Auburn's Jabari Smith remains expected to be selected first by the Orlando Magic in the NBA Draft on Thursday night.
Smith, a 6-foot-10 forward who played just one college season, piled up big numbers for the Tigers (16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds). He comes from an NBA pedigree, his father and namesake playing in the Association from 2000 to 2005 with the Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers and the then-New Jersey Nets.
Smith is -550 to go first. All odds, corresponding to pick number, courtesy of DraftKings. Read more on Smith at the Opelika-Auburn News.
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Smith is expected to set off a forward-heavy barrage at the top of the draft. With deals possible to shake up the order, here's what FrontPageBets expects to happen when commissioner Adam Silver starts calling names from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. N.Y.
No. 2 pick, Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren, forward, Gonzaga (-650)
The 7-foot, 195-pound Holmgren needs to bulk up to compete against the world's best. He excels as a 3-point shooter and a shot-blocker, but questions remain about how well he can defend against more physical opponents.
No. 3 pick, Houston Rockets: Paolo Banchero, forward, Duke (-650)
Seemingly the most NBA-ready body in the draft, the 6-10, 250-pound Banchero should slide right into the Rockets' lineup. He contributed 17.8 points and 7.2 boards per game for the Blue Devils and is just scratching his potential. Read more on Banchero at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
No. 4 pick, Sacramento Kings: Jaden Ivey, guard, Purdue (-200)
Ivey is considered the fourth-best talent in this draft class. But Sacramento, set at guard, will likely seek to deal the pick for the 6-4, 195 pounder. The Washington Wizards could be a likely suitor. Ivey put up 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Boilermakers.
No. 5 pick, Detroit Pistons: Keegan Murray, forward, Iowa (+140)
As the Pistons made a pre-draft deal with the Blazers, sending them Jerami Grant, Murray remains the favorite at No. 5. The 6-foot-8, 225 pounder could see fast playing time. Murray averaged 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds for the Hawkeyes. Read more about Murray at the Quad-City Times.
Editor's Note: This story was updated to reflect the latest odds for the 2022 NBA Draft as of Thursday, June 23.
NBA Draft 2022: Smith, Holmgren, Banchero top list of forwards
CHET HOLMGREN
The nation's No. 1 recruit lived up to expectations for the Zags as a second-team Associated Press All-American.
STRENGTHS: The 7-foot, 195-pound Holmgren has an unusual mix of fluid perimeter skills with a roughly 7-5 wingspan. He averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 60.7% alongside a returning AP All-American in Drew Timme.
He made 39% of his 3-point tries and had 14 games with at least two made 3s, showing the kind of consistency sure to pull less-mobile bigs from the basket. And he has the ball-handling skills to take advantage — just look at his length-of-court, behind-the-back drive for a dunk against UCLA for proof — for unique shot-creating potential in such a long frame.
At the other end, Holmgren proved an elite rim protector, ranking fourth in Division I with 3.7 blocks per game.
CONCERNS: He needs to get stronger. He struggled at times with physical play and could use the added bulk for finishing through contact, too.
JABARI SMITH
The 6-10, 220-pound freshman was a second-team AP All-American who helped the Tigers claim their first-ever No. 1 ranking.
STRENGTHS: The 19-year-old Smith is a rangy forward with potential to impact both ends of the floor. He averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists with ability to play in the post or step outside, where he shot 42% from 3-point range with a quality jumper. He also made 79.9% of his free throws to convert when drawing fouls. He also averaged 1.0 blocks and 1.1 steals with the versatility to chase multiple positions, making him ESPN's No. 2 overall prospect.
“I just see myself defending, affecting winning and just doing whatever a team needs me to do,” Smith said. "Spacing the floor, knocking down shots, running the floor, and just showing all assets to my game.
CONCERNS: Smith shot just 42% overall with heavy reliance on his jump shot, so he could use a bit more development with creating off the drive and improving his ball handling (1.9 turnovers per game) for easier looks.
PAOLO BANCHERO
The 6-10, 250-pound freshman was the Blue Devils' focal point in a Final Four run under now-retired Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski.
STRENGTHS: The 19-year-old Banchero averaged 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds with the strength to tussle inside and mobility to roam the perimeter. Ranked as ESPN's No. 3 draft prospect, the AP third-team All-American was comfortable snatching down a rebound and leading the break. And his skillset proved particularly effective in being able to overpower smaller defenders, move around less-mobile bigs and score in the midrange with polish.
Banchero said Friday he feels he is “the best player in the draft, I feel like I showed that throughout the year.” Duke associate head coach Chris Carrawell said he thinks Banchero should be go No. 1 overall, too.
“For a non-guard at his size, he can create shots from the inside and out,” Carrawell said. “That's rare.”
CONCERNS: Banchero shot just 33.8% on 3-pointers, though he was better in the NCAA Tournament. He also had stretches when he could assert himself and impose his will even more, including going the final 7 1/2 minutes of the Final Four loss to rival North Carolina with no baskets and only two shot attempts. Banchero also needs to improve defensive consistency.
KEEGAN MURRAY
While the Holmgren-Smith-Banchero trio could go 1-2-3, the Iowa forward and first-team AP All-American won't be far behind. The 6-8, 225-pound Murray, who turns 22 in August, made a rapid rise from averaging 7.2 points as a freshman to 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 55.4% overall and 39.8% on 3-pointers. That all-around development has made him ESPN's No. 5 overall prospect at a loaded position.
JEREMY SOCHAN
The 6-9, 230-pound freshman offers defensive versatility and toughness in a developing game. ESPN's No. 15 draft prospect averaged 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds for Baylor, and turned 19 only last month.
E.J. LIDDELL
The Ohio State junior has a strong frame (6-7, 243 pounds) ready to handle physical play. The AP third-team All-American averaged 19.4 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 49% from the field and 37% from 3-point range. Liddell is ESPN's No. 20 draft prospect.
JAKE LARAVIA
The 6-8, 227-pound junior made a quick impact at Wake Forest after transferring in following two years at Indiana State. He showed versatility while averaging 14.6 points and 6.6 rebounds and shooting 38% from behind the arc as a potential first-round prospect.
DOMINICK BARLOW
The 6-9, 221-pound Barlow played for the Overtime Elite developmental program for top prospects who bypass college basketball. He's a potential second-round pick.
NBA Draft 2022: Ivey, Daniels headline list of point guards
JADEN IVEY
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Purdue guard is a top-5 prospect with his potential both as a scorer and playmaker.
STRENGTHS: With athleticism to play either guard spot, the 20-year-old Ivey went from a complimentary piece as a freshman (11.1 points per game) to a second-team Associated Press All-American averaging 17.3 points and 4.9 rebounds. Ranked as the draft’s No. 4 prospect by ESPN, Ivey has proven the ability to score off the dribble or finish at the rim, whether gliding gracefully through traffic or throwing down with power.
Notably, his improved shooting helped elevate his game beyond highlight-reel moments. Ivey shot 46% from the field (up from 39.9% as a freshman) from the field and 35.8% from behind the arc (up from 25.8%) last season. That included going from having eight games with at least two made 3s as a freshman to 21 such games last year.
CONCERNS: Ivey has the tools to develop into a quality defender but needs more consistency there. Offensively, he had a tendency at times to play out of control with his aggressive edge, making him prone to turnovers (2.6 per game, close to his 3.1-assist average) and forced shots.
DYSON DANIELS
The 19-year-old bypassed the college ranks to play for Ignite, bringing size and versatility to the pro ranks.
STRENGTHS: The 6-7, 195-pound Daniels has the size to play and defend multiple positions, particularly as a point guard who added another inch and roughly 20 pounds of strength to his frame in the past year.
Ranked No. 6 by ESPN, Daniels has a nearly 6-11 wingspan and posted the fastest time (2.81 seconds) of any player tested at the NBA scouting combine in the shuttle run, which measures agility and ability to change direction. He averaged 11.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.9 assists for Ignite.
“For me, playing the point guard position and being 6-7 is really beneficial to me,” Daniels said in an interview with the AP in late March. “I'm able to go play down in the low post, play with the ball in my hands off pick and rolls and stuff like that. It was a big focus for me putting on size and weight this year.”
CONCERNS: Daniels' outside shot is still developing. He made 13 of 51 (25.5%) 3-pointers in 14 games with Ignite.
TYTY WASHINGTON JR.
Kentucky’s latest one-and-done player is a first-round prospect with his playmaking ability.
STRENGTHS: The 6-4, 196-pound freshman showed quickness and versatility at both guard spots. That included time at the point for injured Sahvir Wheeler and setting a single-game school record with 17 assists in a January win against Georgia.
Ranked No. 17 by ESPN, Washington was second on the team in scoring (12.5 points) while shooting 45% and averaging 3.9 assists. He also committed more than two turnovers in just six of 31 games.
CONCERNS: The outside shot must improve after making just 36 3-pointers and shooting 35% from behind the arc. Durability also became an issue as he missed three games because of injury and twice failed to hit double figures in the final four games, including going 2 for 10 in the stunning upset loss to No. 15 seed St. Peter’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
KENNEDY CHANDLER
The 6-0, 172-pound Tennessee freshman is a first-round prospect with speed and the defensive skills to rank among the nation’s best in steals (2.2). ESPN’s No. 19 draft prospect also shot 38% from 3-point range, including 17 of 30 (56.7%) over seven games in March, and had the best max vertical leap (41.5 inches) of any player measured at the NBA scouting combine.
DALEN TERRY
The 6-7 sophomore brought size and defense to the Arizona backcourt as a potential first-round prospect while taking a leading role late in the season due to teammate Kerr Kriisa’s ankle injury.
ANDREW NEMBHARD
The 6-5 senior was a starter in Gonzaga's run to the 2021 NCAA title game, then averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 assists last season while improving his 3-point shooting (38.3%). Nembhard could be a late first-round pick.
JEAN MONTERO
The 6-2, 172-pound Montero bypassed the college ranks to play for the Overtime Elite developmental program, and is a second-round prospect.
NBA Draft 2022: Mathurin, Griffin, Davis, Sharpe top wings
BENNEDICT MATHURIN
The 6-6 sophomore blossomed in his second season to become ESPN's No. 8 draft prospect.
STRENGTHS: Mathurin was a second-team Associated Press All-American with above-the-rim athleticism and a reliable jumper. He averaged 17.7 points while shooting 38.3% on 3-pointers over two seasons. He had a big March moment, scoring 30 points and coming through in the clutch to help Arizona survive an overtime win against TCU in the NCAA Tournament's second round.
"I took advantage of March Madness to showcase my talent,” Mathurin said Thursday. “And I felt like there was a great chance for me, for people to see what I'm able to do.”
CONCERNS: While his length offers defensive potential, Mathurin could also use more consistency at that end of the floor, with ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla noting earlier this year that Mathurin has room to grow with making reads and handling the pick and roll.
A.J. GRIFFIN
The 6-6 small forward, son of former NBA player and current Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin, offers outside shooting, length and defensive potential.
STRENGTHS: Griffin, who turns 19 in August, is ESPN’s No. 9 draft prospect after averaging 10.4 points. His stroke was terrific, with the freshman hitting 44.7% of his 3-pointers and tallying a dozen games with at least three 3s. There were also flashes of ability to take over games, highlighted by his 27 points in a February romp against rival North Carolina.
CONCERNS: There’s a limited sample size to evaluate a player who missed most of his last two prep seasons to injuries. He also must develop off the dribble to complement his range.
JOHNNY DAVIS
The 6-5 sophomore went from role player off the bench to unexpected star for Wisconsin.
STRENGTHS: Davis plays with aggression and toughness at both ends. Ranked as ESPN's No. 11 draft prospect, Davis averaged 19.7 points and 8.2 rebounds to become an AP first-team All-American while proving capable of creating his own shot or looks for his teammates.
His all-around 37-point performance in a road win against then-No. 3 Purdue in January illustrated his upside, with Boilermakers coach Matt Painter calling him “the definition of a two-way player.”
CONCERNS: Davis needs to improve his outside shooting after making just 30.6% on 3s, including 10 of 48 (20.8%) in his last 15 games.
SHAEDON SHARP
The 6-5 guard has taken an unusual route to the draft after a semester-long stop at Kentucky.
STRENGTHS: He was considered the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2022 before reclassifying and enrolling with the Wildcats in January, with the stated plan of playing the 2022-23 season. Hall of Fame coach John Calipari raved about the Canadian’s athleticism and shooting, with Sharpe showing the ability to finish around the rim, score off the dribble and hit from outside in the prep ranks. Ranked as ESPN's No. 7 draft prospect, he also measured just shy of a 7-foot wingspan at the NBA draft combine.
CONCERNS: Sharpe hasn't played since a nationally televised high school game in October, leaving little body of work to evaluate against other top pro prospects after his decision to leave school.
“My last game was high school, so I feel like there is curiosity and mystery with me," Sharpe said Friday. “But like I said before, I’m just in the gym getting ready.”
OUSMANE DIENG
The 19-year-old Frenchman spent last season in the Australian National Basketball League’s Next Stars program for elite prospects. Ranked No. 12 by ESPN, the 6-10 Dieng has intriguing perimeter skills as a potential lottery pick. But he must develop his outside shot (27% from 3-point range in the NBL) and add bulk (205 pounds).
MALAKI BRANHAM
The 6-5 freshman from Ohio State averaged 13.7 points while shooting 41.6% from 3-point range and 83% from the foul line. He could go late in the lottery and is ESPN's No. 13 draft prospect.
OCHAI AGBAJI
The 6-6 senior was a first-team AP All-American and the most outstanding player at the Final Four as Kansas won the NCAA championship. Agbaji elevated his game last season to average 18.8 points and 5.1 rebounds while also proving to be a quality defender, making him a first-round prospect and ranked No. 16 by ESPN.
TARI EASON
The 6-8 sophomore and Cincinnati transfer brought a 7-2 wingspan and the versatility to defend multiple positions to LSU, part of the reason he's a first-round prospect and ESPN's No. 17 prospect.
JADEN HARDY AND MARJON BEAUCHAMP
Both are first-round prospects from the G-League Ignite developmental program for prospects who bypassed college basketball.
Cities with the most NBA playoff seasons
Cities With the Most NBA Playoff Seasons
Photo Credit: Oleksii Sidorov / Shutterstock
With the 2021-22 NBA season drawing to a close this month, the league’s teams and fans are taking stock of the year and looking ahead to next season. Only one franchise can hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy each June, but teams can have successful or unsuccessful years in other ways. This season, upstart teams like the Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors exceeded expectations on their way to playoff berths, while star-studded squads like the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers delivered disappointing campaigns.
One important measure of success for many teams is playoff appearances. Making the playoffs can be an important milestone for a young team’s development: for instance, the Phoenix Suns snapped a decade-long playoff drought last year on their way to earning the league’s best record in 2021-22. A playoff berth could also mean a return to relevance, as was the case this year for one of the league’s premier franchises, the Chicago Bulls, who made their first playoffs since 2016-17.
But in some NBA cities, playoff appearances are a baseline expectation. Boston is one of the NBA’s most storied cities, with a total of 59 playoff seasons and 17 NBA championships. While both the Lakers and the Clippers missed the playoffs this year, Los Angeles has seen a playoff berth in more than 90% of total seasons. And while Boston and Los Angeles both have long histories in the league and are destination markets, some comparatively newer NBA markets have seen sustained runs of excellence as well. San Antonio has had a playoff appearance in 84.8% of eligible seasons, while Salt Lake City has had a playoff team in 72.1% of eligible seasons.
Los Angeles and San Antonio have the highest proportion of playoff seasons
For cities longing for playoff basketball, the NBA created a new way for teams to qualify with the introduction of the play-in tournament in the 2019-20 season. Under the current format, teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference at the end of the regular season compete for the 7th and 8th seeds in the playoff bracket. This setup has allowed more teams a shot at earning a spot in the playoffs. In the 2021-22 season, the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans each made their first playoff appearances since 2017-18 after surviving the play-in.
Despite the creation of the play-in, some cities have been waiting years to see their local team return to the playoffs. Among the 28 metros that host NBA franchises, only Charlotte and Sacramento have failed to make the playoffs in the last five years, though Charlotte qualified for the play-in in each of the last two seasons.
Only Charlotte and Sacramento have failed to make the NBA playoffs in the last 5 years
With 16 teams making the playoffs each season and some cities having been blessed with well-run franchises or Hall of Fame players over the years, some NBA markets can look forward to playoff basketball more often than not.
To find the cities with the most NBA playoff seasons, researchers at HotDog.com ranked U.S. and Canadian metropolitan areas according to total NBA playoff seasons. In the analysis, a playoff season was defined as a season in which a metro area was represented by at least one NBA team in the playoffs. Regular season tiebreakers and play-in tournament games were not counted as playoff games. Only locations with at least one playoff season were considered, and all NBA seasons since the NBA was founded in 1946 were included. In the event of a tie, the location with the higher percentage of playoff seasons was ranked higher. Further ties were broken according to the most recent playoff season. The data was sourced from basketball-reference.com.
Here are the cities with the most NBA playoff seasons.
15. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
Photo Credit: JKO Photos / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 28
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 47
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 59.6%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2022 (Nuggets)
14. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 31
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 54
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 57.4%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2022 (Suns)
13. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
Photo Credit: Rudy Balasko / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 31
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 51
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 60.8%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2020 (Pacers)
12. Salt Lake City, UT
Photo Credit: photo.ua / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 31
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 43
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 72.1%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2022 (Jazz)
11. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Photo Credit: Tomas Simkus / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 33
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 51
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 64.7%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2020 (Rockets)
10. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Photo Credit: Ivan Cholakov / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 34
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 66
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 51.5%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2019 (Pistons)
9. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Photo Credit: Paul Brady Photography / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 34
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 58
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 58.6%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2022 (Bucks)
8. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
Photo Credit: ESB Professional / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 35
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 54
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 64.8%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2022 (Hawks)
7. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Photo Credit: Jon Bilous / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 37
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 52
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 71.2%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2021 (Trail Blazers)
6. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
Photo Credit: f11photo / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 39
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 46
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 84.8%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2019 (Spurs)
5. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Photo Credit: marchello74 / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 40
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 62
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 64.5%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2022 (Bulls)
4. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Photo Credit: Zack Frank / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 50
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 75
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 66.7%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2022 (76ers)
3. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Photo Credit: dibrova / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 55
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 76
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 72.4%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2022 (Nets)
2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Photo Credit: Chones / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 56
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 62
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 90.3%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2021 (Lakers and Clippers)
1. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Photo Credit: ESB Professional / Shutterstock
- Total NBA playoff seasons: 59
- Total seasons with an NBA team: 76
- Playoff seasons as a percentage of total: 77.6%
- Most recent NBA playoff season: 2022 (Celtics)
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Gerry Ahern is senior content editor for FrontPageBets. A 35-year veteran sports editor and digital media executive, he has led coverage of the biggest events in sports, from Super Bowls, to Final Fours, to Olympics, to the Masters.
