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The NBA draft is December 15, 2021.
Lance King is a photographer.
Changes are being made to the NBA scouts' draft boards.
Two prospects were initially included in the No. 1 conversation. There are three now. A number of sophomores have made a big impression and jumped into the top 10.
There are some big storylines to watch.
The Pistons are in the running to win the lottery.
The news that Zion Williams will miss time will give the New Orleans Pelicans another chance at a top pick.
The Memphis and Oklahoma City teams are looking at three picks.
As of mid-December, we have an updated look at how the draft might shake out.
Young Kwak is a reporter.
It's becoming more and more likely that the Detroit Pistons will win the draft lottery again.
The preseason favorites of the three bigs are now being talked about, with auburn's Jabari Smith gaining steam. We're still giving the edge to him, as Detroit and others may see too much upside and two-way impact tied to his scoring and defensive tools.
He is shooting a ridiculous 78.6 percent on two-point attempts and 91.2 percent on three-point makes. He adds value as a passer and a fast-break initiator by using his special finishing tools.
In only 253 minutes, Holmgren has 38 blocks, while Smith and Banchero have 10 blocks each.
The Associated Press
The Magic will be drawn to Paolo Banchero's creation for their frontcourt, even though the draft case of Jabari Smith has gotten stronger.
The bigger threat to get his own shot is Banchero, who doesn't have Smith's shooting stroke. He has generated at least 20 points off post-ups, spot-ups, cuts and transition.
While he has taken a promising step forward, he doesn't offer the same level of scoring versatility or offensive upside as Banchero. Bigs in the 250-pound range don't usually shoot off the dribble and make nine threes in eight games, but the Duke freshman has done that in eight games and is shooting 84.3% from the line.
The father of Hakim Wright Sr./ Associated Press.
It looks like the lowest Jabari Smith will go. After his fifth 20-point game of the season on Saturday, scouts are starting to wonder if he's a legitimate No. 1 overall candidate.
The forward is now shooting 44.7% on 5.2 three-point attempts per game and 84.6% from the charity stripe. He would give the New Orleans Pelicans' frontcourt a lot of confidence if he were a 19-year-old NBA player.
Smith's ball-handling and shot-making abilities suggest he has more potential and scoring upside.
Smith is an easy NBA fit because of his elite shooting, strong passing IQ and defensive mobility.
Michael Conroy is a reporter.
The improved shooting, playmaking and open-floor play has Jaden Ivey in the top five discussion.
The most translatable strength of Ivey is his explosives. He's using it more effectively this season, ranking among the top 10 nationwide in transition points per game.
He's shooting 39.1% on 3.6 three-point attempts per game and 3.4 assists.
The Oklahoma City Thunder should see a guard or wing who can apply pressure with his attacking and defense, but his jump in skill level as a ball-handler and shot-maker is what fuels the optimism over his development and upside.
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Duren's pitch is mostly about his defensive projection.
He's blocking 3.0 shots in only 24.0 minutes per game, and he's 6'11" and 250 pounds with a 7'5" wingspan. Duren reaches points high above the cylinder to make plays on the ball, while his strong paint presence helps change opponents' shots below the rim.
Duren still has value as a finishing target and putback machine despite his lagging offensive skill level.
He's one of the draft's youngest prospects, turning 19 next November, and he'll see translatable rim protection and easy baskets. Duren's age and flashes of post play and passing should make him an offensive player.
Rick Scuteri is a reporter.
The San Antonio Spurs have a history of drafting wings, and they could look to add another one with Bennedict Mathurin.
He's averaged 27.7 points over Arizona's last three games, shooting and playing well. The NCAA's only player with at least 20 threes and 15 dunks, Mathurin offers an efficient scoring package plus the defensive tools to guard either wing position.
The Spurs may want to trade up for one of the top-four bigs in Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith, or Jalen Duren. After scoring 30 points against Illinois, he's starting to look like a projectable wing prospect.
The person is Emil Lippe.
Despite being a limited creator and shooter for a wing, Kendall Brown has flashed outlier potential with impact athletic ability and defensive activity.
The 18-year-old has the highest box plus-minus on the team.
Brown is playing only 23.6 minutes per game with a 19.7% usage rate and is within the top 20 in dunks with 17 in nine games. He's shooting 68.6 percent from the floor and is graded in the 90th percentile or better in transition, spot-ups and cuts.
Brown has the potential to build on the flashes of open shot-making and passing, as well as drawing lottery interest for his easy-basket explosiveness.
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Unless Johnny Davis hits a wall that makes his hot start appear fluchy, he appears headed toward the 2022 lottery based on his early production, improved skill level and NBA tools.
In the last seven games, Davis has scored at least 20 points. He has flashed a lot of speed, driving right and left, and he's become one of the nation's most prolific pull-up shooters, having already hit 21 jumpers off the dribble at a 44.7% clip.
He's become dramatically sharper in creation situations because he was graded in the 91st percentile as a pick-and-roll handler. NBA teams could think of Davis as an interchangeable, two-way wing because of his strong build, defensive IQ and competitive edge.
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Jaden has shown off his three-level scoring package despite not hitting shots at an efficient rate.
His high school track record shows that his threes will start falling more frequently. A pro shot-maker off the catch and dribble, Hardy has deep range and the ability to hit pull-ups. He's 19-of-19 from the free-throw line.
Some teams may hesitate with a top-five pick because of his trouble finishing in traffic. He deserves a semi-pass playing against first-rounders and pros.
The numbers from last year with the Ignite are similar to those of Hardy.
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Washington has been one of the more versatile freshman shot-makers, having hit 45.5% of his catch-and-shoot chances, 39.4% of dribble jumpers and 58.6% of his floaters.
He's shown enough playmaking IQ to be seen as a lead ball-handler by NBA teams.
Washington has remained consistent despite playing in a veteran lineup with a ball-dominator. Washington has three-level scoring skills and playmaking ability at 6'3" and 197 pounds, which could make him the next Kentucky guard worth betting on to shine in the NBA.
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11. The Minnesota Timberwolves have a freshman named JD Davison.
Since the preseason, he's shown more playmaking than most scouts expected, and he's adding value to Alabama's rotation by creating for others. He's always made plays above the rim despite being 6'3", and he's always been his signature trait.
12. Patrick Baldwin Jr. is a freshman for the Atlanta Hawks.
Baldwin has struggled against stiff competition, but there is evidence of his special shot-making ability. Even if he struggles to create in the half court, there is still plenty of value in his shooting and ball-handling.
13. The Toronto Raptors had Jean Montero.
Overtime's top prospect has looked like his shiftiness off the dribble, shootingVersatility and playmaking. It's easy to see how his creation, shot-making and passing translate to offense in the NBA.
14. The Boston Celtics have a player named Keegan Murray.
Murray is one of the most productive players in the country, with an average of 22.2 points, 7.9 boards, 2.2 blocks and 1.6 steals. The 6'8" forward is versatile. He's improved his shooting, but NBA teams will still find him most useful as a transition weapon and off-ball contributor who crashes the glass, cuts and adds defensive activity.
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15. Charlotte Hornets: Kennedy Chandler.
Concerns about size may cause teams to pass on the 6'2” Chandler, but he's too quick, skilled and competitive to ignore outside of the lottery. He grades in the 94th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball-handler for Tennessee, while shooting 37.1 percent from three. Despite his limitations, he's converting 59.5% of his shots around the rim while causing problems on defense with 2.0 steals per game.
16. The Dallas Mavericks have a player named Nikola Jovic.
Jovic has made 14 of his last 33 three-point attempts. If this shooting streak is a sign of real development, his perimeter skills could push him into the top-20.
17. The Denver Nuggets have Ochai Agbaji.
Some team will likely see an NBA ready contributor in Agbaji. He leads college basketball in points per game in transition. Even if he doesn't offer much creativity, a playoff team could see him as a useful three-and-D player.
18. The Washington Wizards have a player named Wendell Moore Jr.
Moore's third season looked comfortable, but he's still the age of most sophomores, and he's developed covetedVersatility for a wing. He's become Duke's most effective facilitator with a 6'5", 216-pound size for slashing, finishing 72.0 percent at the rim and defending with 2.0 steals per game. His shooting has improved, but he made eight of his first 19 pull-ups feel promising.
19. The Philadelphia 76ers have a freshman named Caleb Houstan.
Houstan should be a first-round pick because of his shot-making alone and his size, which is 6'8". His shot, IQ and tools for an 18-year-old form an NBA foundation, despite his limited creation skills.
20. The Lakers have aviated the Memphis Grizzlies.
An out-of-the-box prospect, 6'8", 230-pound, is a ball-handler and off-ball wing. The freshman's combination of passing, shooting potential, and strength for defense is unique, even though he isn't the fastest or most exciting. His fit is easy and his potential is great.
Rick Scuteri is a reporter.
21. Mark Williams is a sophomore at Duke.
Williams' rim-protection numbers and 7'7" wingspan will help teams deal with his lack of modern skills. His 15.9 block percentage and 16.4 offensive rebound percentage are not comparable to first-round prospects, but his wheels in transition and hands around the rim suggest he will continue to rack up easy baskets.
22. The Oklahoma City Thunder are a part of the Clippers.
This year at Duke, teams that have done their homework may be willing to forget. He's fallen out of the Blue Devil's loaded rotation, but between his time with USA basketball, his play at the Iverson Roundball Classic and the brief flashes of shot-making last month, one team will likely take a flier on him.
23. The Cleveland Cavaliers have a freshman named Bryce McGowens.
Despite shooting only 20.4 percent from three, McGowens is scoring 16.2 points. His high school tape, stroke and 84.1 percent free-throw mark on 6.3 attempts per game make him look like a more believable NBA wing scorer.
24. The Memphis Grizzles have a freshman namedTrevor Keels.
Keels has shown flashes of shooting, passing and defensive strength, and has quickly entered the first-round discussion. His athletic limitations for two-point scoring will make scouts watch his three-point percentage.
25. Dyson Daniels was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Daniels had his best game in the G League on Monday, finishing with 23 points, nine boards, six assists and four steals against the Salt Lake City Stars. He's still a scoring threat with his downhill attacking into touch shots and body-controlled finishes, but he needs to improve his three-point shooting and ball-handling.
26. Michael Foster Jr. is from the Chicago Bulls.
Foster has stood out for his mix of strength and skill. He isn't a deep threat yet, but scouts could buy his power and touch to work as a post scorer, roll man and offensive rebounder.
27. Christian Koloko is a freshman at the University of Arizona.
During his first season as a defensive difference-maker, Koloko has blocked 3.3 shots in only 23.3 minutes per game while holding his men to 2-of-21 on jump-shot attempts. NBA teams will value his finishing, rim running, rim protection and defensiveVersatility, but he's also improved in the post.
28. The Memphis Grizzles have a junior player named Terrence Shannon Jr.
Shannon returned to Texas Tech needing to improve his shooting and creation, and so far, he's made 11 threes in five games, scoring at least 15 points in each. His identity is still centered around his ability to slash and defense, but he should get more NBA interest in the future as he becomes a more credible shot-maker and ball-handler.
29. The Oklahoma City Thunder is named after Hugo Besson.
Besson has already hit the 25-point mark twice. NBA teams could picture a shot-making specialist who can shoot off the dribble or movement with confidence and strong shot preparation, even though he's undersized for an NBA scoring 2-guard at 6'3".
30. The Golden State Warriors have a Colorado player.
Walker has struggled from behind the 3-point line, but he's still productive by scoring in the post and crashing the glass. His NBA upside is most evident when he's knocking down threes, pulling up into shorter jumpers and handling the ball in the open floor.
The data is courtesy of Synergy Sports and Sports Reference.
