Orlando forward Paolo Banchero was impressive during preseason action.
Gentlemen, start your careers.
As eager as NBA fans are for the start of the 2022-23 season, the rookies who make up the Class of 2022 are pumped to get going, period. Shaking commissioner Adam Silver’s hand on draft night was one thing; suiting up and playing in actual NBA regular-season competition is a whole other level.
For top picks such as Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr., Sacramento’s Keegan Murray and Detroit’s Jaden Ivey, their lofty draft positions portend lucrative and decorated careers, starting with All-Rookie recognition and leading in time to All-Star berths and championship rings.
Rookies from the Class of 2022 set the stage for their NBA debuts.
For one of the newcomers, there will be a special prize in about eight months: the Kia Rookie of the Year Award. And chances are, if it doesn’t come from one of the names mentioned above, the winner will be one of the 14 players selected as 2022 lottery picks.
It’s no sure thing, though it’s awfully close. Since the lottery began in 1985, 39 of the players who have won the 37 ROY awards (with two ties) have been lottery picks. The only exceptions: New York’s Mark Jackson in 1988, the No. 18 pick overall in the previous spring’s draft; and Milwaukee’s Malcolm Brogdon in 2017, rising up from No. 36 overall.
Only two other times in the lottery era has the award even gone to a player picked later than No. 6. That happened in 2003 with Phoenix’s Amar’e Stoudemire (9th overall in 2002) and again in 2014 with Michael Carter-Williams (11th overall).
With that in mind, here is a recap of the lottery picks, their expected debuts for 2022-23 and some observations from their offseasons and preseasons:
No. 1 pick | Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
• NBA debut: Wednesday at Detroit (7 ET, League Pass)
Banchero led Orlando in preseason scoring (14.0 ppg), made 45% of his shots and grew more comfortable by the day. He exudes confidence, which was even noticeable in his cameo summer work in Las Vegas. “Just to be patient,” he told reporters Tuesday of his early season agenda. “There’s a lot more space and a lot more open. You can take your time to get to your spots.”
No. 2 pick | Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
• NBA debut: N/A
As eager as Thunder fans were to see Holmgren play before the August foot injury that wiped out his season, they might get even more excited if the setback shifts OKC into an unabashed “2023 Draft” strategy. The prospect of snagging super-prospect Victor Wembanyama to play alongside Holmgren could set up one of the NBA’s most intriguing towering tandems ever.
No. 3 pick | Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets
• NBA debut: Wednesday at Atlanta (7:30 ET, League Pass)
A sprained left ankle limited Smith to just one appearance in the preseason, though it was a good one: 21 points and eight rebounds against San Antonio, hitting five of his eight 3-pointers. He sees an opportunity on the Rockets’ front line with Christian Wood off to Dallas, and sounds ready. “I feel like all of my jitters went away after summer league and playing my first preseason game, so it is just basketball,” the 6-foot-10 Auburn product said.
No. 4 pick | Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
• NBA debut: Saturday vs. LA (10 ET, League Pass)
Murray’s debut won’t come on Wednesday night as he remains in health and safety protocols. He was the MVP in Las Vegas, then averaged 16 points and shot 70% from the arc in his two preseason games. His dramatic development in Year 2 at Iowa suggests he’ll be a top ROY contender.
No. 5 pick | Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
• NBA debut: Wednesday vs. Orlando (7 ET, League Pass)
His shooting left room for improvement – 34% overall, 14.3% from the arc – but then most folks expected that. Meanwhile, Ivey impressed with his work in the open court and ability to get to the rim. The Pistons envision a backcourt duo with last year’s No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham to match their Isiah Thomas-Joe Dumars tandem in longevity if not sheer accomplishment.
No. 6 pick | Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
• NBA debut: Wednesday vs. Washington (7 ET, League Pass)
Mathurin sparked snickers soon after he was drafted with a “show me” remark about LeBron James (“He’s going to have to show me he’s better than me”). That might drive ratings for the Pacers’ Nov. 28 game to face the Lakers in L.A., but the newcomer held up his end of that challenge by thriving in the preseason. He led Indiana in scoring (19.8 ppg) and all rookies in total points (79) while averaging 23.5 minutes, hitting 48.2% of his shots.
No. 7 pick | Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers
• NBA debut: Wednesday at Sacramento (10 ET, League Pass)
Sharpe’s debut won’t just be his first professional game; it will be his first legit game since high school, since he didn’t play in his lone season at Kentucky. Then he suffered a left shoulder injury early in his Vegas debut. The so-called man of mystery, 19, will be vying for a rotation role on the wing while trying to provide a glimpse of Portland’s future.
No. 8 pick | Dyson Daniels, New Orleans Pelicans
• NBA debut: Wednesday at Brooklyn (7:30 ET, League Pass)
Hopes are high for the Pelicans and that’s in part because of, rather than in spite of, the rookie from Australia. He got hurt in summer league but showed his abilities as a two-way threat in four preseason tests. His length (6-foot-8) and defense might boost him in a crowded but smallish New Orleans backcourt. His shot is a work in progress.
No. 9 pick | Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs
• NBA debut: Wednesday vs. Charlotte (8 ET, League Pass)
Sochan arrives as the Spurs’ highest draft pick since Tim Duncan in 1997, which is what a quarter century of mostly excellence gets you. The widely traveled Baylor product might crack the starting lineup but he’ll likely do so with glue-guy production. One role model who’s been mentioned: Draymond Green, right down to the “triple-single” offensive results.
No. 10 pick | Johnny Davis, Washington Wizards
• NBA debut: Wednesday at Indiana (7 ET, League Pass)
There were some rumbles from the Wizards fan base over Davis’ play in summer league and they returned this month. A 2.5 scoring average and 9.5% shooting in five games and 19.3 minutes per isn’t befitting of a lottery pick. For all the work he’ll keep putting into his game, the most vital area to address is confidence. Said teammate Bradley Beal: “I tell him every single time, ‘You belong here for a reason.’”
No. 11 pick | Ousmane Dieng, Oklahoma City Thunder
• NBA debut: Wednesday at Minnesota (8 ET, League Pass)
With Holmgren out, Dieng has the distinction of being the Thunder rookie not named (Jaylin or Jalen) Williams. He’s a 6-foot-10 player gifted with promising guard skills and, at 19, time to polish them into something special. He averaged 11.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 57.9% overall and 47.1% on threes.
No. 12 pick | Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
• NBA debut: Wednesday at Minnesota (8 ET, League Pass)
The Thunder’s 6-foot-6 rookie Williams (not the 6-foot-10 one) demonstrated versatility at both ends in the preseason. He hit 61% of his shots while averaging 14.4 points in five games and he led all rookies with 26 total assists (5.2 per game). He also topped the new guys with 9 steals (1.8 per game), a by-product of his 7-foot wingspan defensively.
No. 13 pick | Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons
• NBA debut: Wednesday vs. Orlando (7 ET, League Pass)
Drafted at this spot by Charlotte, then traded twice (to New York, then to Detroit with Kemba Walker), there is no denying the Pistons’ excitement over Duren’s potential. It even was suggested that seeing him up close in Vegas cooled their interest in making an offer to Phoenix center Deandre Ayton. He’ll be the league’s youngest player this season (18 for another month) and probably will see action while Marvin Bagley III heals.
No. 14 pick | Ochai Agbaji, Utah Jazz
• NBA debut: Wednesday vs. Denver (9 ET, League Pass)
The four-year Kansas product wound up in Salt Lake City as part of the bounty paid by Cleveland for Donovan Mitchell. He played well with the Cavs in Las Vegas (15 ppg, 4.8 rpg) but now might get more reps with the rebuilding Jazz. “More opportunities and more chances to see the floor and make more of an impact – just keeping the same mindset,” the 6-foot-5 shooting guard said.
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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