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ESPN- NBA draft analyst and writer
Joined ESPN.com in July 2017
Founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams
As the NBA playoffs continue and we draw ever closer to the NBA draft lottery in Chicago on May 17, matching players with prospective teams has become something more than a theoretical exercise. Teams beyond those in the lottery have established their draft positions ahead of the 2022 NBA draft on June 23rd.
ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have spent the season evaluating all of the prospects who might be selected at the draft, talking to NBA team executives and scouts, and considering the likeliest paths for players and teams. Givony and Schmitz's latest NBA mock draft accounts for the draft order released by the NBA at the conclusion of the play-in tournament, including picks owed and owned by all 30 teams.
The top three teams on the board and worst three teams in the league this season -- the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons -- each carry 14% odds to secure the No. 1 overall pick. Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren, Auburn's Jabari Smith and Duke's Paolo Banchero are still considered the most likely candidates to go in the top 3.