NBA Draft: Catching Up With the Bigs of 2022 Draft-and-Stash Class
Nine international players drafted in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft have yet to play a single minute in the NBA and have instead continued with their professional careers playing in different leagues around the world, a common practice for late second round draft picks known as the “draft-and-stash”.
In this first installment, we'll take a look at how the bigs from this group have fared in their 2022-23 campaigns overseas and how their talents could translate to the NBA, should they make their way to the States.
Khalifa Diop
Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 39th Pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Diop was one of the most proven players coming into the 2022 Draft. With two full seasons of high-level experience in the Spanish ACB under his belt, Diop was already a key rotation player for Gran Canaria by the time last year’s draft rolled around. Diop has stepped up yet again this year, now becoming a starter for Gran Canaria and maintaining his overall levels of efficiency despite seeing more minutes per game.
Diop’s game was never the most eye-popping and this year has been no exception, but while limited, he plays extremely well within his role. Listed at 7-foot-1 Diop has the size and strength to withstand physicality at the center position, but he is also more mobile, coordinated and explosive than you would expect for his size. As such, he’s able to run the floor, roll to the basket and catch lobs with speed and power. Defensively, he’s a powerful leaper off a standstill, which allows him to act as the last line of defense, protect the rim when dribble penetration occurs and secure defensive rebounds.
While there’s value in holding Diop’s draft rights, it’s hard to see the Cavs having any hurry in bringing the senegalese center over, considering they have two of the best young big men in the NBA on long term contracts. Cleveland could look to bring Diop and have him as a rotation piece on a rookie contract who is ready to play minutes from day one. Otherwise, his draft rights hold value and could be included in a trade to move up or to gain additional picks in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Ismael Kamagate
Drafted by the Denver Nuggets with the 46th Pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Much like Diop, Kamagate has also taken a step forward for Paris Basketball this season, playing extremely well within his role. Standing at 6-foot-11 with a reported 7-foot-5 wingspan, Kamagate is an efficient interior finisher who utilizes his tools to convert pick-and-roll and transition opportunities at the rim with power.
Defensively, Kamagate’s tools and mobility allow him to make an impact, especially as a switch defender and defensive rebounder, but his awareness and reaction times when defending off the ball could improve, as he can be routinely late for rotations and blocks as a help defender.
Kamagate has already seen action for the Nuggets in last year’s Summer League, where he was efficient in his limited offensive role, while adding value on defense as a rebounder and rim protector. The Nuggets have a clear need for a back up center, as both DeAndre Jordan and Thomas Bryant will be free agents by the end of the season, however, a team in the midst of championship contention like Denver might be more comfortable going for a veteran center in the free agent market than giving important minutes to a rookie big who, coming from the French LNB, will need time to adapt to the NBA.
Karlo Matkovic
Drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 52nd Pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Matkovic was a somewhat surprising selection, as he had been a solid prospect for a number of years, but he wasn’t widely considered as an NBA prospect until he put up a strong 2021-22 campaign as the starting center for Mega in the Adriatic League.
Matkovic moved to Cedevita Olimpija for the 2022-23 season, where he’s coming off the bench and while he has maintained his offensive efficiency his production has taken a slight dip. Matkovic combines his profile as a solid interior play finisher with some moments of mid-range shooting and ball-handling, whether it is by attacking closeouts or simply bullying smaller opponents in the perimeter for easy drives to the basket.
The concern around Matkovic is that he doesn’t have the elite physical profile for an NBA rim protector, listed at 6-foot-10, Matkovic doesn’t have elite length and opponents are routinely able to convert shots over him when he’s the primary defender at the rim. In the perimeter, he has some limitations in terms of quickness and ability to change directions, which makes him vulnerable against opposing guards.
With Jonas Valanciunas and Willy Hernangomez both under contract for next season, it’s likely that the Pelicans won’t have any urgency in bringing Matkovic over, who I don’t envision making an impact right away due to his lack of elite tools for an NBA rim protector. However, he is a potential long-term bet as he continues to move up in the European ranks.
Yannick Nzosa
Drafted by the Washington Wizards with the 54th Pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Nzosa was an upside bet for the Wizards near the end of the 2022 draft. Once considered as one of the best defenders in the international game and a potential top ten pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Nzosa had a disappointing 2021-22 campaign following a groin injury which kept him sidelined for nearly five months. This 2022-23 season has followed the same trend, as Nzosa has been sidelined since early november after suffering a hamstring tendon rupture in his first game of the season.
The expectation is for Nzosa to be healthy once again for the start of the 2023-24 season, still 19 years old, Nzosa has time to improve and to get back to a high level of play, but for a prospect who was fairly limited on offense and relied so much in his mobility and quickness for his size to generate value as a versatile defender, the amount of injuries are alarming. It’s likely that we won’t see Nzosa coming into the NBA for at least another year.
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