Four Big 12 Players in Post-NBA Draft Lottery Mock
Ochai Agbaji was the highest-drafted Big 12 player in ESPN’s most recent 2022 NBA Mock Draft, which was released after the NBA Draft Lottery.
The Orlando Magic have the No. 1 overall selection as a result of the lottery.
In a mock a week before the lottery, two Big 12 players — Agbaji and Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan — were looked at as potential lottery picks. After the lottery, there were no Big 12 players in the Top 14, but there were four Big 12 players selected in the first round of the two-round mock draft.
Agbaji went just outside the lottery at No. 15 to Charlotte. He’s looked up on as a plug-and-play prospect who is coming off leading Kansas to a national championship. He was one of the best 3-point shooters in the country last season.
Agbaji had career highs in scoring (18.6 points) and rebounds (5.1) last season.
Sochan, who left Baylor after just one season, went No. 18 to the Chicago Bulls. The forward would be a fit for a team that needs frontcourt help entering next season.
Sochan was an All-Big 12 honorable mention and All-Big 12 Freshman selection after averaging 9.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on an average of 25 minutes per game last season.
Sochan’s Bears teammate, Kendall Brown, went No. 25 to San Antonio. In this scenario, he would be part of a haul that would include G-League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels at No. 9 and Tennessee guard Kennedy Chandler at No. 20. San Antonio is trying to find its footing in the post-Kawhi Leonard era.
Brown averaged 9.7 points per game, shot 58.4 percent from the field, and added 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game last season.
The last Big 12 pick was Christian Braun, who landed at Golden State at No. 28. The Warriors are playing the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA’s Western Conference Finals.
Braun declared early for the draft. He just wrapped up the best season of his career, averaging 14.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, all of which were career-highs. Braun has retained his college eligibility and can return to Kansas, but he must make that decision by June 1.
The NBA Scouting Combine is this week. The NBA Draft will be June 23.
Matthew Postins can be found on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
