Draft Decisions: Timme, Sasser, Quinones, Bernard, More
Big man Drew Timme, ranked No. 63 on ESPN’s big board, has withdrawn from the 2022 NBA draft and will return to Gonzaga for his senior season, he announced via Twitter.
Timme was the 2021/22 West Coast Conference Player of the Year and a two-time All-American for the Bulldogs, but he struggled defensively and needs to “modernize his game” by adding a three-point shot and improving on the boards, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Houston guard Marcus Sasser also announced (on Twitter) that he’s withdrawing from the draft and returning to the Cougars for his senior season. He’s No. 70 on ESPN’s board, so he was considered a fringe second-round pick, but shot an impressive 43.7% from deep (on 8.6 attempts) while averaging 17.7 PPG and 2.2 SPG in ’21/22.
Meanwhile, Memphis junior Lester Quinones will stay in the draft and turn pro, a source tells Steven Johnson of The Daily Memphian. Johnson writes that Quinones has impressed teams in workouts and could become a second-rounder despite being unranked by ESPN.
UCLA’s Jules Bernard will forgo his extra year of eligibility and stay in the draft, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Bernard worked out for the Lakers earlier today, and Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group reports (via Twitter) that the swingman had a solid performance.
Here are a handful of other early entrants withdrawing from the draft, with the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline about to strike:
- Max Abmas, G, Oral Roberts (junior) (Twitter link via Jeff Goodman of Stadium)
- Caleb McConnell, G, Rutgers (senior) (Instagram link)
- Nate Laszewski, F, Notre Dame (senior) (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports)
- Tyler Burton, F, Richmond (junior) (Twitter link via Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated)
And-Ones: Gobert, Ibaka, Wembanyama, Ataman, Abogidi
Utah center Rudy Gobert, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, will compete for France in the FIBA EuroBasket tournament this summer, writes Yann Ohnona of French outlet L’Equipe (hat tip to BasketNews.com). Gobert said he had some concerns about his knee, but his MRI was clear so he’ll be ready to go in a few months (the event runs from September 1-18).
“It’s been a few days that it’s been clear in my head,” he said, per L’Equipe. “The process took some time. If I listened to myself, I would still be 200 percent to go, but in recent years I’ve had a few breaks because of knee pain.
“Once I had an MRI to ensure there was no problem, I was able to organize my summer. It was important that everything was clear in my head before I committed. The fact that Evan [Fournier] is there is a factor, I love going to war with him.”
Gobert helped guide France to a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics last summer.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- Veteran center Serge Ibaka, who’s an unrestricted free agent this summer, hopes to play for Spain at EuroBasket, as reported by Spanish journalist Marc Mundet (hat tip to BasketNews.com). Ibaka hasn’t played for Spain in international competition since 2014 at the FIBA World Cup. After undergoing back surgery last June, Ibaka struggled to regain his old form this season, averaging just 6.8 PPG and 4.6 RPG in 54 games (16.2 MPG) for the Clippers and Bucks.
- French phenom Victor Wembanyama is the reason why NBA teams are already eyeing the 2023 draft, according to Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated, who says Wembanyama is the most hyped prospect since LeBron James and “would likely have rated as the top prospect in any draft in the past decade,” including 2022, were he eligible. The 7’3″ big man possesses a 7’9″ wingspan and a tantalizing combination of mobility and skill, Woo notes. Rival teams believe the Thunder will continue their losing ways for at least one more season to keep their hat in the ring for a chance to select the 18-year-old in ’23, Woo writes.
- Turkish National Team head coach Ergin Ataman, who has led Anadolu Efes to two consecutive EuroLeague titles, has emerged as a candidate for an NBA assistant coaching job, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Ataman joked about joining Gregg Popovich‘s staff in San Antonio earlier this month after the long-time coach came to watch the EuroLeague Final Four, per Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. “Maybe after three consecutive final appearances, he (Popovich) thinks that let’s take one European coach to the NBA and help me go to the NBA,” Ataman laughed. “He’s a good friend of mine. He helped me a lot four years ago when I went to San Antonio. I stayed ten days with him. He’s an amazing person.”
- Former Washington State center Efe Abogidi, who withdrew from the ’22 draft earlier today, is expected to sign with G League Ignite, reports Jeff Goodman of Stadium (via Twitter). The big man averaged 8.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 1.8 BPG in 37 games (20.9 MPG) for the Cougars as a sophomore last season.
Projected First-Round Pick Trevor Keels Staying In Draft
Duke freshman Trevor Keels has decided to remain in the 2022 NBA draft, a source told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link). Keels is currently No. 27 on ESPN’s big board, so he has a chance to be a first-round pick.
In 36 games (30.2 MPG) for the Blue Devils, the guard averaged 11.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.2 SPG on .419/.312/.670 shooting. At just 18 years old, Keels is one of the youngest prospects in the draft.
Keels, who worked out for the Hornets earlier today (Twitter link), was torn on whether or not to return to Duke for his sophomore season, reports Jeff Goodman of Stadium (via Twitter). Keels’ indecision makes a lot of sense, because as a potential late first-round pick, there’s a real chance he could fall to the second round and not receive any guaranteed money, so he must be reasonably confident about being selected in the top 30.
Mike Schmitz of ESPN describes Keels as a “skilled two-way combo guard with a strong foundational skill set” and praises his toughness on defense as well. However, Schmitz adds that there are questions about his motor and notes that he had a lot of ups and downs during his lone college season.
Remarkably, there’s a chance that five of Duke’s top six rotation players could be first-rounders in ’22, as Paolo Banchero, AJ Griffin, and Mark Williams are all projected lottery picks, while Keels is 27th and Wendell Moore is 36th.
Draft Notes: Mohammed, Decisions, 2022 Mock Drafts, More
Georgetown guard Aminu Mohammed, the No. 80 prospect on ESPN’s big board, will remain in the 2022 NBA draft, sources tell Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Mohammed averaged 13.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, and 1.6 SPG in 31 games (32.2 MPG) as a freshman for the Hoyas, but struggled with his shot, posting a slash line of .379/.310/.722.
Guard Donovan Williams will also stay in the draft, he told Rothstein (via Twitter). Williams put up 12.7 PPG and 3.3 RPG for UNLV last season.
Northern Iowa guard AJ Green is staying in the draft, he told Cole Bair of 1650KCNZ and The Cedar Rapids Gazette (Twitter link). Green was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year for the Panthers.
Former Texas Tech guard Kevin McCullar is withdrawing from the draft and transferring to Kansas, reports Jeff Goodman of Stadium (via Twitter). McCullar averaged 10.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 1.4 SPG as a junior in 2021/22.
With the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline less than four hours away, here are some more draft-related notes:
- Former Minnesota guard Payton Willis worked out for the Timberwolves on Tuesday and also has a workout scheduled with the Grizzlies later this week, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Willis has exhausted his eligibility after spending five seasons in college.
- Jonathan Givony of ESPN provides his latest mock draft for ’22 (Insider link). He has Michigan’s Caleb Houstan, who just announced he’s staying in the draft, going No. 25 to the Spurs.
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report also released an updated mock draft, with inside information on several prospects. He reports that G League Ignite guard/forward Dyson Daniels could go as high as No. 4, while Ohio State’s Malaki Branham, another draft riser, could be a lottery pick in the Nos. 8-14 range.
- In a separate article for ESPN (Insider link), Givony explores which ’22 draft prospects are comparable to five breakout players of the ’21/22 postseason. He writes that G League Ignite guard Jaden Hardy, projected to go No. 22 in his mock, resembles Golden State’s Jordan Poole as an aggressive scorer with questionable shot selection and defense.
Wizards Notes: J. Davis, Prospect Workouts, Point Guards
The Wizards will host a pair of pre-draft workouts on Thursday, including a solo session for a potential target at No. 10. According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link), Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis, who is viewed as a potential lottery pick and a viable option for a Washington team in need of backcourt depth, will take part in that solo workout.
Prior to Davis’ audition, the Wizards will host a morning group workout that features Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Collin Gillespie (Villanova), Quenton Jackson (Texas A&M), Keve Aluma (Virginia Tech), Justin Bean (Utah State), and Marcus Bingham (Michigan State), per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post (Twitter link).
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- In a discussion with Robbins about the Wizards’ possible offseason point guard targets, John Hollinger of The Athletic speculates that Ricky Rubio, Eric Bledsoe, and even John Wall could be among the players Washington shows interest in, assuming Bledsoe and Wall reach free agency. Hollinger also identifies Malcolm Brogdon and Mike Conley as viable options on the trade market, and suggests Tyus Jones would be an ideal fit if he were willing to accept the full mid-level exception.
- In the same Athletic story, Robbins and Hollinger consider potential targets for the Wizards with the No. 10 pick. G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels should get serious consideration if he’s still available, according to Hollinger, who also identifies Jeremy Sochan and AJ Griffin as logical fits on the wing.
- Maryland guard Eric Ayala, Florida forward Anthony Duruji, Richmond forward Grant Golden, Utah State forward Brandon Horvath, Marquette guard Darryl Morsell, and George Mason swingman D’Shawn Schwartz participated in a pre-draft group workout for the Wizards on Wednesday, according to Robbins (Twitter link).
- Overtime Elite point guard Jean Montero is among the other prospects expected to work out for the Wizards this week, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.
David Roddy, John Butler, Caleb Houstan Staying In Draft
Colorado State swingman David Roddy and Florida State big man John Butler Jr. both plan to stay in the 2022 NBA draft, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter links).
Both players have a chance to hear their names called on June 23; Roddy is currently ranked No. 47 on ESPN’s big board, while Butler is No. 72.
In 31 games (32.9 MPG) as a junior in 2021/22, Roddy stuffed the stat sheet with averages of 19.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 1.1 BPG on .571/.438/.691. The 7’1″ Butler had a lesser role in his lone season for FSU, averaging 5.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 1.2 BPG in 31 games (19 MPG), but he did shoot an impressive .393 from three-point range.
Michigan’s Caleb Houstan will also stay in the draft, according to a team press release (via Twitter). The guard/forward averaged 10.1 PPG, 4 RPG, and 1.4 APG on .384/.355/.783 shooting for the Wolverines as a freshman in ’21/22.
Houstan is No. 49 on ESPN’s board, but there have been rumors that he received a first-round promise, with some league insiders speculating that it may have come from OKC at No. 30.
Here are more updates on the early entrants who are up against the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline:
- Pete Nance, the younger brother of Larry Nance Jr., will withdraw from the draft and transfer from Northwestern, per Jeff Goodman of Stadium (twitter link). Nance averaged 14.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.7 APG and 1.1 BPG for the Wildcats last season. He’s No. 77 on ESPN’s board and will use his extra year of eligibility to play a fifth college season.
- Florida A&M’s MJ Randolph and Coastal Carolina’s Vince Cole are both staying in the draft, as Rothstein relays (Twitter links). Both players were seniors in 2021/22, but could have used an extra year of eligibility to play one more season in college. Instead, they’ll turn pro.
- Drew Peterson is withdrawing from the draft and using his extra year of eligibility to return to USC next season, tweets Rothstein. Peterson, who recently worked out for the Lakers, averaged 12.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 3.3 APG on .467/.412/.717 shooting for the Trojans last season (34 games, 33 MPG).
- Forward Jalen Wilson is also withdrawing from the draft and returning to Kansas for his senior season, Goodman reports (via Twitter). Jayhawks fans will certainly be happy to hear the news, as he averaged 11.1 PPG and 7.4 for the champs last season.
- Mouhamed Gueye will withdraw from the draft and transfer from Washington State, Goodman tweets. The 6-foot-11 big man averaged 7.4 PPG and 5.2 RPG for the Cougars in ’21/22.
Nets Defer Sixers’ First-Round Pick Until 2023
The Nets have deferred the first-round picked owed to them by the Sixers until 2023, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). June 1 was the deadline for Brooklyn to inform the NBA of its decision, Wojarowski notes.
Philadelphia confirmed the news that it will control the No. 23 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, tweets Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Sixers have the ability to trade the pick starting June 23, which is draft night, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). However, due to conditional protections on future picks owed to the Thunder and Nets, the ’22 first-rounder is the lone first the Sixers can deal away, as Marks relays.
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The Nets acquired the pick with the option of pushing it back until ’23 as part of the trade that sent Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks — ’22 or ’23 and ’27 (top-eight protected) — to Brooklyn in exchange for James Harden. Philadelphia’s ’23 first-round pick, which the Nets now officially control, is unprotected, so Brooklyn’s front office is hoping for a down season from the Sixers — assuming the Nets don’t trade it for immediate help this summer.
Although the Nets no longer have a pick in the upcoming draft, they still have the ability to purchase a second-round pick from another team, according to Marks (Twitter link). Brooklyn sent the maximum amount of cash allowed in 2021/22 to Detroit in a prior trade, but that will replenish once the new league year begins on July 1, so a theoretical trade wouldn’t be finalized until that point.
The Sixers also don’t control a second-rounder at the moment, but they still have $3,785,000 to buy one from another team, if they so choose (assuming, of course, that other teams are willing to deal them away, which is quite common later in the second round).
The full 2022 NBA draft order can be found right here.
Northwest Notes: Blazers, Daniels, Kroenke, Jazz
G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels was the headliner of the Trail Blazers‘ first pre-draft workout on Tuesday, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Of the six prospects who auditioned for Portland, Daniels is the only one expected to receive consideration at No. 7, assuming the Blazers keep the pick and he’s still on the board.
Julian Champagnie (St. John’s), Darius Days (LSU), Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State), Fatts Russell (Maryland), and Dallas Walton (Colorado), all of whom are viewed as probable second-round or UDFA prospects, were the other players to work out for the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. In addition to controlling the No. 7 overall pick, Portland also holds the 36th and 57th selections in this month’s draft.
- The media availability for Nuggets governor Josh Kroenke, who is expected to address Tim Connelly‘s departure, was postponed again, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link). Kroenke was originally scheduled to speak last Thursday, then had that session tentatively pushed back to Tuesday after he tested positive for COVID-19. It will likely happen later this week once he clears the health and safety protocols, says Singer.
- The Jazz held a free agent mini-camp on Tuesday, according to our JD Shaw, who notes (via Twitter) that G League standouts Justin Tillman and Craig Randall II were among the attendees.
- Loyola guard Lucas Williamson has a pre-draft workout on tap with the Jazz on Thursday, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic. Williamson has already worked out for several teams, including the Bucks, Celtics, and Grizzlies, Jones adds.
- Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune proposes 29 hypothetical offseason trades involving the Jazz — one with each of the NBA’s teams.
Dereon Seabron, Moussa Diabate Staying In Draft
North Carolina State guard Dereon Seabron, who declared for the draft this spring following his sophomore season, will forgo his remaining college eligibility and go pro, a source tells Jeff Goodman of Stadium (Twitter link).
Seaborn emerged as a full-time starter in his second year at NC State in 2021/22, averaging 17.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, and 1.4 SPG in 32 games (35.8 MPG). Although he isn’t a lock to be drafted, he has a reasonable chance — ESPN ranks him as the No. 57 prospect in this year’s draft class.
Michigan freshman forward Moussa Diabate, the No. 75 prospect on ESPN’s big board, has also opted to remain in the 2022 NBA draft, he tells Goodman (Twitter link). Diabate started 26 of 32 games for the Wolverines in his first and only college season, registering 9.0 PPG and 6.0 RPG in 24.9 MPG.
Here are more updates on the early entrants who are up against the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline:
- Gonzaga sophomore wing Julian Strawther is headed back to the Zags for at least one more year, he announced on Twitter. Strawther was ESPN’s No. 68 prospect and had a chance to be drafted, but he’ll look to increase his odds with a strong 2022/23 college season.
- Iowa forward Kris Murray is returning to school for his junior year after testing the draft waters, he announced today (via Twitter). Murray had been the No. 93 prospect on ESPN’s board.
- Oregon guard Will Richardson will take advantage of his extra year of college eligibility and head back to school for one more year, reports Jeremy Woo of SI.com (Twitter link).
- Kent State junior guard Sincere Carry is pulling his name out of the draft and returning to school, according to an announcement from the program (via Twitter). Carry said in his announcement that he has “unfinished business” at Kent State.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, Green, Lakers, Kings
Speaking to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, Warriors owner Joe Lacob referenced a division rival when he discussed his long-term goals for the franchise.
“We are very goal-oriented,” Lacob said. “Our goal right now is to sustain being really good for a long time. I look at Jerry Buss and the Lakers, and how he owned the team for 33 years and made 16 Finals. That’s just an astonishing achievement, an incredible owner.
“Whether we can sustain that over such a long period of time, like Jerry Buss did – the Celtics certainly had great history but it was a little bit of a different time – I don’t know. But we’re going to try. That’s what we’re trying to do here.”
The Warriors are back in the NBA Finals this year for the sixth time in the last eight seasons, and are seeking their fourth championship during that time.
- Even though he only appeared in 46 of 82 possible regular season games this season, Warriors forward Draymond Green views it as a “slight” that he didn’t make the All-Defensive First Team, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. “When I look at the First Team, I am not sure I can pinpoint, definitely not five guys that had a better defensive season than me,” Green said. “And there are no (games-played) requirements. There is not some amount that you have to play in. If there was an amount that you had to play, then I would be an idiot sitting here and saying that.”
- The Lakers are working out six prospects today, bringing in R.J. Cole (UConn), Jules Bernard (UCLA), Kur Kuath (Marquette), Jaden Shackelford (Alabama), Zyon Pullin (UC-Riverside), and David McCormack (Kansas) for a pre-draft audition, tweets Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group. Pullin is reportedly expected to remove his name from the draft pool before tonight’s NCAA withdrawal deadline.
- Houston’s Fabian White Jr. was among the prospects to work out for the Kings on Tuesday, per Sean Cunningham of FOX40 News (Twitter link).