2022 NBA Mock Draft: Magic can’t pass on Chet Holmgren’s skills and size after winning No. 1 pick in lottery

Jabari Smith may end up going No. 1, not Holmgren, but I have a hard time right now believing this Magic front office — the same one that was instrumental in drafting Giannis for Milwaukee and has infamously been obsessed with wingspan — would pass on First Team All-Wingspan in Holmgren. He’s a 7-footer with a reported 7-foot-6 wingspan capable of developing into one of the draft’s best defenders. Hard to pass up.

OKC is probably going frontcourt here, which likely leaves the choices between Jabari Smith or Paolo Banchero if Orlando goes with Holmgren. Smith is an elite shooting prospect for his size and a versatile defender to boot, the exact type of prospect who’d fit next to an already-set backcourt of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.

Houston grabs a future star to add to its frontcourt to pair with 2021 No. 2 pick Jalen Green, one of the most electric young guard prospects in the NBA. Banchero was an All-American in his lone season at Duke whose playmaking and overall polish on offense at 6-foot-10 can add another exciting dynamic to this young Rockets core.

Sacramento will be arguably where the draft may turn on its head. Anyone is in play here, I’d think, but if they’re just taking best available talent, Jaden Ivey should get the nod as a promising potential future lead guard with elite athletic ability. But do they go guard with a lottery pick for the third consecutive year? Shaedon Sharpe, AJ Griffin and even Keegan Murray should all be in play here as well.

Sharpe didn’t play in his half-season stint with Kentucky, but it might not matter. He’s one of the draft’s most explosive athletes whose shot making and creation could pair beautifully next to Cade Cunningham.

Murray set a Big Ten Tournament record with 103 points in leading the Hawkeyes to four wins in four days and capturing the league’s crown. He’s a scoring threat from anywhere on the court. And coupled with his defensive smarts, he projects as one of the prospects most readily available to be a difference-maker for an NBA team.

Portland’s gotta be thinking guard after dealing CJ McCollum and as Dame Lillard ages into his 30s. TyTy Washington is a smooth combo guard who primarily played off the ball at Kentucky but is sneakily one of the more polished passers in this draft.

After starting the season injured, Duke slowly worked Griffin into the mix where he eventually was able to showcase his clear top-10 ability. A big wing who was nearly a 50% 3-point shooter, Griffin is already an NBA-ready scorer who just needs to fine tune his defense and be more consistent to potentially be the steal of the draft.

The raw stats don’t do justice to the impact Sochan made at Baylor and can potentially make in the NBA. He’s a combo forward who can defend multiple positions, plays wing, power forward and center, and has playmaking ability to boot. Baylor at times even ran its offense through him! His versatility has him as a likely lottery pick months after not even being considered a definite one-and-doner.

A year ago, Agbaji tested the draft waters and ultimately came back to school in a quest to improve his stock. And, well, mission accomplished. As a senior with KU this season he shot above 40% from 3-point range, embraced his role as the team’s alpha scorer and — oh, by the way — led the Jayhawks to a national title. His NBA-ready body, defensive intensity and outside shooting scream NBA role player.

New York was 10th in its conference in 3-point shooting percentage this season, so Mathurin’s an obvious gap-filler here in a great range. He shot 37% from the 3-point line as a sophomore with Arizona this season and has a quick, easily-projectable outside shot that will make him a valuable role-player for years to come.

Dieng is quickly rising up draft boards after a strong close to the NBL season with the New Zealand Breakers, the team that once produced LaMelo Ball. He’s a combo forward with guard skills. If his outside shot starts falling with regularity he could develop into a borderline star on the wing.

Charlotte has waited patiently in addressing the center spot in recent drafts, but here, they grab a high-flying star in Duren who can defend the rim, run the floor and score it efficiently inside the arc. His lob-finishing ability makes him a perfect fit next to LaMelo Ball.

This would be a bigger slip than expected for Davis, one of college basketball’s true breakout stars this past season. He’s arguably the most polished prospect from the guard spot whose three-level scoring and defensive versatility could easily thrust him into a big role upon arrival in the NBA.

Eason, a big combo forward who can space the floor as a shooter, open up the offense as a straight-line driver and really impact the game on defense as a do-it-all weapon is a tricky one to pin down here. He’s raw and his offense isn’t quite NBA-ready but the physical tools and defense alone could get him into the teens of this draft on potential.

Potential insurance for Clint Capela down the road for Atlanta. Williams fits a similar mold as a more modern big who doesn’t space the floor, and while his leaping ability is nowhere close to that of Capela’s, he brings big value as a rebounder and rim-protector.

Daniels has a chance to be the first G League Ignite talent taken in this year’s NBA Draft after a strong one-and-done season with the program where he showcased himself as a do-it-all guard. Teams should find his ability to put the ball on the floor and create most impressive, and his defensive intensity and rebounding stick out to me on tape. Still some rough edges but has the skill, feel and frame to be a safe pick, especially in this range.

After recently watching more film of Montero from the Overtime Elite league this season, it’s clear Montero has realistic lottery talent. He’s a quick athlete who plays lead guard with pizazz and has playmaking skills as both a creator and shooter. I really like how he can attack the rim, and think his offense can translate to the NBA.

Hardy’s stock slipped a bit this season with the G League Ignite — he was inefficient and his decision-making left something to be desired on the court — but you have to love his overall production. He’s a gifted scorer who is only 19 years old and has plenty of room to grow and develop. Still like his talent as a definite first-rounder.

The oldest of the G League Ignite blue-chip talents, Beauchamp this season at 20 years old rode a strong season into first-round territory. Great size, very athletic, just needs to improve the shot to be a real producer. San Antonio’s developmental track record would make this a strong marriage.

We never got the full-blown freshman breakout from Brown in the same way we did from teammate Jeremy Sochan, but Brown’s absolutely going to be in the mix as a potential lottery pick this summer. Has a big frame, defends the wing like crazy and can stretch the floor as a shooter as well.

Ohio State turned to Branham as one of its go-to options down the stretch run of the season, and he responded by averaging 17.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in the second half of the year. He’s a big wing who can torch the net and scores it at a really high level, and now that he’s committed to staying in the draft, should be in the mix as a potential lottery pick.

Liddell doesn’t quite fit into a traditional bucket as a prospect — he’s a tad undersized for a big — but it’s hard to ignore his production. He’s a gifted scorer who finds ways to produce and he ranked among the top five of all Big Ten players in blocks and scoring. His improved outside shot and rebounding tenacity should help him stick in the league.

Chandler is the smallest of any prospect in the Top 60 of our rankings, so that stands out as a potential concern projecting him into the NBA. But if anyone can overcome that, it’s him. Chandler’s a lightning-quick talent who can blow by defenders and knows how to masterfully manipulate defenses with the rock in his hands.

A long wing with raw potential, Ingram may have played his way into going one-and-done despite a lackluster finish to his freshman season at Stanford. He flashed some real potential as a big wing who could space the floor, defend and even create at times, a developmental project perhaps worth considering for the Spurs.

Two consecutive seasons ending with Baldwin Jr. injured — first in high school then as a freshman in college — have sprung up potential durability concerns for him. But as a former top recruit in his class, Baldwin Jr. likely still goes in Round 1 because of his 6-9 frame and shooting upside.

Wesley’s primary appeal out of Notre Dame is his scoring ability from the guard spot and his mature frame. He’s adept at getting to his spots, creating with the ball in his hands and getting to the line by pressuring the rim. His efficiency took a hit down the stretch, and he’s still plenty raw as a prospect, but there’s a lot to like here for someone who just turned 19.

Jovic remains one of this draft’s most unique prospects because of the blend of his size, shooting and creating. He’s a really good passer and Mega has used him at times as its primary initiator, something you rarely see from a player that tall, which speaks to his vision on the whole. The point forward potential is probably not realistic at the NBA level but, like Josh Giddey in last year’s draft, vision and creation ability regardless of level have a tendency to translate up. He’s a connector, and a really good one at that.

Memphis’ front office loves winners who have produced at a high level in college, even if their projectability to the NBA isn’t obvious, making Kessler a potential fit. He finished first among all college players in blocked shots per game and first in block rate and was hyper efficient as a scorer, though how he’ll fit athletically and on defense into the NBA is a little cloudy.

Tough wings who embrace their roles as defensive stoppers and have the ability to space the floor as shooters should always have a role in the NBA, which makes Keels an obvious first-round candidate even if his freshman season was a bit inconsistent. He has an NBA-ready frame and projects as a potential 3-and-D prospect at the next level.