Previewing the top 5 NCAA centers for the 2022 NBA draft
The college basketball season brought a number of fascinating storylines, including some impressive prospects who look ready to take the leap to the NBA level. The draft will feature a number of intriguing big man prospects who have the potential to be early contributors as rookies.
The NBA Draft Lottery on May 17 will complete the draft order for the June 23 draft.
Here's a look at the top five college basketball centers for the draft.
No. 1: 5 Christian Koloko
Junior center Christian Koloko helped the Arizona Wildcats emerge as one of pleasant surprises in the NCAA this year.
Koloko, 7-foot-1, 230 pounds, stands out with his soft hands and impressive defensive awareness. One of the top shot-blocking bigs last year, Koloko has the ability to be a defensive weapon early in his NBA career.
Christian Koloko is the first player with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 90% shooting in a NCAA Tournament game since Blake Griffin in 2009 against Morgan State. https://t.co/sycxeR5Lnu
Koloko won't turn 22 until June and has plenty of untapped potential in his game. Koloko took a sizeable leap forward in his development this year and should be a player who can sneak into the end of the first round. He averaged 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 63.5%.
No. 4: Walker Kessler
After playing his freshman year for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Walker Kessler transferred to the Auburn Tigers for his sophomore season. It was a wise decision, as Kessler saw his game take off in a big way.
Kesslerat 7-foot-1, 245 pounds, has an old-school type of feel when it comes to his ability as a center. He was one of college basketball's most dominant shot-blocking centers, and he put up some eye-opening boxscores.
Congrats to Walker Kessler on earning @NaismithTrophy Defensive Player of the Year! 👏
The @AuburnMBB big man was a force in the paint 💪 https://t.co/KqOiCSf2M2
Just 20 years old, Kessler is one of the top centers in this year's draft class, expected to be a first-round pick. Although Kessler is known for his defensive ability, he possesses the offensive upside to turn into a two-way weapon. He averaged 11.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg and 4.6 bpg while shooting 60.8%.
No. 3: Mark Williams
Duke Blue Devils center Mark Williams emerged with his play near the final stretch of the season. Coming into the year as a potential breakout candidate, Williams saw his game take off as one of the best defensive big men in the country. At 7-foot, 243 pounds, Williams has the size and length to become a serious force inside the paint at the next level.
🏾Thank You, Duke. Forever Grateful.💙😈🙏🏾 https://t.co/6DyvJM8stu
One of the most gifted shot-blockers in the country, Williams has the ability to run the floor as a dangerous lob threat in transition. He's becoming a favorite to be selected as a lottery pick.
Williams averaged 11.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 2.8 bpg while shooting 72.1% from the field and 72.7% from the free-throw line.
No. 2: Jalen Duren
After reclassifying in high school, Memphis Tigers freshman big man Jalen Duren stepped onto the NCAA floor as one of the country's youngest players. You wouldn’t notice that by looking at Duren, who stands out with his impressive 6-foot-10, 250-pound frame.
Duren has a freakish combination of elite athleticism and shot-blocking potential. A physically imposing specimen with the ability to be a dominant force around the basket, Duren won't turn 19 until November.
Projected top-10 pick Jalen Duren officially enters the NBA draft🔥 https://t.co/1Wxi9RxY85
Duren really started to find his groove during the second half of the year. With the ability to become a dangerous lob threat in the pick-and-roll, Duren has the tools and raw upside to become a dangerous two-way star.
He averaged 12.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.3 apg and 2.1 bpg this year while shooting 59.7% from the field and 62.5% from the free-throw line. The talented big man is a favorite to be selected in the top 10.
No. 1: Chet Holmgren
Coming into the NCAA season, no prospect generated as much interest as Gonzaga Bulldogs freshman Chet Holmgren. It was a bit of a slow start for one of the country's top high recruits, but once Holmgren found his groove, he turned heads.
Report: “I think it would be tough to have the No. 1 pick and not take him (Chet Holmgren),” one NBA team source said. “If he’s a whiff, he’s a whiff. The upside is too much to ignore.”
(via @JLEdwardsIII, theathletic.com/3266892/2022/0…) https://t.co/fTdvlJPCc5
Listed at 7-foot, 195 pounds, Holmgren immediately stands out with his thin frame but makes up for it with great effort and toughness.
A gifted shot blocker who can impact a game with his defensive versatility, Holmgren has the potential to be a defensive anchor in the NBA.
Not only is Holmgren a gifted defender, but he also has the upside to stretch the floor from well beyond NBA range with a smooth outside shot. Holmgren is expected to be one of the first selections in the draft. The soon-to-be 19-year-old averaged 14.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.9 apg and 3.7 bpg while shooting 60.7%, including 39.0% from 3-point range.