NBA Draft: The future stars who arrive at the most important basketball league in the world – La Tercera

The Draft is one of the most iconic instances of the NBA, since it not only allows you to meet the new stars that will come to the league, but also it is one of the elements that most determines the constant evolution of the weakest teams in the competition. That, since in the ceremony the squads with the worst records from last season are the ones who first choose the new promises, allowing them to receive players who over the years will be able to command their franchises.

But that success is not always assured. The draft choice is determined after months of monitoring, but will always end up being a gambleor else it is a matter of asking Clevelend who in 2013 chose Anthony Bennett in the first election (he currently plays in the Southeast Asian league) over Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Oladipo or Rudy Gobert.

That is why those stars who are chosen in the first election are usually analyzed with a magnifying glass throughout their career. Some of those, like LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal and Magic Johnson, they achieved what was expected and dominated the league. But also many times the great star of the generation is chosen later, as happened with Michael Jordan (third place), Kobe Bryant (13th), Larry Bird (6th) and Stephen Curry (7th).

In the case of 2022, the path of these promises has just begun, but here is a summary of the names that drew attention at the ceremony held on Thursday in New York, one where Paolo Banchero was the star.

Although Paolo Banchero was in the top three of the best players in this draft, that it was the first choice was a surprise. Even hours before the ceremony began, most reports pointed to the Orland Magic finally going for Jabari Smith.

But the reality is that the Italian-American was the first name that Adam Silver related. A milestone that not only puts pressure on him because of what it means to be number one, but also because the Magic have only had the chance to pick first three times so far, almost always managing to bring a star to their ranks. First was Shaquille O’Neal in 1992 and later Dwight Howard in 2004. The other selected is a different story, since the Florida team selected Chris Webber in 1993, but during the same ceremony they changed him to Anfernee Hardaway.

In this way, the Pivot Wing will join a young team, where together with Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter, Mo Bamba and the Wagner brothers they will have to put Orlando back on the first map of the NBA. The 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists that he averaged for his time at Duke are enough to get the people of Florida excited.

It was for months the name that had the most follow-up in the university competition. The 2.13 meters tall and good shotcaused many to see Holmgren as the great card to be chosen in the first pick of the Draft, something that only changed when the Magics, a team that already had that position covered, took first place after the lottery.

Yes indeed, his great weakness is the 90 kilos he weighs. In such a physical league, the former Gonzaga University boy needs to flex if he wants to be a regular in the formation of Oklahoma City Thunderyour new team.

His statistics from his time at the university show that Chet has everything to be a modern center, one of those who appear more and more in the league. He 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 3.7 blocks and 0.8 steals per game, with 60% shooting and 39% triples.

The star of Auburn University he was the betting favorite hours before the event, but ended up being selected in the third position by the Houston Rockets. A great scorer, perhaps the best in this draft, comes to Texas to stand out in a team full of youngsters.

Only time will tell if the Orland Magic were wrong to let him go, something the Rockets will try to prove from the get-go.

During his time at the university he left star numbers. 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. The percentages are even more illuminating: 42% shooting and triples.

This internationalized NBA also had space for Latin players, one of them being the sixth chosen of the ceremony: the player with Haitian descent Bennedict Mathurinwho was selected by the Indiana Pacers, a team that also has Dominican Chris Duarte among its ranks.

But Mathurin was not the only one, since Jean Montero from the Dominican Republic was at the ceremony and not being selected by anyone reached an agreement with the New York Knicks to play the summer league with them and see if he gets a two-way signing.

The Los Angeles Lakers gave the surprise share on draft night by signing two sons of great NBA stars. These are Scottie Pippen Jr and Shareef O’Neal, the latter son of Shaquille, one of the most important players in the history of the Los Angeles franchise.

Pippen Jr is a point guard with a good run through college and signed a two-way deal with the Lakersto alternate in the first team, with the G League squad that has those from California, making it more than possible that we will see him in the NBA this season.

O’Neal instead He promised to be part of the team that disputes the Summer League, looking for that to be his great chance to enter the league, something that his father does not fully share. The same boy confessed that he had clashes with Shaquille, since he wanted me to continue in college.