Three Sleeper Prospects To Watch For In 2022 NBA Draft
No matter what pick they may have in the draft, plenty of NBA teams are always able to find hidden talent and prospects that develop into star players for them.
Several All-Star talents currently in the league have been drafted in the second-round, as multi-time All-Star Draymond Green and back-to-back league-MVP Nikola Jokic were second-round picks in their respective drafts.
Whether it's in the lottery, the end of the first-round or the second-round, there is always plenty of talent to be had in the NBA Draft and this year is no different.
Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero may be heavily regarded as All-Star-like prospects already, but this year’s 2022 draft class features a ton of players with potential deeper down the draft board.
Here’s a look at some of this year’s prospects who have a chance to be some of this year’s biggest “sleeper” picks.
Jalen Williams - Santa Clara
One of the key standouts from this year’s NBA Draft Combine was Jalen Williams and throughout the pre-draft process, Williams’ draft stock has been skyrocketing.
Coming out of Santa Clara, many saw him being a potential late second-round pick, but now, Jalen Williams is seeing his name as high as the Top-20 in the first-round of some mock drafts!
A pure blend of athleticism and length, a lot of teams are intrigued with the idea of adding Williams because of the fact that he can potentially fill many needs a franchise may have.
Being able to be a ball-handler on the wing, Williams’ versatility and scoring mentality is what has made him a first-round prospect in this year’s draft. At the NBA Draft Combine, he measured just under 6-foot-6, but his 7-2 wingspan made everyone double-take at his measurements.
Possessing a very smooth shooting stroke from the perimeter and being able to get downhill towards the basket, Jalen Williams could enter the NBA ready to play from Day 1 depending on what team ends up with him.
A true two-way wing, the Santa Clara product will be a nice addition to a potential playoff team’s bench and could very well end up seeing heavy minutes his rookie season out on the wing because of his playmaking abilities on offense.
Dalen Terry - Arizona
Coming out of Arizona, Dalen Terry is a very intriguing combo-guard that has done well for himself throughout the pre-draft process this year. Standing 6-7 with a near 7-1 wingspan, Terry is a longer guard that has a ton of potential to grow into a talented defensive player.
In college, his ability to disrupt passing lanes with his length is what made him an adequate defender and in the NBA, he will continue to find success disrupting passing lanes out on the perimeter.
Teams love to look for ball-handlers and guards with length that can score off-the-dribble, which is why there has been some talk of Terry possibly finding his way into the late first-round of this year’s draft.
Becoming stronger and learning how to use his length to his advantage will go a long way for Dalen Terry in his potential NBA career, but as of right now, his playmaking abilities and length is what projects him to possibly be one of the biggest “sleeper” picks come June 23.
Length always projects well in the NBA draft, especially for guards, which is why Dalen Terry has a chance to be a special, young talent.
Caleb Houstan - Michigan
Seeing Caleb Houstan keep his name in the NBA Draft was a little surprising for some, but coming out of high school, he was the 8th ranked recruit on ESPN’s Top-100 2021 Recruiting Class.
Possessing size and a scorer’s mentality on the wing, Houstan projects to be a very capable three-point shooting threat at the NBA level and he still has a lot of potential to grow into a more versatile offensive threat.
Being just 19-years-old, gives the young forward time to continue growing when drafted and a team that already has a group of youth in place could be interested in adding him to their team.
By no means is Caleb Houstan ready to come into the NBA from Day 1 and be an All-Rookie type of talent, but the skill is certainly there for him and with the right developmental team, Houstan could really turn into one of the players we look back on from the 2022 NBA Draft and ask ourselves why he didn’t go higher.
While his numbers may not have been impressive at Michigan, Houstan’s game will translate nicely to the NBA level where there is more one-on-one action and where he will truly be able to showcase his skill rather than fit.
Rebounding will be key in his development though, as Houstan can really become a multidimensional forward that can fill many needs by getting stronger on the interior.
Staying in the draft rather than going back to college, many have wondered if he already has a promise in the first-round, as The Athletic’s John Hollinger has cited the Oklahoma City Thunder being a possible destination given all of their first-round picks in this year’s draft.
For a team willing to gamble on a young, high-potential wing, Caleb Houstan could wind up having one of the highest payouts from the 2022 NBA Draft.
Related stories on 2022 NBA Draft:
- 2022 NBA Draft Intel: Orlando Magic Zeroing In On No. 1 Overall Pick: As we inch closer to the 2022 NBA Draft, several key topics of discussion have emerged, including what the Orlando Magic are planning on doing with the No. 1 overall pick. CLICK HERE.
- 2022 NBA Mock Draft 1.0 - Post-Combine Edition: The 2022 NBA Draft is less than a month away now, which means it is time to start taking a look at who could end up where in Brett Siegel’s 2022 NBA Mock Draft 1.0! CLICK HERE.
- 2022 NBA Draft Big Board 2.0 and Top-50 Rankings: Jabari Smith Jr., Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and Jaden Ivey are the top prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft, but where do the rest of this year’s potential draftees rank? CLICK HERE.
