Jabari Smith gets the 3-pointer to fall as Auburn hopes to come back vs. Texas A&M. 7 Ohio State vs. No. After an ejection and an Indiana game-tying 3-pointer, Ron Harper Jr. hits a dramatic game-winning trey for Rutgers. 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. Sotto can still land a contract and play in the Summer League in July. ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz predict what the 2022 NBA draft could look like if all 58 players came from college basketball's marquee event. The flashes he shows as a passer and a multipositional defender on the perimeter are intriguing for a 6-foot-8 18-year-old, even if his ballhandling and perimeter shooting still have a ways to go to play on the wing full time and his frame is a little thin for a power forward. Despite facing Duke, UCLA, Alabama and Texas Tech in nonconference play, a heavy dose of Holmgren's true highlights came against West Coast Conference opponents, as he took more of a back seat offensively against the Blue Devils, Crimson Tide and others. The 2.18-meter center -- who . Mock Draft Roundup Familiar Names And The Prospect Of Trades. "I think mock draft boards are great for the general public's reference but don't entirely represent the full picture. 16 Texas-Southern/Texas A&M-CC | Thursday | 9:57 p.m. | truTV. The fake tweet says, "Kai Sotto will join NBA Draft 2021.". Even so, a possible callup in the second round remains within the realm of possibility. "Having this opportunity to develop in the NBL is a great situation for Kai and I'd imagine he spends the next year or two in Australia as he continues to find his footing in the world of professional basketball," Smith explained. With a body type that earns him comparisons ranging from Kevin Durant to Brandon Ingram to Kristaps Porzingis to Bol Bol, Holmgren has let his game do the talking, as he is in the midst of a record-breaking freshman season for Gonzaga. 6 Alabama vs. No. Michael Houben, a scouting expert for the Australian independent basketball publication "The Pick and Roll," said Sotto's decision to head to the draft felt buoyed mostly by a strong finish in the last five games of the NBL season. Grading Kai Sotto: How the Philippines' prospect's offense stacks up in the 2022 NBA draft Skip to main content Skip to navigation Search You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. Charlotte Hornets (Hawks if 19 to 30), E.J. These same traits help make him one of the most versatile defenders in college, a magnet for steals, blocks and rebounds who flies all over the floor in LSU's suffocating press while rotating from guarding point guards to big men. LIVE NBA MOCK DRAFT! Scouts will surely be hoping for a deep run from Duke and Gonzaga, as that would set up a Banchero-Holmgren rematch in the Elite 8. 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). 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. At the end of the day, the NBL is a highly-regarded league that is able to help ease prospects into the professionalism of next-level basketball. MANILA, Philippines - Kai Sotto has a huge uphill climb ahead of him after he declared for the 2022 NBA Draft on Thursday, April 28. "There's no doubt that Sotto is a skilled big man -- his touch, particularly on short floaters, stood out as a skill he can use to get points around the rim, and he had some fun moments as a lob threat as well. 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, . 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 . Although he is as proven a talent as you'll find in the lottery, Agbaji has no shortage of elite prospects in the Midwest region -- Davis, Murray, Tari Eason, Smith -- whom he could go toe-to-toe with to further improve his draft stock. "Given his defensive motor and willingness to run the floor, I think he has the right mindset suited for the NBA," said Chan. 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"I think with the way he plays, his height and length helps to make up for that but he was still struggling against some players in the post. He has a great opportunity to solidify his standing versus a Big Ten team in Michigan and then a potential showdown with Tennessee, one of the best defensive teams in college basketball in the Round of 32. As the NBA draft draws closer, some teams have shown an increasing interest in Sotto's potential. The 32 teams are set: Who's in and who's out for FIBA World Cup 2023? 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. The full 1-58 order also reflects picks owed and owned. . A 2022 NBA mock draft big board just one day after the 2021 Draft? If he can continue to improve his hands and strength offensively, whilst refining a basic but effective post game to penalize smaller lineups, then Sotto has a legitimate role offensively," Houben said. He averaged 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 15.3 minutes per game. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Nuggets), Azuolas Tubelis | Sophomore | Arizona | 6'9" | PF/C | Age: 19.9, Kofi Cockburn | Junior | Illinois | 7'0" | C | Age: 22.5, When: No. NBA teams will be closely monitoring whether the 18-year-old can put those tools to use on both ends of the floor, as he too often settles for perimeter jumpers and isn't nearly the type of versatile defender and rebounder his frame and length suggest he should be. 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets, The Chet Holmgren 'problem' is he's a one-of-a-kind NBA prospect. 2 Duke vs. No. Data from InStat state that Adelaide hemorrhaged points when Sotto defended the roll man in the pick and roll (16 percent of his defensive possessions, second most) and gave up 1.37 PPP -- way above the league mean. Houben and New Zealand-based scout Tim Smith cited players like projected lottery pick Ousmane Dieng, Hugo Besson of France, Australia's Makur Maker and Luke Travers, Lee Hyun-Jung of Korea, and China's Zeng Fanbo and Guo Haowen as names likely to get called ahead of the Filipino big man. Sotto managed to carve out a niche in the NBL, albeit in a limited role, because of his unusual blend of size and mobility. His play can open up an opportunity for a two-way contract later down the road. His passing and floor vision has garnered some attention over the years, but the potential has yet to fully materialize, as Sotto tallied more turnovers (32) than assists (14) in his first year with Adelaide. Washington plays a relatively simple game, thriving off transition hit-aheads, spot 3s, closeout attacks, midrange pull-ups, floaters and occasional ball screens, for which he makes the right play more often than not. Portland Trail Blazers (from Pelicans), Bennedict Mathurin | Sophomore | Arizona | 6'6" | SF | Age: 19.7, When: No. He said that some of the Sotto's deficiencies on defense, however, are fixable. -- Schmitz, JD Davison | Freshman | Alabama | 6'3" | PG | Age: 19.4, When: No. 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. In general, catch-and-shoot shots (8.5 percent) and pick and pops (4.5 percent) comprised a small percentage of his shots, and Adelaide was below average in possessions that involved Sotto in those plays, per InStat. -- Givony, Johnny Juzang | Junior | UCLA | 6'7" | SF | Age: 20.9, Tevin Brown | Senior | Murray St. | 6'5" | SG | Age: 23.4, When: No. "Seeing him at practices and games reinforce the projection he's achieving. Today we look at Sotto's decision to declare for the draft and what he brings on offense. -- Givony, TyTy Washington Jr. | Freshman | Kentucky | 6'4" | PG/SG | Age: 20.3, When: No. At 6-foot-6 with a strong frame and a 7-foot wingspan, in theory, Moore is the exact type of versatile wing the NBA covets. Stay on current site or go to US version. It's a sentiment echoed by another expert in Tim Smith, a New Zealand-based scout who keeps tabs on the leagues around the region. But speaking on The Huddle, the leading draft analyst has another NBL talent on his radar, with Illawarra Hawks Next Star Justinian Jessup making waves in the competition. 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. On the other hand, Michael Houben -- a scouting expert for the Australian independent basketball publication "The Pick and Roll" -- was not as optimistic and called his defense "a very clear limitation at this point in time for Sotto.". Sotto managed to carve out a niche in the NBL, albeit in a limited role, because of his unusual blend of size and mobility. "Continuing to find ways to maximize the value he gets out of his physical tools while he continues to work on improving the processing and shooting seems to be the current path for Kai," Smith offered. Jay Bilas picks every single game in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament. Jaden Ivey | Sophomore | Purdue | 6'4" | PG/SG | Age: 20.0, When: No. While there is some strong consensus among those taking a stab at predicting the 2022 . "Kai is a positive influence who brings energy and effort to the team at practices and games everyday. Andrew Gaze and Nat Edwards breakdown 218cm Kai Sotto's impact on the Adelaide 36ers, areas of improvement and future prospects. His upright stance on the perimeter and struggles covering ground fluidly are question marks projecting to the NBA level, as is the fact that the game simply moves too fast for him at times on both ends of the floor. 7-2, 230 Center. 8 North Carolina vs. No. How will Holmgren's frame fare against more physical tournament opponents, particularly Memphis big man and projected top-10 pick Jalen Duren, as Duren, with his Dwight Howard-like physical profile, is the exact type of player that Holmgren's biggest naysayers worry he'll struggle against in the NBA. Perhaps most intriguing are the competitiveness, technique and instincts defensively Harper shows, in addition to his extremely long arms, which gives some hope about his ability to guard wing players in the NBA like his height suggests he'll need to. "I imagine Sotto goes undrafted, but even if he [isn't] picked up, he still has two years on his contract with the Adelaide 36ers, and the NBL is an excellent environment for giving Kai the resources and opportunity to further develop and work towards bigger opportunities.". What to watch for: Ivey is the most electric guard in college, possessing the type of extra gear-changing speeds in the open floor that few NBA players possess. Standing 6-foot-5 with long arms and excellent footwork as a ball handler, Wesley has a lot of juice off the bounce, changing speeds and directions to attack the rim or stop on a dime to pull up. Kai Sotto 2022 NBA Draft Profile Amateur and Pro Career Born in Las Pinas, the Philippines, in 2002, Sotto began playing basketball at the age of four. 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