For some of the elite 2022 NBA draft prospects, their stay in “March Madness” was an abbreviated one after a loss in the first or second round of the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tounament.
Top prospects that saw their teams lose on the opening weekend included Auburn’s Jabari Smith, Iowa’s Keegan Murray, Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis, Memphis’ Jalen Duren, and Kentucky’s TyTy Washington. All are projected in the top 10 of our latest consensus NBA mock draft.
Others, however — led by Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Duke’s Paolo Banchero — remain in the mix. Should those teams win Thursday, Banchero and Holmgren would be on course to face off in one of Saturday’s regional final games, with a spot in the Final Four on the line.
