As the NBA Draft approaches and intrigue increases over how the first several picks will transpire, the elite outside shooting of Jabari Smith comes into clearer focus as the difference-making component to his game. While the name of the game in the modern NBA is versatility, what separates role players from stars is the presence of something elite.
With Smith, that elite skill is going to be an excellent 3-point shot, and his perimeter touch is what makes him the best option for Orlando at No. 1 in a draft with several intriguing candidates for the top spot. To be sure, Smith also brings the diverse skill set required to thrive as a power forward in today's pro game. In time, as his frame fills out, he should be able to guard positions 1-5 in most instances, and he showed flashes at Auburn of the ability to create off the dribble.
But what most clearly separates him from Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and others in the top spot is the 42% mark he posted from beyond the arc for a team that earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. With his lanky 6-foot-10 frame and ability to shoot over opponents, Smith's shot should translate to the next level, especially if he plays in a system with guards like Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony who can find him in the right spots..
Banchero and Holmgren can also stretch the floor with outside shooting and have plenty of upside. In fact, Banchero appears to have the highest floor of the three prospects because of his build and advanced offensive repertoire. However, Smith's proven shooting acumen and potential to do everything else well make him the best bet at No. 1 entering the 2022 NBA Draft..
Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
With an attractive offensive skill set headlined by a smooth 3-point shot, Smith is a modern stretch-four who should be able to defend all five positions. His outside shot will be defended more competently at the next level, which will force him to tighten his handle and hone his shot-creation acumen. But Smith has all the tools to become the primary scoring option in Orlando.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Given the makeup of OKC's roster, Holmgren looks like the right call. The concerns over his physicality and ability to handle the rigors of the NBA with a lanky 7-foot frame are legitimate. But the Thunder are in a total rebuild and can afford him some time to develop.
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Round 1- Pick 3
Landing Banchero at No. 3 would be a phenomenal outcome for the Rockets, who will be getting a player that could just as easily go No. 1. Perhaps Holmgren and Smith have a bit more potential for stardom, but Banchero's offensive skill and potential for 1-5 defense make him a high-floor selection. At worst, he'll be a solid NBA role player. At best, he'll be an All-Star.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
When our staff named the "most NBA ready" prospects in this draft class for a recent Dribble Handoff piece, I went with Murray. With the Kings needing to maximize DeAaron Fox's prime and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2006, Murray makes a ton of sense. He'll be 22 when the season begins and contribute immediately. But the versatile forward still has a ton of room to grow and develop over time.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Yes, the Pistons drafted a ball-dominant shot creator last season at No. 1 overall in Cade Cunningham a year after taking Killian Hayes at No. 7. But Ivey's athleticism and ability to attack the rim differentiates himself from those two. If he's available at No. 5, it would surely be difficult for Detroit to pass on a player with such high upside.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Griffin became one of college basketball's top outside threats last season, but he can do more than just shoot it. He's got the frame to become a plus defender and is comfortable creating off the dribble if opponents close out too hard on his shot.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Sharpe has no college film to evaluate after enrolling at Kentucky in for the spring semester but not suiting up. He's billed as an athletic shooting guard with the explosiveness to create shots and finish at the rim, and he wound up as the No. 3 ranked prospect in the 2021 recruiting class. That slotting put him ahead of players like Jabari Smith, Jalen Duren and AJ Griffin. It's hard to see a prospect with those credentials slipping much further in this draft even if he is somewhat of a mystery.
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From
Los Angeles Lakers
Round 1 - Pick 8
 
Dyson Daniels
SG
G League Ignite
• Soph
• 6'7"
/ 199 lbs
Daniels served as the primary facilitator for G-League Ignite. His outside shot is a work in progress. But if the Pelicans have the appetite for a long-term play on the heels of a playoff appearance, Daniels has tremendous two-way upside.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Mathurin outperformed his modest recruiting accolades as a freshman and evolved into one of the top players in the Pac-12 as a sophomore. His perimeter jumper and ability to create shots standout, and he's got all the tools to become a quality defender.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Sochan is a nimble power forward who is comfortable shooting from the outside and guarding players at any position. Assuming he improves on the 29.6% 3-point mark he posted in one season at Baylor, Sochan should play in the league for a long time.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
 
Ousmane Dieng
SF
France
• Soph
• 6'9"
/ 185 lbs
At 6-9 and with the coordination and flow of a guard, Dieng is among the most intriguing prospects in this class. The French prospect enjoyed a nice finish to his season with the New Zealand Breakers of the NBL but will likely face a long road toward NBA proficiency.
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From
Los Angeles Clippers
Round 1 - Pick 12
His 30.6% 3-point shooting mark as a sophomore might scare some scouts, but Davis basically ran the show for a Wisconsin team not exactly known for having a modern offensive philosophy. In the right system, Davis will shine as a two-way talent because of his defensive tenacity and bucket-getting prowess. Over time, he'll need to trade some of his mid-range attempts for 3-point shots if he wants to fit in the modern NBA as an off-ball guard.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
The market for centers who don't shoot 3-pointers is lean in today's NBA. Williams is good enough as a shot blocker, rebounder and finisher to find a role, though. The 7-footer can bruise with anyone and is also active enough to hold his own in pick-and-roll situations.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Agbaji could make an NBA team better immediately as a plug and play 3-and-D wing. Considering the Hawks have made consecutive playoff appearances and have an established core, he makes sense here, even though he's an older prospect. Solid NBA starter may be his ceiling, but the development Agabji showed from his junior to senior season showcased his relentless work ethic and capacity for improvement.
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From
New Orleans Pelicans
Round 1 - Pick 15
Branham's offensive efficiency stood out during his one season with Ohio State as he hit 53% of his 2-pointers and 41.6% of his 3-pointers. He showed big-time scoring ability while earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and closed the season phenomenally well. Among players who could be picked outside the lottery range, he was my pick as most likely to become an All-Star in a recent edition of the Dribble Handoff.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
At minimum, he'll be a rim-running center who blocks shots and plays defense. Ultimately, if he is going to reach his potential, his overall offensive repertoire and comfort with the ball will need to develop immensely beyond what he showed in his lone season at Memphis.
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From
Brooklyn Nets
Round 1 - Pick 17
Washington can play on or off the ball and is an intense defender, though he may be too small to contest the shots of taller NBA wings. Nonetheless, he's a versatile guard with the doggedness and intangibles to find a role in the league.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Eason enjoyed a breakout sophomore season after transferring to LSU from Cincinnati. He can score at all three levels and is a high-upside, versatile defender. His college coaches employed him as a sixth man, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Eason cast in the same role at the next level. He's like a perimeter-oriented Montrezl Harrell in terms of motor, grit and the type of role he may play.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
 
Nikola Jovic
SF
Serbia
• Soph
• 6'10"
/ 205 lbs
Jovic is already adept at scoring from all three levels and shows signs of the defensive competency you'd hope for with an offensively gifted forward. There is plenty to fine tune here — and there will be questions about his athleticism — but as one of the youngest players in the class he's worth a first-round flyer.
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From
Toronto Raptors
Round 1 - Pick 20
Liddell is like a slightly more athletic version of third-year Celtics forward Grant Williams, who has played a nice role for Boston in the NBA Playoffs after he was taken with the No. 22 pick in 2019. He's got a stocky build reminiscent of a traditional post player but can shoot 3-pointers and is agile enough to hold his own as a versatile weapon in the NBA.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Brown was an elite role player in his lone season at Baylor as he showed excellent offensive efficiency as a secondary option. His athleticism and defensive versatility should help him carve out a long NBA career.
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From
Utah Jazz
Round 1 - Pick 22
The knock on Chandler is that he's just 6-foot and slender, and to some draft heads that screams defensive liability. Sure, he can't guard bigger wings and post players, but Chandler's defense was arguably the most impressive aspect of his lone season at Tennessee. He can hold his own on that side and has plenty of offensive upside to warrant first-round consideration. He also logged the best vertical jump at the combine, which won't hurt his stock.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Williams' statistical profile from his junior season at Santa Clara stands out, as he averaged 18 points on 39.6% 3-point shooting and 55.1% 2-point shooting while also dishing out 4.2 assists per game. How he'll translate to the NBA after playing in the WCC for a team not named Gonzaga is a fair question. But at this point in the draft, he's worth a shot.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
 
Jaden Hardy
SG
G League Ignite
• Soph
• 6'3"
/ 198 lbs
Hardy led G-League Ignite in scoring but did it on just 35.1% shooting in 12 games. The former No. 4 overall prospect from the 2021 recruiting class has plenty of upside, but it's going to take some risk-tolerance to use a first-round pick on him.
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From
Boston Celtics
Round 1 - Pick 25
LaRavia is a versatile playmaker and one of college basketball's top surprises at Wake Forest as a junior last season after transferring in from Indiana State. He does a little bit of everything and should be able to guard multiple positions at the next level.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Minott didn't get to show his full game much in one season at Memphis as he came off the bench and fought for minutes on a talented roster. But with a 7-foot wingspan, the versatile forward is oozing with upside.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Braun is a dynamic forward who can guard 1-4, knock down 3-pointers and get to the basket. By turning down another season at Kansas in which he could have become a superstar, Braun made a bet on himself.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Like Braun from Kansas, Terry is a talented wing who could have transitioned from a role player to a superstar for a national title contender if he'd opted for another season of college basketball. Instead, he's taking the plunge — likely turning down lucrative NIL money — to begin his professional career.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
It's easy to envision Lewis as a floor-stretching power forward in an NBA system after he demonstrated some outside touch by hitting 34.9% of on 5.2 attempts per game as a sophomore at Marquette. With a built frame, he brings the physicality expected of the position along with the modern requirements of versatility.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
 
MarJon Beauchamp
SF
G League Ignite
• 6'7"
/ 197 lbs
Beauchamp will turn 22 just before the NBA season after taking an unorthodox path to the G-League Ignite program. But at the end of the day, he's a physically gifted wing who can become an NBA starter if his 3-point shot continues developing.
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