2022 NBA Mock Draft: Orlando takes Jabari Smith at No. 1, but Chet Holmgren has highest upside

Smith still needs to develop in lots of ways but is already a great shooter and switchable defender who plays with undeniable energy. He’s not the guy I’d take first in this draft — but it’s a sensible pick for an Orlando franchise that needs to add talent and shooting.

The concerns about Holmgren’s slight frame are legitimate — but he’s such a unique prospect with incredible potential that Oklahoma City should be uncomfortable passing on this 7-foot rim-protector who can also bounce it like a guard and reliably make 3-pointers. He has the highest ceiling in this draft and, for that reason, should go no lower than here.

Banchero is probably the safest option at the top of this draft on account of his floor being so high. He’s a big, strong and skilled forward who could be an incredible building block in Houston alongside Jalen Green.

Ivey is an explosive athlete who plays big and is capable of attacking the rim in a variety of ways. There are questions about whether he’s actually going to be a point guard in the NBA, but that shouldn’t matter much to a Sacramento franchise that should simply prioritize the best prospect available.

Murray is a switchable big who can guard in space and consistently make shots from the perimeter. What he does, at his size, is perfectly suited for the modern NBA and would fit well with a Detroit franchise trying to return to respectability with Cade Cunningham as the centerpiece.

Mathurin was the star of Arizona’s team that won the Pac-12 and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The 6-6 wing is an impressive athlete and above-average shooter who would be a nice addition for an Indiana franchise pivoting to a rebuild.

Daniels isn’t quite the prospect previous Ignite stars have been but is still a fascinating guard with size who can play with or without the ball. His jumper, at this point, is the biggest area of concern but shouldn’t prevent him from going in the top 10.

Even though he enrolled in January and was eligible to compete, Sharpe never played at Kentucky in part because the people around him wanted to protect his status as a projected top-10 pick. Mission accomplished. it’s hard to imagine the explosive athlete going much lower than this considering he’s a gifted scorer with the physical tools to be a disruptive defender on the wing in New Orleans.

Duren isn’t really the type of floor-spacing big franchises prefer these days, but he’s such a physical specimen and great athlete that there’s probably a place for him in the top 10 of this draft. At worst, he should be a terrific rim-running and rim-protecting center who alters shots, dunks everything and is good enough guarding in space.

I’m higher on Agbaji than most simply because I don’t understand what’s not to like about a 6-5 athlete who is a plus-defender on the wing and excellent 3-point shooter. Once you get past the top-tier prospects in this draft, the Kansas All-American makes as much sense as anybody and would provide Bradley Beal with a new teammate equipped to help from Day One.

Davis went from a mostly anonymous power-conference player to a candidate for national player of the year in his sophomore season at Wisconsin. An ankle injury limited him down the stretch, but he showed enough as a shot creator and scorer before that to justify his status as a projected lottery pick.

Dieng is a long and skilled prospect who still needs to develop but is worth a serious look this deep in the lottery. He might not contribute immediately but definitely projects as an interesting long-term investment for an Oklahoma City franchise loading up on them.

Sochan is the rare sub-100 high school recruit who should be a one-and-done top-20 pick. His ability to guard multiple positions, and his potential as a shooter, are among the reasons he’s a tantalizing prospect and one of the most versatile players available in this draft.

It took Griffin a little while to get comfortable at Duke because of a preseason knee injury that seemed to affect his athleticism. But the five-star high school recruit, who is the son of NBA assistant coach Adrian Griffin, eventually showed glimpses of why he’s a lottery talent, mostly by proving to be a fantastic 3-point shooter who made 44.7% of his 4.1 attempts from beyond the arc per game.

Williams, like fellow projected lottery pick Duren, is more of a traditional big than a modern big. But any franchise in need of a rim-protector and lob-catcher — like Charlotte, obviously — would have to consider him at this point in the draft.

Branham is a shooting guard with good size and great length who really flourished in the second half of the season. The one-and-done standout became the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year and would fit nicely beside Trae Young in Atlanta.

Williams probably helped himself more in the pre-draft process than any other prospect available. He’s a 6-6 wing who shot 39.6% from 3-point range for a Santa Clara team that finished third in the West Coast Conference.

Kessler was arguably the best defensive player in college basketball this past season while averaging 4.6 blocks per game for an Auburn team that spent part of the season ranked No. 1. He’s an incredible rim-protector with the potential to also develop into a comfortable perimeter shooter.

Washington mostly played off the ball in his one season at Kentucky but projects as a lead guard in the NBA. Ankle injuries limited him in the second half of the season — but the one-and-done Wildcat showed enough before he was hampered to solidify his status as a top-20 pick.

Eason was a breakout star at LSU after transferring following a so-so first season at Cincinnati. He’s a versatile frontcourt option who can guard multiple positions and punish defenses in transition opportunities.

Adding a young athlete to the backcourt wouldn’t be the worst idea for a Denver franchise that needs to provide two-time MVP Nikola Jokic with more help. Wesley didn’t finish his one season at Notre Dame with consistently good performances but his upside is such that he’s worth a selection somewhere in the 20s.

The possibility of Tyus Jones leaving via free agency might have Memphis in the market for a point guard. At this point in the draft, the best option would be Chandler — the Memphis-raised product who has won at every level and already possesses a close relationship with Grizzlies’ star Ja Morant.

Terry wasn’t overwhelmingly productive in his two seasons at Arizona — but he showed enough, as a guard with great size, to place himself on NBA radars. He needs to develop in a lot of ways but would be an interesting fit for a Philadelphia franchise trying to win big in Joel Embiid’s prime.

Liddell is the type of player who could help Milwaukee’s core — a core highlighted, of course, by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo — theoretically compete for another title next season. He’s undersized but effective and ready to contribute.

Hardy didn’t do much over the past year to help his draft stock — but he’s still a first-round talent capable of developing into a special scorer. Being drafted by a strong-cultured franchise like San Antonio would probably be the best thing for the trajectory of his career.

Beauchamp is a 6-6 wing with a 6-11 wingspan who should be the third player from the G-League Ignite taken in the first round of this draft. The fact that he shot poorly from 3-point range this season is a concern, but he does enough other things that impact winning to merit a guaranteed contract.

Moore developed well in his three years at Duke and ultimately established himself as a high-level wing who can guard multiple positions and reliably make 3-pointers. He’s the type of prospect Miami (and most well-run franchises) value.

Braun is a wing with size who can guard his position, reliably make jumpers and finish in transition. He’s the type of prospect who could flourish with a Golden State franchise that has created a championship culture built to last.

Houstan declined an invitation to the NBA Combine, at which point speculation grew that he might have a first-round promise. His lone season at Michigan was largely underwhelming — but he’s still a talented wing with size in possession of an encouraging jumper, which automatically makes him a legitimate first-round option.

Keels struggled as a shooter at Duke but has showed signs previously that suggest it might not be the weakness some believe. Either way, he’s a super-strong combo guard who could work well in a Denver backcourt that might soon be without Monte Morris.