How Oftana and Lastimosa went from Dumaguete dreamers to Gilas, Already a standout walk-on, La Salle's Ben Phillips looks to make his mark on another court, 'It's a fans' game': Tiongson, Ahanmisi move on from All-Star snubs, The seven biggest 2023 PBA All-Star omissions, and the players who took their spots, A night of nostalgia: Toyota Tamaraws celebrate 50th anniversary, Kai Sotto's second season mirrors 36ers' ups and down. "In terms of exposure, the NBL is a fast growing league in both namesake and credibility and has given some prospects over the past few years the platform they need to showcase their skills. In the first of our two-part series on 2022 NBA Draft hopeful Kai Sotto, ESPN talked to scouts and experts who cover Australia's National Basketball League about his decision to declare for the draft, as well as his production and upside on offense. I think it would be even worse and he would struggle a fair bit against stronger post players. June 3, 2022 11:14 AM CDT Joseph Austin: The Bulls have already given their money to DeRozen, Ball, and Caruso. "[But] it is generally only justifiable to play a seven-footer on an NBA floor if they're being heavily utilized on the offensive end, and whilst Sotto has shown utility as a finisher and lob threat at the NBL level, a clear cut offensive skill will go a long way into making him a useful NBA player.". LIVE NBA MOCK DRAFT! His fluidity and mobility is an intriguing aspect of his game and really stands out when rolling to the basket, where he had some vicious dunks," Smith said. Chet Holmgren | Freshman | Gonzaga | 7-foot-1 | PF | Age: 19.8, 14.2 points per game, 9.6 rebounds per game, 3.6 blocks per game, 1.8 assists per game, When: No. 11 Notre Dame/Rutgers | Friday | 4:15 p.m. | TNT, Who is No. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages. With all that said, Christie has picture-perfect shooting mechanics, can rise up off the dribble with ease, and holds some defensive potential as well given his projectable frame and feet, even if he gives up too many straight-line drives to the rim at this stage. As the NBA draft draws closer, some teams have shown an increasing interest in Sotto's potential. He's an excellent finisher one of college basketball's most prolific dunkers, and a much-improved offensive player in general. Standing 6-foot-10 in shoes and weighing 230 pounds, Sochan has the size to slide up to the center spot for coach Scott Drew, showing the ability to battle more traditional bigs in the post and on the glass, which gives Sochan more room to tap into his handle and vision offensively when at the 5. Possible second round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, 5-Star Corner: Patrick Baldwin Jr. Interview, A Closer Look At Bronny James as a NBA Draft Prospect, Talented Sons of Famous NBA Fathers Part 2, The 10 Top Freshmen In High School Basketball Class of 2026 Recruits, Re-Draft of the 2022 NBA Draft, Top 20 2 Months Into The Season, My Guys Prospects Im Irrationally High On In The 2023 Draft, 2023 NBA Draft Big Board Early Season Edition, Upperclassmen Moving Up The Draft Board The Desmond Bane Effect, The Elite 25 The Top NBA Prospects In High School Basketball Fall 2022, 2026 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings (2025 recruiting class), Victor Wembanyamas Physical Profile and NBA Comparisons. Scouts will have a close eye on Banchero's defensive intensity and off-ball awareness, as his inconsistency on that end of the floor is a big reason why he has taken a back seat to two-way prospects such as Holmgren and Smith. Mock Draft Roundup Familiar Names And The Prospect Of Trades. "He has the type of movement that allows him to find himself an open lane for big-time dunks and create open shots for himself.". I can recall Sam Froling absolutely dominating him when they played against Australia (in 2019 at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup)," Purnell recalled. What to watch for: Duke's most versatile prospect, Moore is an X factor of sorts for the Blue Devils as he gives them a different dimension when he's fully engaged and playing with confidence as a do-it-all wing who can initiate offense, make open 3s, attack the rim and defend his position. -- Givony, Keegan Murray | Sophomore | Iowa | 6'9" | PF/C | Age: 21.5, When: No. The 2.18-meter center -- who . "I think mock draft boards are great for the general public's reference but don't entirely represent the full picture. Sotto was eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft because he is a 19-year-old talent one year removed from playing high school basketball. The NCAA tournament officially starts on Tuesday, signaling the most exciting three weeks in college basketball. 7 Ohio State vs. No. Just how high Tshiebwe gets drafted is what scouts are trying to determine, but a deep NCAA tournament run that includes strong showings against physical frontcourts could go a long way in solidifying his standing and potentially emerge as a first-round prospect. -- Schmitz. But there is belief Sotto can build around those figures in order to raise his ceiling and find a place on offense in the modern NBA. His play can open up an opportunity for a two-way contract later down the road. Kai Sotto. 16 Bryant/Wright State | Friday | 7:27 p.m. | truTV, What to watch for: The Pac-12 player of the year, Mathurin made a big jump as a sophomore while leading Arizona in scoring. For Kai who played his first pro season in the NBL, with some training with G League Ignite last season, I think he competed pretty well in a physical league," Chan observed. Even. ", Scouting Report: Kai Sotto | The Jump (2:08), Grading Sotto: How the Philippines' prospect's offense stacks up in the 2022 NBA draft. Jaden Ivey | Sophomore | Purdue | 6'4" | PG/SG | Age: 20.0, When: No. "There's no reason Sotto would not have the potential to be a productive contributor on the offensive end of the floor," Houben said. Caine Purnell, who works for scouting agency ID Prospects, says strength is still a valid concern heading into the draft. What to watch for: Named second-team All-Big Ten, Harper carried Rutgers into the NCAA tournament with several heroic late game shots after a slow start to the season. What to watch for: Although undersized at 5-foot-11 barefoot, Chandler is a shifty, dynamic point guard who gets wherever he wants on the floor thanks to his tight handle and skill level. NBA teams also will keep a close eye on his defense, which has been up and down. Sotto's size and length has made him a viable rim protector in the NBL, where he averaged 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes, seventh among 84 players who played at least 15 minutes a game, per SpatialJam. Sotto's size and length has made him a viable rim protector in the NBL, where he averaged 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes, seventh among 84 players who played at least 15 minutes a game, per SpatialJam. Jabari Smith gets the 3-pointer to fall as Auburn hopes to come back vs. Texas A&M. The highest-ranked prospect, 6-foot-10 French center Ousmane Dieng who is projected by ESPN to be selected 11th overall in the next NBA Draft, is norming just 4.83 points and 2.33 rebounds for the . More mobile than overly quick or explosive, he'll have to rely more on skill than vertical pop in the NBA, making it that much more important that he is at least a threat from 3 to open up the rest of his game. 13 Chattanooga | Friday | 6:50 p.m. | TNT, Jahvon Quinerly | Junior | Alabama | 6'1" | PG | Age: 23.2, Caleb Love | Sophomore | North Carolina | 6'4" | SG | Age: 20.4, 57. NBA personnel have been keeping track of him so he will have his fair chance of being considered," said Theodore Chan, Adelaide's scouting director. Scouting Report: Kai Sotto | The Jump (2:08), Kai Sotto declares for 2022 NBA draft in hopes of fulfilling "ultimate dream". 4 UCLA vs. No. "While his late season performances certainly helped, it felt like only a glimpse of his potential, and with those flashes, it felt like another season in the NBL would have seen him play a bigger role that could've highlighted his game even more," Houben said. -- Schmitz, Jeremy Sochan | Freshman | Baylor | 6'9" | PF | Age: 18.8, When: No. Sotto was considered a consensus four-star recruit. Scouts will be watching his ballhandling and passing to try to determine if he projects as more than a 3-and-D style wing, as over 50% of his offense comes by way of transition and spot-ups. -- Schmitz, Blake Wesley | Freshman | Notre Dame | 6'5" | SG | Age: 18.9, When: No. Hes been focused on basketball all is life and it shows in his skill level, passing and great understanding of the game. "I think he's very unique compared to all overseas and American prospects. Stock watch: Which players are on the move during Champ Week? Scouts will be closely analyzing whether or not Moore takes a back seat in important moments or takes ownership as one of the lone upperclassmen during a Blue Devils NCAA tournament run. I think it would be even worse and he would struggle a fair bit against stronger post players. Most notably, he was named to the All-Tournament First Team in the 2018 U16 Asia Championship, where Sotto averaged 16.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.2 assists in 25 minutes per game. Brown is one of the best shooters in the NCAA tournament, connecting on more than three triples per game while converting 39% of his attempts. (2:08). Per tracking data from InStat, the 36ers scored 1.33 points per possession (PPP) with Sotto as a cutter and 1.17 PPP when he was involved as a roller, both marks above the league average (1.09 and 1.02 PPP, respectively). Tshiebwe lacks some modern elements to his game, having a difficult time defending in space on the perimeter, scoring outside the paint and facilitating for others, but it's difficult to argue with his productivity and sheer intensity, which should give him a ready-made role early in his NBA career. When Lewis is at his best, it's easy to see him filling a role in the NBA pick-and-pop 4 -man who can even slide up to the small-ball 5 some given his strength and length. He fits an obvious mold as a strong-framed, 6-foot-6 wing who can space the floor from well beyond the NBA line, shoot running off screens or pulling up off the dribble, and finish explosively in the open floor. -- Schmitz, Trevor Keels | Freshman | Duke| 6'5" | PG/SG | Age: 18.5, When: No. What to watch for: Brown looks like a Cinderella darling candidate, playing for a formidable Murray State team that is 30-2 and hasn't lost in nearly three months. The defensive end is where scouts will want to see Mathurin show better focus, especially off the ball, where he can at times be Arizona's weakest link. According to his agent Joel Bell, NBA scouts were "very enthusiastic" about the 7'3" big man and had even secured a guarantee with one team that they will pick Sotto once the draft rolls on. -- Givony, Wendell Moore Jr. | Junior | Duke | 6'6" | SF | Age: 20.4. In Adelaide, Sotto mostly subsisted on cuts and as a roll man in the pick and roll -- two of four play types where he derived most of his offense. -- Givony. 2 - Nikola Jovi - Serbia - (2003) - Nikola is a 6-10 point-forward who has been steadily moving up draft boards and is looking like an elite talent with a very bright NBA future. What to watch for: We've truly never seen an NBA prospect quite like Holmgren: A shot-blocking, lob-catching, 3-point shooting, ballhandling 7-foot-1 "big man" with the fluidity of a guard and a relentlessness that doesn't match his slender, 195-pound frame. 1.7K. "I feel like the next year or so is going to give us a better idea of the extent of his perceivable upside. 14 Yale | Friday | 2:00 p.m. | TBS. Governors' Cup Power Rankings: Is NorthPort's rise real? 05/11/02 (20.8 yrs) Hometown. Sochan's upside and draft stock will ultimately be decided by the type of shooter NBA teams think he can become, as he has converted just 29.2% of his 3s and 57.5% of his free throws. It has . Basketball Home PBA Schedule PBA Standings Gilas Schedule ESPN talked to some of these scouts and regional experts working and covering the NBL and asked them to weigh in on the prospect of Sotto becoming the first full-blooded Filipino to make it to the NBA. The 2022 NBA Draft is coming up on Thursday, June 23. As the NBA draft draws closer, some teams have shown an increasing interest in Sotto's potential. Sotto managed to carve out a niche in the NBL, albeit in a limited role, because of his unusual blend of size and mobility. -- Schmitz, Tari Eason | Sophomore | LSU | 6'8" | PF | Age: 20.8, When: No. Sotto posted up a lot -- about 19.3 percent of his offense came from the block, per InStat, which was the second-highest figure from his portfolio -- but Adelaide only scored 0.68 PPP during those trips, well below the league average of 0.89. Scheierman doesn't really look the part at first glance with his underwhelming frame and clear lack of length, quickness and explosiveness, but he's a savant passer with a competitive streak who plays with excellent pace and is not afraid to pull up in transition from 30 feet. His shooting stroke was apparent at times, but Sotto did not take enough 3s and attempted just 14 shots from beyond the arc through 24 games, including just four from the corners. What to watch for: South Dakota State will be a popular upset pick in their opening round game against Providence, since the 30-4 Jackrabbits haven't lost in more than three months and will have the best pro prospect on the court in Scheierman. Over time I think he continues to get stronger, and his muscle growth has been very promising, but he isn't strong enough just yet.". Yet, Christie's shooting has been all over the place this season, as he's knocking down just 28.6% from beyond the arc over his past 10 games and has a tendency to play a sped-up style, running from open shots on occasion and not quite exuding the type of self-belief that would suggest he's ready to make an NBA jump. His decision to make the NBA jump despite having two more years left on his Adelaide contract (with a team option on the final year) did not come as a surprise to the 36ers. In 2019, he joined The Skill Factory a prep program in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of those improvements have reflected in Sotto's frame, one that he has filled out over the past couple of years and enabled him to keep up in a highly-physical NBL. 9 Memphis | Thursday | 1:45 p.m. | TNT. Will Banchero buy into a more free-flowing style that accentuates his pass-dribble-shoot skill set or will his catch-and-hold tendencies show up again during important games? -- Givony, Max Christie | Freshman | Michigan St. | 6'6" | SG | Age: 19.0, When: No. Yet when his jumper isn't falling (32% from 3 on the season), his physical limitations, lack of length, issues finishing, defensive inconsistencies and sometimes erratic decision-making are more pronounced. 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