With the 2022 NBA draft lottery officially in the books, the Houston Rockets are set at No. 3 and No. 17 in the first round. The first pick is their own, won via Tuesday’s lottery. The second is from Brooklyn as part of the blockbuster James Harden trade in January 2021.
If Houston keeps the No. 3 pick, general manager Rafael Stone should have an opportunity on June 23 to draft one of the consensus top-three prospects: Gonzaga big Chet Holmgren, Duke forward Paolo Banchero or Auburn forward Jabari Smith. Purdue guard Jaden Ivey and Kentucky wing Shaedon Sharpe may work their way into the discussion.
However, a top-three pick could also prove valuable on the trade market, as Stone mentioned in his comments after Tuesday’s lottery.
If the Rockets stay in the draft, Stone indicated individual player workouts over the coming weeks will be substantially less important than game footage on tape. Thus, the vast majority of the information they will use in making those selections is already available.
With that in mind, here’s a post-lottery look at who the various draft experts have going at No. 3 and No. 17 in their latest mock drafts.
Projections for No. 3 overall in 2022 first round
AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Cody Taylor, Rookie Wire (5/20), No. 3: Paolo Banchero
(Duke: Big, Freshman, 6-10)
Jonathan Givony, ESPN (5/17), No. 3: Paolo Banchero
(Duke: Big, Freshman, 6-10)
Bryan Kalbrosky, For The Win (5/17), No. 3: Paolo Banchero
(Duke: Big, Freshman, 6-10)
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic (5/17), No. 3: Paolo Banchero
(Duke: Big, Freshman, 6-10)
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated (5/17), No. 3: Paolo Banchero
(Duke: Big, Freshman, 6-10)
Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation (5/17), No. 3: Jabari Smith
(Auburn: Forward, Freshman, 6-10)
Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer (5/17), No. 3: Paolo Banchero
(Duke: Big, Freshman, 6-10)
Projections for No. 17 overall in 2022 first round
Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Cody Taylor, Rookie Wire (5/20), No. 17: Ousmane Dieng
(New Zealand Breakers: Wing, International, 6-9)
Jonathan Givony, ESPN (5/17), No. 17: Tari Eason
(LSU: Wing, Sophomore, 6-8)
Bryan Kalbrosky, For The Win (5/17), No. 17: Mark Williams
(Duke: Big, Sophomore, 7-0)
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic (5/17), No. 17: TyTy Washington
(Kentucky: Guard, Freshman, 6-3)
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated (5/17), No. 17: Ousmane Dieng
(New Zealand Breakers: Wing, International, 6-9)
Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation (5/17), No. 17: Ousmane Dieng
(New Zealand Breakers: Wing, International, 6-9)
Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer (5/17), No. 17: EJ Liddell
(Ohio State: Big, Junior, 6-7)
2022 NBA draft lottery order
The 2022 NBA Draft order is set‼️
Who should the Magic take at No. 1? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/kUg0E5wwQZ
— ESPN (@espn) May 18, 2022
