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The first two rounds of the 2022 NCAA Tournament are over, and only 16 teams remain. Plenty of players expected to be taken in the NBA Draft have already been sent home, such as Kentucky's TyTy Washington, Auburn's Jabari Smith, and Memphis' Jalen Duren. However, some still remain with a chance at glory and a National Championship before they have their name called by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on June 23rd. Here are four 2022 NBA Draft prospects you need to watch as we enter the second weekend of March Madness, with the Sweet 16 tipping off on Thursday night.
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NBA Draft prospects to watch in Sweet 16
4. Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
Mathurin is probably the second-best guard in the class, though he's more a prototypical shooting guard compared to Jaden Ivey's abilities as a point guard. Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 195 pounds, Mathurin might be the best shot creator in this class outside Paolo Banchero.
He's not quite as talented defensively as Ivey, but he's not far behind, and he makes up the difference by being a great shooter from all areas of the floor. As good as he is from deep, he's also able to attack the rim with vigorous aggression, making him one of the better scorers in the country, averaging 17.4 points per game. He's absolutely a top-10 pick, and he could go in the top five should the right team get a high lottery pick.
If you're wanting to watch Mathurin and Arizona, they play in the nightcap Thursday against a very talented Houston team who should provide quite the test.
3. Jaden Ivey, Purdue
Purdue's Jaden Ivey will likely be the first guard off the board in the 2022 NBA Draft. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 195 pounds, Ivey looks to dominate the entire floor when he's on it. When he's able to get his head down and attack the rim, few players in the country have a chance at stopping him, and on the other end of the floor, few players in the country have a chance at beating him on the perimeter.
He still has a ways to go in developing his ability as a complete playmaker, with his passing maybe lacking a bit behind others on this list, but he should have no problem making up for it with his absolutely incredible athletic abilities. If you were tasked with keeping a moving truck out of the paint or Jaden Ivey, I'm not sure which task would be more difficult to accomplish.
Ivey and his Boilermakers take on Cinderella herself in Saint Peter's on Friday, and they will be hoping to do what Kentucky and Murray State before them could not: knock off the upset-minded Peacocks.
2. Paolo Banchero, Duke
If Chet Holmgren or Jabari Smith aren't taken with the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, you can expect to hear Paolo Banchero's name called. Truly an elite scorer, Banchero offers something to head coach Mike Krzyzewski's final team that it hasn't had in years. While not being the best on defense or shooting from 3, Banchero offers enough elsewhere, through his ball handling and distribution, which in addition to his scoring capabilities make him one of the best playmakers Duke has had in some time.
With all this being said, the description I've offered might make you think Banchero is the best guard in the draft, but he actually stands at 6-foot-10 and weighs 60 pounds more than Holmgren, at 250. This playmaking ability at that size is rare to see, and it makes Banchero one of the most tantalizing players in all of college basketball, and one of the 2022 NBA Draft's best prospects.
Banchero and Duke play on Thursday, taking on 3-seed Texas Tech, and with Holmgren and Gonzaga likely finishing up right as Duke's game begins, it should be a seamless transition for you between watching potentially the two best prospects in the entire draft pool.
1. Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
Potentially the best prospect in the entire draft is still alive in the tournament, with potentially its best team. Holmgren is truly a special talent to watch. Despite weighing only 190 pounds at 7-foot-1, Holmgren is an elite prospect in all areas of his game. He's shooting 61% in total and 41% from 3-land this season, which is just astounding given his frame, but he's just as good on the other end of the floor as well, averaging 3.6 blocks per game.
This means that an astonishing 12.6% of the shots taken on him never even make it to the rim. Not to mention his ball handling, which might as well be coming from a player a foot shorter than him.
Few players have ever been this talented this young at his size, and Holmgren truly has all the tools to take Gonzaga, and head coach Mark Few, to their long-awaited first National Championship. Holmgren and Gonzaga are absolutely must-watch in the Sweet 16 against Arkansas on Thursday night.
