City of Palms Classic sees a total of six alumni selected in first round of 2022 NBA Draft
The City of Palms Classic flexed its muscles once again as one of the top high school basketball tournaments Thursday night in Brooklyn.
The 2022 NBA Draft added six more first-round draft picks to a storied group that has played in the prestigious tournament. To date, the City of Palms Classic has had 114 first-round selections, and 11 consecutive years with a top-3 pick.
That was followed by six more tournament alums in the second round for a total of 12 on the night.
The group of six former City of Palms Classic players was led by do-it-all star Paolo Banchero, formerly of Seattle O'Dea. He becomes the seventh No. 1 pick since 2010, joining John Wall (2010), Anthony Bennett (2013), Andrew Wiggins (2014), Ben Simmons (2016), DeAndre Ayton (2018), and Cade Cunningham (2021).
Jabari Smith of Auburn, Malaki Branham of Ohio State, and TyTy Washington of Kentucky were all slated to play in the 2020 City of Palms Classic, but the tournament was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Smith, Branham, and Washington, who were picked at No. 3, No. 20, and No. 29, will not count towards this list.
Here are the six first-round picks, their high school (year in the City of Palms Classic), college, and an analysis of the selection.
No. 1: F Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
O'Dea (2019)/Duke
Analysis: Banchero is a very athletic forward who was able to impose his size and skillset inside Cameron Indoor on numerous occasions for Mike Krzyzewski and Duke in his final season. The 6-foot-10, 250-pounder proved that he can shoot it outside, post up inside, and will be a solid asset in Orlando with Jalen Suggs and company looking to take the next step as a team.
No. 7: G Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trailblazers
Sunrise Christian Academy (2019)/Kentucky
Analysis: Sharpe didn't actually play a minute of college basketball for John Calipari and Kentucky despite being a consensus top-3 recruit in his class. Compared to Zach Lavine of the Chicago Bulls, Sharpe is the ideal shooting guard at 6-foot-6, with the ability of finishing at the rim at will. Creating opportunities for others on the floor may be an issue, as he has yet to prove he can do more than just make the simple reads.
No. 10: G Johnny Davis, Washington Wizards
La Crosse Central (2018)/Wisconsin
Analysis: Davis was strong for the Badgers, averaging 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game at 6-foot-5. The Big Ten Player of the Year did only shoot 42 percent from the field, including 30 percent from distance. Davis's ability to play defense is a start for the Wizards, who will look to improve his game as a likely shooting guard in the NBA.
No. 13: C Jalen Duren, Charlotte Hornets
Roman Catholic (2019)/Memphis
Analysis: Duren was hyped up coming out of high school, and was the No. 2 recruit in the class. He played at the City of Palms Classic for Roman Catholic (Pa.) in 2019. Duren is a rim protector, averaging 2.1 blocks per game for Penny Hardaway. He is limited to being just a player on the inside, as his mid-range game as well as his free throw percentage (62.5%) need a lot of work. Duren was traded minutes after being selected to the Detroit Pistons.
No. 15: C Mark Williams, Charlotte Hornets
IMG Academy (2019)/Duke
Analysis: Williams was a five-star recruit coming out of high school with IMG Academy, using his big frame en route to ACC Defensive Player of the Year this season. Williams has a massive wingspan of 7-foot-7, which should see him rack up close to double-digit rebounds each game if he starts right out of the gate. Opposing teams could exploit Williams in the pick-and-roll, as his perimeter game lacks on the defensive end.
Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports" height="3152" id="7719332001" src="https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-news-press/c489947a87c7d12d5e5bceb577946738" width="4727" data-uuid="220dcc99-8851-31e1-87ac-c97968b55999">
No. 16: F A.J. Griffin, Atlanta Hawks
Archbishop Stepinac (2019)/Duke
Analysis: Griffin starred as the City of Palms Classic with Stepinac before going a few states south to play for Mike Krzyzewski and Duke. The forward can shoot the three, and has the intangibles to be a mainstay in the league for a prolonged period of time. Griffin will have to take a step defensively, as there are instances where he's a tad slow, which teams will make him pay for.
Second Round Selections
Here's a list of players selected in the 2022 NBA Draft second round including high school and years played in the City of Palms:
No. 31 Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers, Montverde Academy (2016); No. 32 Caleb Houstan, Orlando Magic, Montverde Academy (2019); No. 38 Kennedy Chandler, Dallas Mavericks, Briarcrest Christian (2019); No. 42 Trevor Keels, New York Knicks, Paul VI (2018); No. 43 Moussa Diabate, Los Angeles Clippers, IMG Academy (2019); No. 48 Kendall Brown, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunrise Christian (2019)
Follow Southwest Florida Sports Writer Alex Martin on Twitter: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Six City of Palms Classic alumni chosen in first round of 2022 NBA Draft
