by Ashley Bercasio | PTV Sports
The 2022 NBA Draft is done with Duke forward Paolo Banchero emerging as the top pick for this year’s class.
The Orlando Magic selected the 19-year-old Italian-American with the first overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft held at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York on Thursday (Friday, PH time).
Orlando shattered all draft expectations, zeroing in on the 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward over Auburn’s Jabari Smith and Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren.
It was only a few months when the Magic were removed from their Eastern conference with their season-worst showing.
Orlando went for the best offensive talent available. Banchero owns an inside-outside game, averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals in 39 games for the Blue Devils.
After the Magic’s selection, the Oklahoma City Thunder wasted no time picking up Holmgren as the second overall pick.
The 20-year-old 7-foot stretch forward averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks in his lone season with Gonzaga. He will now get the chance to showcase his impressive shot-blocking, perimeter defense, and unique skill set with the Thunder.
With Banchero and Holmgren already selected, the Houston Rockets went for Smith, this year’s projected top pick, with the third overall pick for the 2022 NBA Draft.
The 19-year-old forward missed the chance to become Auburn’s first no. 1 pick. However, he still made history, becoming the program’s highest-picked player.
With an intriguing combination of size, shooting and defensive versatility, Smith recorded 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks in 39 games for Auburn.
The 6-foot-10 Smith now joins the Rockets’ promising young core which already includes Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.
Meanwhile, the Sacramento King selected 6-foot-8 Iowa forward Keegan Murray with the 4th overall pick followed by the Detroit Pistons who took in Purdue guard Jaden Ivy at fifth.
The Indiana Pacers selected Arizona’s athletic guard Bennedict Mathurin as the 6th selection while the Portland Trail Blazers went for added scoring, drafting Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe 7th overall.
The New Orleans Pelicans used their eighth pick to draft G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels. The San Antonio Spurs selected Polish-American Jeremy Sochan with the 9th pick.
Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis closed out the top 10 as the Washington Wizards selected the 6-foot-5 guard. – ab –bny
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