The NBA draft will take place this Thursday June 23 in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets.
The Orlando Magic currently hold the top-overall selection and many experts are predicting that 6-foot-10 Auburn power forward Jabari Smith, who played his high school basketball at Sandy Creek HS (Fayetteville, GA) will be the name turned in by the Magic.
When 92.9 the Game college basketball expert Deshaun Tate joined Dukes & Bell to preview the NBA draft, he was very confident that Smith is exactly what the Magic roster needs at this time.
“He’s the most well balanced on both sides of the ball and they need some help in the frontcourt,” described Deshaun when explaining why he feels Smith will be the selection by Orlando.
If Jabari Smith is drafted No. 1 overall, the state of Georgia will have its second former prep product to be taken first overall in an amateur draft in 2022, as Travon Walker who starred at Upson-Lee HS (Thomaston, GA) before attending UGA was the top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Walker was the second straight former Georgia prep star taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars in consecutive years as the Jags also selected former Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence (Cartersville, GA) with the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
As far as the NBA draft history, just two years ago the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Anthony Edwards, who played his high school basketball at Holy Spirit Prep, with the top overall selection.
Lastly, the Orlando Magic once made another former Georgia high school star a top pick overall back in 2004 when the Florida franchise selected Dwight Howard out of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy.
Will history repeat itself in 2022?
Tune into 92.9 the Game for full draft night coverage with Andy Bunker, Mike Conti and Deshaun Tate giving analysis after every selection.