With the 2022 NBA Draft set to begin later tonight at 7:30 ET, many NBA Fans and Executives will gravitate towards the top of the draft order. At the top, Duke’s Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, and Auburn’s Jabari Smith are all competing with one another to be chosen by the Orlando Magic with the No. 1 pick, while the top three picks will likely consist of Banchero, Holmgren, and Smith in some order. In addition to this, the uncertainty of what prospects Sacramento (No. 4), Detroit (No. 5), Portland (No. 7), and New York (No. 11) will select will definitely shake up the flow of the 2022 Draft. With this being said, the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft shouldn’t be overlooked and ignored due to the glamour of the first round, as countless NBA Franchises have found diamonds in the rough.
In the 2015 NBA Draft, for example, Montrezl Harrell (No. 32), Richaun Holmes (No. 37), and Norman Powell (No. 46) were all selected in the second round, and have quickly become good players on their respective teams. In 2016, Malcolm Brogden was selected with the No. 36 pick, but went on to win the 2016-2017 NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and is still the only former second-round pick to do so. In 2017, Isiah Hartenstein (No. 43), Dillon Brooks (No. 45), and Monte Morris (No. 51) all entered the league, and are now searching for their well-deserved checks this offseason. Finally, the 2018 Draft class has also possessed great talent in the second round, which is headlined by Jalen Brunson (No. 33), Mitchell Robinson (No. 36), and Bruce Brown (No. 42). As shown by the aforementioned draft classes from 2015-2018, prospects selected in the second round can still make a major impact in the NBA, which is what these four draft prospects from the 2022 Draft Class will be trying to do.
Max Christie, SG/SF, Michigan State University
Similar to the G-Leauge Ignite’s Jaden Hardy, Christie’s draft stock has taken a considerable hit after a forgettable 2021-2022 season. In 35 games (35 starts) at Michigan State, Christie averaged a measly 9.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.5 SPG, and 0.5 BPG. It’s hard to place all the blame on Christie, however, as Michigan State ran an eleven-man rotation, and had six other players average 7.0 PPG or more. In spite of these limited opportunities, Christie still flashed his ability to become a superb shooter in the NBA. Thanks to his smooth shooting mechanics, Smith posted solid shooting splits, going 38.2% from the field and 31.7% from three-point range. Standing at 6’6″ and 190 pounds, Christie used his size to frustrate smaller defenders and get separation and clean shot attempts anywhere on the floor. Finally, Christie’s understanding of how to move without the ball, get open in transition, and cut to the basket is often overlooked but important nonetheless, as his basketball IQ is high for a 19-year-old.
For as promising as Christie’s offensive game is, there are still multiple areas of his game he needs to improve to fully adjust to the NBA. The first concern involving Christie’s game is his aforementioned slender frame. While Christie has the ideal height for a three-point swingman, his light height has kept him away from the basket this season, even though he has shown he can be efficient from inside. Christie has also struggled to defend bigger and more physical forwards, which is a result of his size. If Christie is able to put on muscle while gaining 15-20 pounds, then Christie could fit into a similar 3-&-D role that NBA All-Rookie First Teamer Franz Wagner excelled in with the Magic. Although Christie is projected to go in the mid-to-late part of the second round, his offensive upside and basketball IQ make him an intriguing prospect for Orlando or Miami to draft.
Bryce McGowens, PG/SG, University of Nebraska
Originally projected to be selected inside of the top twenty picks, McGowens now finds his draft stock slipping after struggling with his three-point shot and his team’s regular-season success. With this said, McGowens’ 6’7″ and 179-pound physique made him one of the Draft’s most versatile offense players, as he can attack the defense in a variety of ways. In 31 games this past season at Nebraska, McGowens averaged a team-high 16.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 1.4 APG while shooting 40.3% from the field. McGowens’ offense isn’t just limited to his shooting, however, as he has very few issues when driving to the rim and attacking the paint. As a result of using his athleticism to get downhill and draw fouls, McGowens averaged 1.05 points per shot around the rim (38th percentile) and shot 83.1% from the free-throw line (Third in Big Ten).
McGowen’s biggest concern as a Draft Prospect is his inefficient three-point shooting, as he made just 27.4% of his attempts from downtown. In addition to this, McGowens is a very undisciplined defender, as he committed an uncessacary 65 turnovers (2.1 TPG) and 62 fouls (2.0 FPG) this past season. Part of this can be attributed to McGowens’ lack of strength, resulting in bigger and stronger guards taking advantage of McGowens on offense. Finally, McGowens needs to become a better passer and look to get his teammates involved, rather than shouldering his team’s offensive load. Despite McGowens posting a 27.2% Usage Rate (Ninth in Big Ten), the Cornhuskers were one of the Big Ten’s worst teams, with a 10-22 overall record and a 4-16 record in conference play. With respect to these aforementioned concerns, McGowens wouldn’t be a bad choice for Orlando or Miami in the second round, due to his ability to score at all three levels of the floor and his good shooting splits.
Caleb Houstan, SG/SF, University of Michigan
Similar to Michigan State’s Christie, Houstan is an athletic and skilled swingman that can score in a variety of ways. While at Michigan, Houstan displayed his well-rounded offense, averaging 10.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.4 APG in 34 games. Due to Houstan’s 6’8″, 205-pound frame, he was a quite efficient perimeter shooter, shooting 38.4% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range. Defensively, Houstan does leave a lot to be left desired, as he possesses below-average athleticism and poor intangibles while averaging a measly 0.7 SPG and 0.2 BPG. While Houstan struggled mightily with his defense at the beginning of the season, Houstan did show signs of growth and improvement toward the end of the season.
In a shocking turn of events, Houstan did decline his invite to the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, but has still entered the 2022 draft. As it currently stands, Houstan will have until June First to opt out of the draft and return to Michigan, and will have sophomore eligibility if he opts out. If Houstan doesn’t return to Michigan and stays in the NBA Draft, then he’ll project as a solid three-&-d wing who can score at will. If Houstan is drafted by a young and rebuilding team, like Orlando, then he can certainly work on his aforementioned issues. At just 19 years old, Houstan has plenty of room to grow, and would be an under-the-radar selection for any NBA team in the second round.
Ismael Kamagate, PF/C, Paris Basketball (France)
While Kamagate will likely fall down NBA Draft Boards due to a lack of name recognition, his playstyle as an athletic and agile big-man that scores efficiently around the rim shouldn’t go noticed. Standing at 6’11” and 230 pounds, Kamagate was a dominant scorer in the paint while overseas in France, averaging 11.3 PPG and 6.3 RPG while shooting 64.3% from the field. Although Kamagate’s offensive game usually involves scoring inside of the paint on post-ups and lobs, Kamagate understands and sticks to his strengths, limiting any bad shots that he may be tempted to take. In addition to wise shot selection, Kamagate continually crashed the offensive glass for second-chance points, as shown by his 2.4 ORPG and 81 total offensive rebounds (Third in France). When at risk of turning the ball over, Kamagate would smartly pass the ball to his teammates, which often led to open three-point attempts.
With this said, Kamagate isn’t a defensive liability by any means, however. Due to his impressive 7’4″ wingspan and athleticism, Kamagate had no issues in defending the paint, as he led the LNB Pro A-League with 53 total blocks and finished second with 1.6 BPG. Kamagate was also more than able to defend the opposing team’s pick-and-roll, as he can successfully defend smaller and more agile guards. At just 21 years old, Kamagate has a lot of promise, but does need to work on some glaring issues, such as committing turnovers and fouls. Despite not committing a ton of turnovers and fouls, Kamagate could definitely lower the amount that he’s committing, as he totaled 59 turnovers (1.7 TPG) and 61 fouls (1.8 FPG). Overall, Kamagate is an exceptionally athletic and mobile center that has the skillset to positively impact both ends of the floor, and is an under-the-radar name to monitor in the second round of the Draft.