The 2022 NBA draft lottery is now less than three months away, with a picture of the teams that could snare the No. 1 pick gaining more clarity with each day of games on the NBA schedule.
The right to select one of the Big Three -- Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Chet Holmgren, Duke Blue Devils forward Paolo Banchero and Auburn Tigers forward Jabari Smith -- in June figures to be the focus for all of the possible lottery teams, but there's a long way to go before that circumstance is established. In fact, movement at the top of NBA big boards is already happening. After a clear 1-2-3 order of Holmgren, Banchero and Smith had held steady over most of the past three months, ESPN's latest NBA mock draft alters it, with a number of new names rising into the new first round and on our mock draft boards.
ESPN's NBA draft experts Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have been evaluating players and talking to NBA scouts and team stakeholders throughout the winter. Givony's latest 2022 NBA mock draft is below, and Givony and Schmitz also weigh in on a handful of key players who have seen their stock rise, fall or remain steady in recent weeks.
Note: The projected 2022 draft order is based on ESPN BPI draft projections as of Monday. The full 1-58 order also reflects picks owed and owned.