked somewhere within the 20-30 range, although he could go higher, or even possibly in the second round.
#9 — Ty Ty Washington – Kentucky
2022 College Basketball Stats: 12.5/3.5/3.9
Projected NBA Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 5-10
Ty Ty Washington is an interesting prospect. Some draft boards have him going in the top 10 overall, while others have him in the top five. He didn’t necessarily have a great year with the University of Kentucky as he finished averaging 12.5 points per game and only shot 35% from three-point range.
He’s currently listed at six-foot-three but plays much smaller than the size says.
His ability to get to the basket and run an up-tempo offense is going to be the thing that the scouts are looking at it. Washington has some of the best handles in the draft class and does a great job of blowing past his guy and getting into the lane to either score or pass out for an assist.
#10 — Kennedy Chandler – Tennessee
2022 College Basketball Stats: 13.8/3.2/4.6
Projected NBA Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 20-25
Kennedy Chandler is going to be entering the NBA draft after just one season at the University of Tennessee. Chandler had a great freshman year as he averaged nearly 14 points per game and shot 38.3% from 3-point range and 46.4% from the field.
Some draft boards have him going within the top-20 overall picks, while others see him falling to the second round.
He’s one of the top athletes in all of the draft. Despite his size, he’s strong and can play above the rim better than anybody in the entire country. Chandler plays the game at a fast pace and has great decision-making, which should help him at the NBA level
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