The 2022 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 23, and a total of 283 players have filed as early entry candidates. The list includes 247 collegiate players and 36 international candidates. According to the league’s draft rules, players had until April 24 to file as early entry prospects. Other NBA draft coverage and betting content is on the main page.
For a reminder, early entry players have until 5 p.m. ET on Monday, June 13 to withdraw their names in writing from the draft. Furthermore, the NBA draft combine is taking place from May 16th to the 22nd in Chicago, Illinois. Likewise, the draft lottery is scheduled for May 17.
Top prospects include Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr., Paolo Banchero from Duke and Chet Holmgren from Gonzaga. All three players are towering freshmen. Of course, Banchero was the projected number one overall pick in 2021. However, oddsmakers and multiple NBA mock drafts now have Smith Jr. at No. 1.
The NBA early entry list below is shortened. To read the full list, head on over to NBA.com.
2022 NBA Draft Early Entry List (Shortened)
| Player | College | Status | Height |
| Max Abmas | Oral Roberts | 6-1 | Junior |
| Efe Abogidi | Washington State | 6-10 | Sophomore |
| Jalen Adaway | St. Bonaventure | 6-5 | Senior |
| Ochai Agbaji | Kansas | 6-5 | Senior |
| Fardaws Aimaq | Utah Valley | 6-11 | Junior |
| James Akinjo | Baylor | 6-1 | Senior |
| Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu | UT Arlington | 6-9 | Junior |
| Emmanuel Akot | Boise State | 6-8 | Senior |
| Theo Akwuba | Louisiana | 6-11 | Senior |
| Teddy Allen | New Mexico State | 6-6 | Senior |
| Tez Allen | Southern Oregon | 6-5 | Senior |
| Keve Aluma | Virginia Tech | 6-9 | Senior |
| Avery Anderson III | Oklahoma State | 6-3 | Junior |
| Eric Ayala | Maryland | 6-5 | Senior |
| Marcus Azor | UMass Dartmouth | 6-2 | Senior |
| David Azore | UT Arlington | 6-4 | Senior |
| Patrick Baldwin Jr. | Milwaukee | 6-9 | Freshman |
| Paolo Banchero | Duke | 6-10 | Freshman |
| Emmanuel Bandoumel | SMU | 6-4 | Senior |
| Evan Battey | Colorado | 6-8 | Senior |
| Khalif Battle | Temple | 6-5 | Junior |
| Damion Baugh | TCU | 6-4 | Junior |
| Justin Bean | Utah State | 6-7 | Senior |
| Jules Bernard | UCLA | 6-6 | Senior |
| Jamal Bieniemy | UTEP | 6-5 | Senior |
| Marcus Bingham Jr. | Michigan State | 6-11 | Senior |
| James Bishop | George Washington | 6-2 | Junior |
| Henry Blair Jr. | Bob Jones (SC) | 6-3 | Junior |
| Buddy Boeheim | Syracuse | 6-6 | Senior |
| Rasir Bolton | Gonzaga | 6-3 | Senior |
| Mike Bothwell | Furman | 6-3 | Senior |
| Souley Boum | UTEP | 6-3 | Senior |
| Luka Brajkovic | Davidson | 6-10 | Senior |
| Malaki Branham | Ohio State | 6-5 | Freshman |
| Christian Braun | Kansas | 6-6 | Junior |
| Izaiah Brockington | Iowa State | 6-4 | Senior |
| Keion Brooks Jr. | Kentucky | 6-7 | Junior |
| Johni Broome | Morehead State | 6-10 | Sophomore |
| Gabe Brown | Michigan State | 6-7 | Senior |
| Jordan Brown | Louisiana | 6-11 | Junior |
| Kendall Brown | Baylor | 6-8 | Freshman |
| Tevin Brown | Murray State | 6-5 | Senior |
| Tyler Burton | Richmond | 6-7 | Junior |
| John Butler Jr. | Florida State | 7-1 | Freshman |
| Jared Bynum | Providence | 5-10 | Junior |
| Maurice Calloo | Oregon State | 6-10 | Senior |
| Toumani Camara | Dayton | 6-8 | Junior |
| Dylan Cardwell | Auburn | 6-11 | Sophomore |
| Donald Carey | Georgetown | 6-5 | Senior |
| Sincere Carry | Kent State | 6-1 | Junior |
| Xavier Castaneda | Akron | 6-1 | Senior |
| Julian Champagnie | St. John’s | 6-8 | Junior |
| Kennedy Chandler | Tennessee | 6-0 | Freshman |
| Max Christie | Michigan State | 6-6 | Freshman |
| Kofi Cockburn | Illinois | 7-0 | Junior |
| R.J. Cole | Connecticut | 6-1 | Senior |
| Vince Cole | Coastal Carolina | 6-6 | Senior |
| Yuri Collins | St. Louis | 6-0 | Junior |
| George Conditt IV | Iowa State | 6-10 | Senior |
Moreover, other candidates on the full list includes Jaden Ivey from Purdue, Arizona’s Christian Koloko and Bennedict Mathurin, and Scotty Pippen Jr. from Vanderbilt. Ivey is a 6-4, 200 lb. guard. In a total of 36 games played during the 2021-22 NCAA season, he averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. The guard was selected first-team All-Big Ten in 2022.
Meanwhile, Pippen Jr. is a 6-3, 185 lb. guard. He was selected first-team All-SEC in 2021 and 2022. Needless to say, he is the son of retired legend and six-time NBA champion Scotty Pippen. During Vanderbilt’s 2021-22 season, Pippen Jr. averaged 20.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He led his conference in scoring this past season. Also, with a total of 70 steals, the guard ranked third overall in the SEC.
Jabari Smith Jr. has the best odds of obtaining the first overall selection
Based on the available BetMGM odds, Jabari Smith Jr. is the top favorite. The guard possesses (-105) odds of being taken first overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. Chet Holmgren has the next best odds (+155), followed by Paolo Banchero (+300), Jaden Ivey (25-to-1) and Keegan Murray (80-to-1).
As for DraftKings Sportsbook, Smith Jr. has (+100) odds of receiving a first overall selection. The sportsbook shows Holmgren in second place (+140). Then, Banchero has the third-best odds (+350) on the list. No matter which way someone slices it, the first overall pick in 2022 will be either Smith Jr., Holmgren or Banchero.
NBA Betting Offers | 2022 NBA Draft Betting
