2022 NBA Draft: Who are the 10 best prospects in this draft class?

1. Paolo Banchero – Duke Blue Devils

6-10 250 lbs 7-1 WS

39 GP 17.2 ppg 7.8 rpg 47.8 FG% 33.8 3P% 72.9 FT%

Shades of: Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Julius Randle

My favorite prospect in the 2021 recruiting class and in this draft. Looking past my Duke feelings (not saying they’re necessarily good) I realized Banchero might’ve been consistently the best player since he stepped foot in Durham summer 2021. Admiration for Banchero dates back to the O’Dea High school days due to his prolific size on the wing. A former quarterback standing near 7 feet tall with a grown man’s body, I was enamored with who Paolo Banchero could be as a basketball player.

Grassroots basketball, I feel like, is a true indicator for how a player is offensively compared to the rest of his peers. Banchero played for the highly esteemed club, Seattle Rotary. A basketball club that has churned out players such as Kevin Porter Jr., Zach LaVine, Matisse Thybulle, Jaylen Nowell, Jalen and Jaden McDaniels to name a few. Needless to say Seattle Rotary has a notable basketball history. A pedigree that has reached all the way to the east coast from where I am writing this.

I went to Seattle in the summer of 2021 to visit and sight-see but the highlight of my trip was visiting, going inside, and taking a picture in front of the famous Seattle Rotary Boys and Girls Club. A place that has had NBA talent coming through the doors year-in-year-out. The name that became the hot topic out of the club and Seattle area was Banchero.

Upon watching him for the first time I immediately knew that he had the chops to be a future All-Star in the league. Crowning him as the best player in this entire 2022 NBA Draft Class is a testament of not only the body of work he has accomplished since his high school days but his ability to impact the game unlike no other. Transitioning from the wing position in high school/grassroots ball to the “4” at Duke, Banchero embodies what it means to be fully transcendent on the offensive end. We are talking about a player that can play the 3-5.

Watching him at Duke, Banchero was the offensive engine that made Duke go. If they needed a bucket there were times that he had to bail out short-clock possessions or stalled offensive actions. According to Synergy, Banchero graded out as a “very good” player on the offensive end. He could be used in different actions.

You want him catching the ball in the post then working out the post? Do you want him to faceup from the elbows? As a cutter or roll-man he was graded as “excellent”. Furthering the agenda that he is one of the most complete offensive-ready players headed into the league is the unexpected rise of his playmaking skills. With more responsibility on the offensive end requires more attention from the opponents on defense. More blitzes, traps, and doubles. Banchero has impressed in that area being able to locate frontcourt teammate Mark Williams with lob passes or just, in general, kicking out to the wings for open advantageous looks.

Banchero resembles a tank: massive in size, strong low center of gravity, powerful, explosive, and immovable. All these physical tools set himself apart. Combining the strength with the feathery grace makes his ceiling and floor shoot all the way up. Drafting Banchero you get the security of a completely good–could be great–offensive player.

Touching on his feathery, smooth, technical skillset is something that has been apparent since his days playing primarily on the perimeter. He has guard-like skills. Capable of putting the ball on the floor, making something out of nothing isn’t an issue for him. He utilizes spin moves, jab steps, hesitations, stutter steps to get the looks he wants. Whether he wants to settle for a mid-range jumper (a look he is completely comfortable with) or a ferocious dunk, it’s much to love on any offensive look designed for Banchero.

Projecting his NBA identity and role, we can see Banchero be a true 1b on a championship-contending team. If the playmaking keeps expanding that could make him more dangerous. Playing the hypothetical game, if the outside shot ticks up to around 36-38% from 3-point land then that’s another added bonus. Banchero’s ceiling on offense is determined on how he wants his profile to be. Of course, the 15+ shots will be there but can you impact the game in other ways?

Defensively, there are a lot of things to work on. Offensively gifted can drive him up a team’s big board to being their top pick but there has always been the concern of who does he guard at the next level? Is he quick enough laterally and disciplined enough to guard wings? When it comes to big men can he hold his own in the paint?

Personally speaking, when watching players on defense it’s all effort and mental. Skills that can be implemented by good coaching over time. Banchero isn’t the quickest vertically off the ground for rim contests and the effort isn’t always there resulting in lapses off-ball. All in all really not that many gripes for his defensive shortcomings. They are things that can be worked on and patiently ironed out, no sweat.

If I had to bet all my money on a player confidently being the best out of this class, Banchero is the one. Been the one since high school and hopefully, the masses realize that. I trust that the most skilled offensive player can raise any team’s ceiling and become the face of that franchise. Look at his big games versus other teams (i.e. Kentucky, Gonzaga, entire Final Four March Madness Run) you can tell he’s the real deal. Banchero is not only my favorite player but through extensive film-watching he’s the best in this class.