2022-23 NBA All-Rookie Teams: Revisiting Their Draft Grades
The 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie Teams have officially been announced. It’s time to take a look back at how I rated these players when they were drafted.
2022-23 NBA All-Rookie First Team
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
2022 Draft Grade: A+ (Round 1, Pick 1)
What I Wrote Back Then:
I’ve had Paolo as the No. 1 prospect on my Big Board for some time now, and I’m very excited that Orlando went and got him with the top pick. Banchero is as NBA-ready as they come and has a high floor as an offensive creator. Love this pick for the Magic.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
Banchero averaged 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in a Rookie of the Year campaign. Having had the Duke product at the top of my Big Board entering the 2022 NBA Draft, I feel pretty good about this one. Magic fans should be very optimistic for Paolo’s impact moving forward.
Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
2022 Draft Grade: A- (Round 1, Pick 12)
What I Wrote Back Then:
Williams was one of the biggest risers of the 2022 NBA Draft process, but I think he’s actually a pretty safe prospect who was underscouted at Santa Clara. He’s a very promising shot creator with good length who should thrive next to primary playmakers like SGA and Giddey.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
I really liked the Jalen Williams pick at the time, as evidenced by the high grade, but I really did not anticipate the immediate impact he would have for OKC this year. The 6’6″ wing averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 52.1% from the field and 35.6% from three, continuing the production that had him so highly regarded coming out of Santa Clara. I’ll give myself the W for the grade, but with the caveat that I saw it as more of a long-term play than the immediate success that it was.
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz
2022 Draft Grade: C+ (Round 1, Pick 22)
What I Wrote Back Then:
The Timberwolves have more glaring needs than center, so going center with their first-round pick is a questionable call. Kessler is an elite shot-blocker and rebounder who can be a value add to the right team, but the draft position combined with Minnesota’s needs make me not love it.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
Not quite. To be fair, I handed out the grade assuming Kessler would be playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, not that he would be traded to the Utah Jazz not long after. Regardless, still didn’t see him being that good right away. He put together a really solid year, averaging 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game.
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
2022 Draft Grade: B (Round 1, Pick 4)
What I Wrote Back Then:
I feel like Keegan Murray is already 75% of the player he could be, but that player is still extremely good at basketball. I disagree with the Kings’ approach to this draft in drafting for fit when they’ve been so consistently terrible, but Murray should be a contributing two-way piece for a long time.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
Mostly. B was probably a little too low considering Murray started in 78 games this year and averaged 12.2 points per game while shooting 41.1% from three. His rookie campaign helped elevate the Sacramento Kings to the franchise’s first playoff appearance in nearly two decades.
Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
2022 Draft Grade: A+ (Round 1, Pick 6)
What I Wrote Back Then:
I am unabashedly a huge fan of Bennedict Mathurin and believe he has more star potential than most are giving him credit for. He’s a freak athlete who shoots the three extremely well. One of the big knocks against him is that his handle is subpar and he will struggle to create for himself. He’s going to a team with Tyrese Haliburton so I’m really not concerned about that. There’s too many positives with Mathurin for me to not be excited about him.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
Yes. I have always been a huge Bennedict Mathurin guy. One of my hot takes from the 2022 NBA Draft was that he could wind up one of the three best players from this class when all is said and done. He needs to improve his efficiency from three but 16.7 points per game is impressive nonetheless.
2022-23 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
2022 Draft Grade: A+ (Round 1, Pick 5)
What I Wrote Back Then:
Huge W for Detroit getting Jaden Ivey with this pick. The top guard prospect in the 2022 NBA Draft has shades of Donovan Mitchell with his athleticism and high-level scoring ability. He will be an excellent fit next to Cade Cunningham – that backcourt is going to be a lot of fun.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
I’ll take it, although I would have felt better if Ivey had made First Team. He averaged 16.3 points per game and legitimately improved his shooting as the season went on. The secondary playmaking was certainly there as he dished 5.2 assists per game. Detroit got a good one.
Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons
2022 Draft Grade: A+ (Round 1, Pick 13)
What I Wrote Back Then:
Another win for the Pistons, who ran circles around both the Knicks and the Hornets to trade into this pick and get perhaps the best center in the draft. Duren is a freak athlete and excellent rim protector who has also flashed playmaking out of the post. Cade Cunningham is going to love having him in the dunker spot.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
I saw the vision with Jalen Duren. His athleticism was on full display as he proved to be an impactful frontcourt player for the Pistons. The Memphis product averaged 9.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while shooting 64.8% from the field.
Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets
2022 Draft Grade: B- (Round 1, Pick 3)
What I Wrote Back Then:
I’ve given my thoughts on Jabari Smith. I don’t believe he was worth the number one overall pick, and I also don’t think he’ll end up being a top-five player in this class when all is said and done. He’ll be a solid NBA player for his perimeter shooting and defense, but I don’t see a ton of star potential here. As long as the Rockets have a good sense of his strengths and use him accordingly, this is still a good pick for them.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
I was relatively critical of Jabari Smith entering the 2022 NBA Draft. I did not have him in the top five of my board, so I chalk up the B- grade and Smith’s Second Team nod as a win for me. His shooting was highly touted but never showed up consistently as he converted 40.8% from the field and 30.7% from three. We could certainly see those numbers improve in the future, especially as the context in Houston gets better.
Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs
2022 Draft Grade: B- (Round 1, Pick 9)
What I Wrote Back Then:
Back-to-back years where a Baylor player is taken No. 9 overall. I get the appeal with Sochan but I’m not as high on him as some other people. He’s one of the best defenders in the draft class, able to guard pretty much anyone 1-5. However, I see very minimal offensive upside and I think this pick might have been a bit of a reach in the top 10.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
I think this is a miss as of now. Sochan wasn’t a guy I was very high on entering the draft, but he had a respectable season. He averaged 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game for San Antonio and looks to be a cornerstone of the frontcourt with Wembanyama on the way. I’m still not totally sure how much I buy into Sochan’s upside moving forward (stubborn, yes), but he was better than I expected.
Tari Eason, Houston Rockets
2022 Draft Grade: A+ (Round 1, Pick 17)
What I Wrote Back Then:
We are going to look back on this class years from now and wonder why Tari Eason wasn’t selected much earlier. He’s got great measurements and might be the best defender in this class. If the three-point shot he displayed last season at LSU is legit, he’s going to be a real two-way problem. Even without the outside shot, he can be used as a slasher. Houston adds a great piece to their young roster.
2022 NBA Draft: First Round Grades and Analysis
Was I Right?
Tari Eason was one of my guys! I was higher than consensus on the LSU product, and he did not disappoint me. He averaged 9.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. His offense is still rounding into form, but he provided plenty of value on the defensive side, finishing with 1.2 steals and almost a block per game.
Overall, I think my draft grades were pretty accurate for the 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie Teams. Around seven were defensible and three were iffy or flat-out wrong. It will be interesting to see how all these players build on their rookie campaigns moving forward.
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