With the 2022 NCAA Tournament right around the corner, it's time
for conference tournaments to begin so teams can begin punching
their ticket to The Big Dance in March.
Mid-major tournaments have already gotten underway, on
Wednesday, five Power Five tournaments will have begun theirs to
join the club.
Since everyone will have their eyes on the best players in these
conferences over the next few weeks, BasketballNews.com has
highlighted each Power Five and its top 2022 NBA Draft
prospects.
Here are the names to look out for in the Atlantic Coast
Conference.
Class: Freshman
Draft Day Age: 19.6
Nationality: Italy, USA
At 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, Paolo Banchero is incredibly
versatile. He excels in the post, can create off the dribble and
continues to improve as a face-up shooter from deep. He lacks elite
athleticism on the defensive end, but has flashed a great feel and
discipline to counter that. Players with his build and skill set
don't come around very often. Banchero is widely considered as a
top-four pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Class: Freshman
Draft Day Age: 18.8
Nationality: USA
AJ Griffin is 6-foot-6 and possesses a 7-foot wingspan. He is a
powerful and versatile wing with a tremendous physical profile and
promising skill set. Griffin has also shown the ability to create
for both himself and others. After missing the early part of this
season due to injury, he has solidified himself as one of the best
shooters in the country. AJ is the son of former NBA player and
current Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin, and has
made his case as a top-10 pick.
Class: Sophomore
Draft Day Age: 20.5
Nationality: USA
Mark Williams is one of the best shot-blockers and inside
scorers in the country. Utilizing his size, length and interior
presence, Williams shows flashes of dominance on both ends. This
season, he has been solid for Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue
Devils, which could lead to him to first-round pick status in the
2022 NBA Draft.
Class: Junior
Draft Day Age: 20.8
Nationality: USA
Wendell Moore Jr. is having a breakout season, finally coming
into his own as a junior. At 6-foot-5, he has good positional size,
strength and athleticism at guard. While Moore remains streaky as a
three-point shooter, he has proven to be a reliable three-level
scorer this year for the Blue Devils. He will still be 20 years old
on draft night with more room to develop, making him a solid option
this June.
Class: Freshman
Draft Day Age: 19.3
Nationality: USA
Blake Wesley came to Notre Dame as the No. 100 RSCI high school
recruit,, but has quickly cemented himself as one of the more
productive freshmen in the country. He has positional size and
excellent length with a knack for scoring at all three levels.
He'll need to improve his overall efficiency before unlocking his
full potential, but he has the tools and skill set to develop into
a capable NBA player.
Class: Freshman
Draft Day Age: 18.8
Nationality: USA
A physical and slashing guard capable of shooting the ball from
outside, Trevor Keels came to Duke after being a consensus
five-star high school recruit. His physicality and natural ability
to score the ball should generate interest from NBA teams. Although
he can be streaky as a shooter, he has a beautiful release, and has
proven to be a tough shot-maker. With positional size and a knack
for scoring, Keels is one to follow.
After two seasons at both Triton College (NJCAA DII) and
Oklahoma, Alondes Williams transferred to Wake Forest and truly
came into his own. Leading the team in points, rebounds and
assists, he is versatile and reliable in all facets of the game.
His shooting has been inconsistent, but he makes a strong case for
this June's NBA Draft. He is one of the older players in the class,
but projects as a player worthy of an opportunity at the next
level.
Class: Sophomore
Draft Day Age: 20.7
Nationality: USA
After being a highly-touted recruit out of high school, Caleb
Love had a somewhat underwhelming freshman season for the North
Carolina Tar Heels. However, this season, he is scoring well from
deep and the free-throw line, promising a scoring punch at the next
level. Love is a solid athlete with a quick first step and knack
for playmaking, and has taken a step forward this season. Love
could be a viable option in the 2022 NBA Draft if he can continue
trending in the right direction.
Class: Sophomore
Draft Day Age: 22.1
Nationality: USA
After redshirting in 2019 and only playing 17 minutes in 2020,
Dereon Seabron has exploded onto the scene as a sophomore. Leading
NC State in multiple statistical categories, he excels in attacking
and finishing in the lane with his long wingspan. He isn't much of
a floor stretcher at this point in his career, but adds significant
value in other areas such as rebounding and facilitating. He is
older for a sophomore (22.1 on Draft Day) but continues to make a
strong case for himself in this June.
Others worth
noting:
Armando Bacot | North Carolina
Buddy Boeheim | Syracuse
Matthew Cleveland | Florida State
Kameron McGusty | Miami
Jake LaRavia | Wake Forest
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