With the 2022 NCAA Tournament right around the corner, it's time
for conference tournaments to begin so teams can begin punching
their ticket to The Big Dance in March.
Mid-major tournaments have already gotten underway, on
Wednesday, five Power Five tournaments will have begun theirs to
join the club.
(Editor's note: Check out our breakdowns of the ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC.)
Since everyone will have their eyes on the best players in these
conferences over the next few weeks, BasketballNews.com has
highlighted each Power Five and its top 2022 NBA Draft
prospects.
Class: Freshman
Draft Day Age: 19.1
Nationality: USA
A big, strong and explosive wing with a high motor, Kendall
Brown has provided an impact as a freshman at Baylor this season.
Brown can finish with both athleticism and finesse as a slasher
despite lacking elite self-creation. He is also a terrific
defender, using his length and quickness to disrupt the opposition.
Brown is a potential lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Class: Junior
Draft Day Age: 22.2
Nationality: USA
Ochai Agbaji is a versatile wing who has shown promise as a
defender, slasher and shooter. Early in his career, he was known
for his athleticism and defense. However, this season, he has
emerged as one of the best shooters in America, making giant leaps
as a scorer in both volume and efficiency. Agbaji has solidified
himself as a viable 3-and-D option at the NBA level, and is a
candidate for National Player of the Year.
Class: Freshman
Draft Day Age: 19.1
Nationality: Poland, UK
Jeremy Sochan is an energetic, athletic forward with positional
size at 6-foot-9. He has a tremendous motor and excels as a
defender and rebounder due to his footwork and length. Although
still 18 years old, Sochan has shown flashes of self-creation, but
is primarily scoring off of cuts at the rim and catch-and-shoot
threes at the moment. He will still only be 19 on Draft Day, but he
is already showing why he has big-time potential at the NBA level.
Sochan's combination of size, athleticism, instincts and skill is
unique.
Class: Junior
Draft Day Age: 21.2
Nationality: USA
At 6-foot-6, Christian Braun has positional size, showing the
ability to score from anywhere on the floor. He has a smooth
release from three and can pick his spots off the dribble. He is
reliable on and off the ball on offense, while providing
intelligent defense on the other end. Braun is a well-rounded
player and makes a strong case for the 2022 NBA Draft.
Class: Senior
Draft Day Age: 22.6
Nationality: USA
At 6-foot-9, Matthew Mayer is a fluid ball-handler and scorer
who has been an essential piece of Baylor's success the last two
seasons. Although his role and usage have never been overly
significant, his impact is often felt on both ends of the floor. He
projects as a scoring wing at the NBA level who plays strongly on
and off-ball defense, providing true versatility. In addition,
Mayer has positional size, making him worth monitoring down the
stretch as he makes a case for himself in 2022.
Class: Junior
Draft Day Age: 22.1
Nationality: USA
Terrence Shannon Jr. is an energetic, athletic wing who hangs
his hat on defense. He possesses an impressive frame and mobility,
and is a solid on-ball defender who provides versatility. He missed
many games due to injury to start this season, and will need to
show more consistency as a shooter and rim-finisher. However,
Shannon’s physical tools alone make him a viable option in the 2022
NBA Draft.
Others worth
noting:
James Akinjo | Baylor
Izaiah Brockington | Iowa State
Mike Miles | TCU
Taz Sherman | West Virginia
Jalen Wilson | Kansas
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