For the first time in over a decade, the NBA will once again allow high school prospects to jump straight into the pros. This is why many view the 2022 draft class as one of the most loaded draft classes in a while.
With that said, teams are already looking to stockpile 2022 first-round picks in the hopes of getting the chance to select multiple gems in one class.
“I think it makes you shift some of the focus and put a little more manpower down on the grassroots part of it,” a veteran NBA executive said, per Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports. “So you can kind of stay ahead of it, so now people can try and really cover events.”
“I’ve been telling NBA teams for two years: Get as many 2022 picks as you can,” said an industry source plugged into the grassroots level. “You have two classes worth of guys who are going to be in there. If you get the 25th pick in the draft, you get a kid who would have been a lottery pick the following year.”
While this is still over two years away, teams that are currently in no man's land such as the New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, and the Chicago Bulls, among others, should already start focusing their attention to this particular draft class.
Both the one-and-done 2021 class and the top-of-the-class high school prospects could potentially come in. With that said, it is highly possible that teams selecting in the 20's could get their hands on a lottery-caliber prospect as well.
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